Music written by me!

Prelude to "Tracey and the Vampire" for the 2006 Tracey Lullaby

The 2006 Tracey Lullaby, "Tracey and the Vampire" with narration by Hunter Lee Brown.

Presented to Tracey for Valentine's Day 2006.

I developed the ideas, story and music after reading Anne Rice's Vampire books. But mostly it's all Peter and the Wolf.

Probably the best of the "Exhibition" pieces. Uses piano solo, electric pick bass, and depicts the sights, sounds and hectic nature of an urban scene as depicted in the modernist, expressionist painting from the contest guidlines.

Cheesy depiction of a very Romantic painting of the Grand Canal in Venice Italy.

March realized with the Vienna Symphonic Library sound samples -- saxaphones replaced with bassoons and oboe.

As a former low brass man in highschool, I always loved the concert season. The sounds of a wind ensemble are hard to resist. And a strong influence on this one, was Holst's First Suite for Military Band.

The 2002 Tracey Lullbay. The little piece that started the whole set, year after year.

The Tracey Lullaby theme this time done in an extended arrangement for a small ensemble of strings. More intitmate and intense than the first lullaby.

The Tracey Lullaby theme, ala a big symphonic romp with piano runs, introspective middle,  and a big Hollywood finish.

Tchaikovsky style symphonic waltz version (with harp and celeste of course!) of the now immortal, Tracey Lullaby theme!

a middle-ish movement for a string section. unfinished...

another middle-ish movement for strings. This time, done in all pizzicato.

Another informal competition entry, this quirky piece celebrating the return of Mars in closest approach to Earth, received a third place finish in votes.

A competition entry, this piece was written to celebrate "The Spirt of Olympia." It tied for First Place from nine total scores voted on by community members of sibleiusmusic.com.

Instrumentation was limited by contest rules. I chose: flute (doubling piccolo), b-flat clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), horn, b-flat trumpet, piano, percussion I (xylophone, snare, timpani), percussion II (cymbals, vibraphone).

The four movements are:
1) Fanfares: a raucus timpani introduction with immitation and variations by the winds
2) Citius, Altius, Fortius: a chase around the track and field
3) Recovery: featuring the winds, a momment to cool your heels
4) Parade: closing ceremony celebration and gleeful march.

This work was more of a parody of the Modern Olympic Games than a recreation of ancient Greek splendor and ritual.

"Winter Into Spring", was written for the requirements of meeting the informal, amatuer composition contest hosted by fellow members and contributors to the sibeliusmusic.com

Voting for scores was open to the general public: anyone who viewed the scores and emailed in their votes for the anonymous entries was welcome. Votes were 3pts for first, 2pts for second, and 1pt for third. Of the 11 entries, mine placed 5th. 2 votes for first place, 6 points total. Not many people voted in the contest. Just those of us who entered probably voted. Entrants were not allowed to vote for their own piece.

By far, this was the most complicated, longest piece I've composed and I did it within 4 and a half weeks. I like the piece, it's not too akward, but it is a touch conservative. I think I decided to make it conservative and laid out well, rather than be too wild and adventurous in unsure territory for me, which may have cost me some points. Transitions are a bit "vampy", but sort of went ok with the overall feel. Perhaps better stiching of elements was necessary.

Still, it's fun and intially I had called it "Winter Into Spring: Magical Sleigh Ride". Perhaps you can hear the ride aspect of it. If too simple and not complicated enough, it may just be because I am still learning or developing some craft (I hope.)

"Winter Into Spring" was a required titled for the contest, and I hope I met the requirements of showing the transition from the cold into the warmer season.

Contest motivs, comprised of simple single line, 3 bar phrases were supplied by Ed Sharpe. Entrants were required to use these motivs. Two of the three I picked and developed/extended were: 1) E pentatonic (Asian feel), and 2) D Dorian, which happens to be the Gregorian chant beginning of "Salve Regina." At the end, I warped the Salve Regina into a spring sound, kinda Rossini esque, but tried to end reverently with a big plagal cadence using brass and mimicking the minimalist sleigh journey introduction. I also introduced a couple of my own motivs/themes throughout.

I worked hard on this, and it's been hard to let go for a competition and evaluate it realistically. BTW, the competition voting results were revealed the very same morning as the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy on Februay 1st, 2003. Ironically, the day I started composing this piece, I got word that my beloved grandmother, Norma Brown, had passed a way. It started out as a way for me to get my mind off of her passing. Emotionally for me, this piece had me very engaged on all sorts of levels and on both ends of its life cycle.

The piano piece "Resevoir Reverie",  but slightly modified, arranged, and realized by the Vienna Symphonic String sound samples.

This piece helped rebuild my lost harmony lessons of long ago. (realized with the Yamaha s80 synthesizer)

A little Halloween music for solo violin and piano. Perhaps a bit old fashioned, but that's just the way my music is. Hopefully fun!

My first work for four voice SATB (and it kinda shows.... not very adventurous.)

The text is "If music be the food of love" by Colonel Henry Hevninghman, with the first line from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Purcell set it for solo voice a few times. If not a superior interpretation of the text, this for me was still a fun attempt at writing coherent music for voices.  Not being very oriented or drawn toward prose and lyrics , I find writing music for singing and words a challenge. Hopefully, however, I'll get back to some better SATB writing.  (Realized by my Yamaha s80 Synthesizer... leaves somewhat to be desired for voice sounds.)

Written for my stepfathers's 80th Birthday. (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, french horn, harpsichord, string bass, drum kit)

First piece for Guitar, as I'm learning the instrument and took a year's worth of lessons.

Just a little piece for Brass Quintet based off of the intial theme from my friend, and composer Darren Russo. See his "Scherzo Humoresque"

Very brief herald for brass quintet. (one of the very earliest pieces I wrote/tried out with Sibelius).

Written for Tracey's Birthday. For her weekly walks around the Lafayette, California Reservoir.  More upbeat than a typical "reverie", but heck the title was too hard to pass up.

A little bit of whimsical fun wth my synthesizer... reminds me of something fun from the 1980s.

Fun with the circle of fifths and minimalism for lack of a better word.