Theme and Variations for Drumset

In my last post I shared some of Theme and Variations with you (the theme and first variation) and yesterday I finished the entire work (theme and four variations). The piece is dedicated to Blake Marriott, a friend I met as an undergrad at MWSU. He was the first to show me, through his own compositions, that drumset can be more than just a "groove" instrument and deserves to be viewed and taught as a multiple percussion instrument, complete with its own diverse repertoire.  Theme and Variations was written with those goals in mind and really challenges the performer's (and hopefully the audience's) perceptions about what can be expressed musically on the drumset. 

Theme and Variations for Drumset: A Work In Progress

Hey guys

Just wanted to share what I have been working on the past five days. This is the theme and first variation to my new piece for solo drumet, creatively titled Theme and Variations.

I Prefer Laughter to Tears

This past week I was inspired to do something I have never done before-write a jazz tune (I Prefer Laughter to Tears) . I was trying to write a flute/pan duo for my friends Beaux Lux and Jason Baskin but found myself gravitating away from my original concepts and more towards the jazz idiom. The process was very quick surprisingly and I found myself really enjoying fleshing out the work but leaving room for improvisers to leave their mark as well. This piece also marks the end of my three year hiatus (for lack of a better word) from writing purely instrumental music. So, yay for new experiences! I hope to have a recording (other than the MIDI rendering that I have now) in a few weeks. 

P.S. A free copy of the lead sheets will go the first person who can tell me what the title is referencing. 

Four African Dances- New Recording

Just got a fantastic recording of my percussion ensemble Four African Dances performed by Sheena Richardson and friends. FAD was performed on her degree recital on May 16, 2014 at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. She is a student of Josh Watkins. 

The Birthday Project: Shadow Play (Part 4)

Yikes It's been a while since my last Birthday Project post. Just got the first rehearsal recording of the first two sections of Shadow Play from my performers. I am pleased with the opening section but the brilliant form I devised doesn't work AT ALL. Needless to say, I will be revising that section. The Kotekan patterns that I chose also proved to be somewhat difficult to perform. Lot's of things to tweak plus I still need to write the last two sections. Definitely going to spend my spring break at my work desk.