In my mind, it was so unlikely that I almost couldn’t believe it when the results were announced. When thinking about competitions, I often remind myself about American composer Eric Whitacre’s blog post about the topic. In short: You won’t win, but throwing your hat in the ring will have other creative, emotional, and professional benefits – but you won’t win. When I got an … Continue reading Winning the WASBE Competition
Hey team, Wow, I’m so happy that I can finally share this recording. This project has been some good months in the making and is really special to me. If you’re wondering why, check out this video below: This recording is done by the premiering ensemble, the Gimli High School Senior Concert Band with guests, directed by the incredible music educator, Rob Chrol. He’s the … Continue reading Black Bear
I am so excited to share that my oldest published piece of music, We Are Stars, is being transcribed for band and will get a premiere from the Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute Senior Symphonic Band, under the direction of Mr. Dan Austin. Dan has been a champion of my music for some time now, particularly Filum Vitae, my first published band piece. He’s shared performances … Continue reading “We Are Stars” for Band with GCVI
We never know where a piece is going to go when we begin its journey – and it’s always we. Sure, the composer writes it, but the commissioning path includes organizations, performers, venues, sometimes festivals or events; and yes, the composer too. Kayla Solomon and Danielle Guina, the performers of “The Stars of November” have been an inseparable part of the process. The piece was … Continue reading “The Stars of November” at ITG2023!
Wow, what a year… actually, it’s more like two years. I’ve been kind of neglecting my website duties (though, if you follow me on social media, I’ve still been pretty busy). That being said, I have a lot to share, but there’s something pretty special that I want to share today. In 2017, I had the incredible privilege to be selected by a consortium headed … Continue reading Transcendent Light – US Premiere!
Click here to purchase. Hi everybody, So, it’s been a big year. In the last eight months, my family grew by one and I took a one-year sabbatical from teaching to pursue a Master’s degree in Composition from Brandon University. I know, perhaps we could have timed that better but, as the old saying goes, “the right time is when it happens,” right? Anyway, I’ve … Continue reading NEW PIECE – “Colossus”
Today is the last day of my sabbatical. Who would’ve thought 150 days would blow by so quickly? It’s been a very productive five months, though, and I thought that I’d share some of my favourite events and projects from my sabbatical time. 1) Premiering Morgun with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra There is something very surreal about getting to work with some of the best musicians … Continue reading Sabbatical Roundup – Highlights
Holy noodle, what a week! I’ve got quite a bit done this week, which is my very first week of my very first (and potentially only) sabbatical. I didn’t always think of it that way, though. My first few days were quite frustrating with the feeling that I didn’t get enough done. I put in between 4-5 hours per day because there were things coming … Continue reading Sabbatical Week 1 Roundup!
Holy smokes, “Betty Boop Dance Card” is out for iOS! I’m really proud of this score and it pushed me harder than ever before. It is, by an enormous margin, the most music I’ve ever written for a game, clocking in at approximately 46 minutes of music. The score is incredibly diverse – from swing to rock to 8-bit to modern pop… it’s got a … Continue reading “Betty Boop Dance Card” Released!
Happy Easter! The day is here! Prairie Wedding is published and available for purchase! You can find it at the Daehn Publications website! (or your favourite local music dealer!) It feels like so long ago that I submitted it for the 2012 CBA Composition Competition and here we are, halfway through 2014 and it’s finally in print. I don’t mean that in a critical way … Continue reading Prairie Wedding is Available!
