Discography
Canons, Volume 1
Canon: a musical composition in which a leading melody is echoed by one or more following melodies in strict imitation.
This solo piano album is a set of 24 two-part canons at the octave, one for each major and minor key. The pieces are short, about a minute or two in length, and explore the harmonic possibilities within each key. The melodies were conceived as vocal settings of the word Hallelujah! and in some cases it may be clear how the melodies reflect that exclamation. The pieces follow strict contrapuntal rules, resulting in a classical style reminiscent of Bach or Palestrina.
Cover design by Renee Ronika Bhatti-Klug
Production by Yuriy Vereschagin
All pieces performed by the composer
Special thanks to Jim Brophy for his thoughtful feedback
Listen on your preferred streaming platform:
Diapason
"Diapason" (dya-PAY-zen)
n. 1. A full, rich outpouring of melodious sound. 2. The compass of a voice or instrument. Greek, short for 'he dia pason chordon symphonia' - the concord through all the notes of the scale.
This solo piano album includes seven contemporary classical pieces that reflect the influence of Debussy and Chopin. Recorded at Katzin Hall at Arizona State University, it released independently through a successful Kickstarter in December 2013. From the delicate “Pluit” to the wide-ranging “Parcendo,” the album explores the extremes of the instrument, with composition-titles that suggests different images or interpretations.
Listen on your preferred streaming platform:
Song of Songs
In the fall of 2010 I was studying composition with Dr. Ehle at Northern Colorado, and approaching my fourth wedding anniversary. I had in mind to set text from the Song of Songs and dedicate the music to Renee as an anniversary present. Dr. Ehle approved the project for academic credit. I selected text from the biblical poem and composed the first eight songs over the course of the semester. I still had one more to finish, however. I wrote the final song the day before our anniversary on the 22nd, when I was planning to take Renee to a recital hall on campus and sing the whole set for her as the sole audience member, with a recorded accompaniment track. I finished just in time and performed on our anniversary.
I knew, however, that the cycle needed someone with proper technique to perform it on my graduate recital. Zach Wilson lent his commanding voice to this occasion the following semester. This recording features Zach’s amazing vocals with piano accompaniment that I fine-tuned in 2022.