Composition
Short Story - Suite for Solo Cello
I am beyond honored to have been commissioned by Jennifer Kloetzel to write a companion piece to the 5th Bach Suite, as a part of her Mission: Bach Project.
A ten-minute work in four movements, its structure takes inspiration from some of my favorite books. The 5th Suite and my inspiration books share a sense of epic narrative, whose essential elements I distilled to explore in musical chapters.
I. Introduction
II. Obstacle
III. Reflection
IV. Discovery
It will be premiered by Jennifer in summer 2025.
Flow for Solo Cello
Flow is a reflection of what it’s like to be new at something. You struggle with stops and starts and self-consciousness as you try to find flow, or the place where you lose your self-consciousness and simply exist. Then for a moment you find it! It’s a wonderful feeling, but for a newbie it doesn’t last very long and your mind returns to reality, reflecting on the experience. This piece is about 3’30’’.
Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations
Writing a cadenza always seemed like an insurmountable challenge until I ended up in a situation where I had to write one in less than 24 hours! The two I wrote for the Rococo Variations took a bit longer than that, but if it weren’t for that sink-or-swim moment, I probably wouldn’t have done it.