The Song Remains the Same

I have been asked to write a 20 minute-ish long song cycle for contralto and piano, tentatively titled Portraits of Eve. I am looking at setting poems by female poets from the 19th and 20th centuries (pending proper permission is granted). The poems I will use look at love with a feminine perspective throughout a woman's life. It promises to be one of the most challenging and rewarding works that I have ever attempted to date.

Echo and Brass Quintet Performances

I have just recently finished Echo for Bass-Baritone, B-flat clarinet, and piano. The premiere is tentatively set for mid-April (fingers crossed) on one of the two OU composer's concerts. The Dance Suite for Brass Quintet will be premiered that same weekend, most likely on the remaining composer's concert.

Update on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 10:21PM by Wes Stephens

The dates for the premieres of Echo and the Dance Suite have been finalized. Echo will be premiered by Mark Billy, Andrea Isaacson, and Nicole Boyle on Saturday, April 14th at 6PM. The Brass Quintet will be premiered by the Boulevard Brass Quintet the following night, April 15th at 6PM. Both concerts will take place in Pitman Recital Hall located within Catlett Music Center.

Recital Madness

I just wanted to say thanks to Lindsay Palmer, who designed a wonderful poster for my upcoming DMA recital on April 1st.

Video of First Impressions

A video performance of First Impressions is now available to watch on my YouTube channel. You can also watch it by clicking here as well.

Current Projects for 2012

2012 is shaping up to be a very busy year for me. I am currently working on two vocal pieces that I hope to finish by March 15. The first work is a set of songs for soprano and string quartet entitled Love Songs while the other piece is a single song for Bass-Baritone, piano, and B-flat clarinet entitled Echo. I also plan to finally finish a work for solo vibraphone that I started in 2010 entitled Art Music. I have several long term projects in mind for the remainder of the year such as a six minute work for wind ensemble, a ten to fifteen minute work for orchestra, as well as writing a book of advanced drumset etudes.