On The Nature of Time (2021) for piano duo
I. Omnisphere
II. A Moment Of Truth
III. Bygones, And Bell Jars
On the Nature of Time is a work that was originally inspired by the book Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman. In the book, Lightman imagines a series of dreams that Einstein has in 1905, as he is constructing his theory of time and relativity while working at a patent office in Switzerland. Lightman describes Einstein’s theory through the imagination of three worlds:
In one, time is circular, so that people are fated to repeat triumphs and failures over and
over. In another, there is a place, visited by lovers and parents clinging to their children,
where time stands still. In yet another, time is a nightingale, sometimes trapped by a bell jar.
Each of these three “worlds” comprises a movement of the work, with the hope of showing how we might experience time through a variety of contrasting perspectives.
Asphyxiated By An Echo (2021) for string quartet and fixed electronics
Written in collaboration with Matty Lane Glasgow (poet) and Reilly Jensen (visual artist). An interdisciplinary work influenced by climate change, and, more specifically the adverse effects of smog and air pollution on the earth’s atmosphere.
Interpretations (2020) for clarinet and classical guitar
Interpretations is a work that bridges the relationship between improvisation and composition. We might often think of these ideas as separate entities, while also not denying that improvisation holds a rightful claim in the realm of composition, as it has existed in various capacities throughout the ages. Interpretations is thus a work about what it means to interpret music, as it is often not exclusively improvising, while a fixed compositional element also usually exists. Many of the ideas, gestures, and expressive devices in this work are left up to the performer, in hope of revealing the wide array of creative and interpretive possibilities that might exist from the processing of notational indications in a musical score.
When Memories Fade Like Faded Glass (2020) for clarinet and electronics
When Memories Fade Like Faded Glass is a work that experiments with the notions of musical memory and the association of musical ideas. A variety of imitative sounds converse between the clarinet and fixed electronics, with certain associative sounds later returning in a distorted, differentiated form.
Etude for Solo Clarinet (2020)
Soundlence (2020) for flute, clarinet, bassoon, harp, and percussion
Soundlence is an experimental work that explores the relationships between sound and silence, and how our perception of these entities might change depending on the surrounding material or situation. The piece consists of three distinct layers. The first layer could be described as a form of “visual” silence, in that no perceivable sound is intended but there are many visual actions that comprise the sense of “energy” that drives the piece forward. The second layer consists of what one might call “unintentional” sounds, in that they are not traditionally a part of the performance when they are heard. These sounds might also be described as environmental in that they are based upon sonic material of the natural environment. The final layer consists of “traditional” sounds, indicated by the use of typical sounds that one would expect from the instruments, using traditional notation.
Conversing With Aliens (2019), for fixed media
A heavily distorted, noise-based composition for fixed media
Linger (2019), for fixed media
Linger is a piece written in the style of Elektronishche Musik. I began composing the piece in Pure Data, aiming to create a sound that was representative of a heart rate gradually increasing (suggesting the sound of a heart attack). I used this sound as a fundamental layer, and then added a number of dissonant/suspenseful sounds in Logic Pro X to create the uneasiness of a “lingering” atmospheric environment.
The Incident (2019), for fixed media
The Incident is an acoustic ecology piece with a narrative sense of development. The fundamental layer of the texture features recordings from my ventures on the “Living Room Trailhead” in eastern Salt Lake City. Other sounds are taken and designed specifically in a way that evokes an illustrative sense of reaction or association by the listener. Overall, my goal was to compose a narrative piece of contrasting sounds, yet remains abstract in terms of interpretation. This piece was composed as a part of my Electroacoustic Composition class at the University of Utah.
Pulsaris (2019), for fixed media
A work for fixed media, using source material from the sonification of a rendered 3D model of pulsars.