This page contains solos, duets and trios in a variety of instrumentaion. Difficulity levels are from intermediate to advanced.
Piano Sketches No. 1
This is the first in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures, modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitled Rise and Shine evokes early morning in for north Queensland on the beach walking my Chocolate Labrador and watching the sunrise over the bay. This was recorded at James Cook University by Arthur Athan who had won 1st place in the 2015 Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition held annually in Townsville, Queensland.
Piano Sketches No. 2
This is the second in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 2/2 or 2), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of The Long Haul focuses on octaves in the melody when it is in either the right or left hand. There is a stride section in the middle with a slightly faster tempo.
Piano Sketches No. 3
This is the third in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 3/8 or 3), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of From Here To Eternity and focuses on a double melody in right hand and then the left hand.
Piano Sketches No. 4
This is the fourth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 4/4 or 4), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of The Lull After The Storm and focuses on a quartal and quintal structures and modal melodic lines.
Piano Sketches No. 5
This is the fifth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 5/8 or 5), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of Fits and Starts evokes an early morning commute with traffic flow moving faster and slowing down. and focuses on octave work in both hands with modal melodic lines.
Piano Sketches No. 6
This is the sixth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 6/8 or 6), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of Half Full Half Empty evokes a sense of optimism or pessimism depending on your outlook on life. and focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies. This is a digital recording from my Sibelius program using NotePerformer.
Piano Sketches No. 7
This is the seventh in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 7/4 or 7), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of Another Day Another Dollar and evokes a sense of “keeping on trucking” as we used to say in the 70s. The opening section of this piece starts with a series of chord in 7/4 that is taken from a song Vicki and I recorded on our first album “You” titled "Forever". This piece also focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies.
Piano Sketches No. 8
This is the eighth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 8/4 or 8), felt in 3,3,2 with modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of Hit the Ground running and evokes a sense of “perptual motion and a sense of things needing done. The opening section of this piece starts with a series of chord in 8/4 that is taken from a song I wrote for a band I from the seventies that I was in. This piece also focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies..
Piano Sketches No. 9
This is the ninth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 9/8 or 9), starts in 2,2,2,3 and then settle into 3,3,3 with modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of In the Nick of Time and evokes a sense of “just finishing in time or seeing the work day almost done. The opening section of this piece starts with a series of chord in 9/8. This piece also focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies.
Piano Sketches No. 10
This is the last in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 10/4 or 10), starts in 3,2,2,3,2,2 and then into 2,2,2,2,2, with modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of In the Tit For Tat and evokes a sense of “giving or taking one thing for another. The opening section of this piece starts with a series of chord in 9/8. This piece also focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies.
Song For Ivan (Guitar and Flute Duet)
This is a classical piece I wrote in 1980 whilst attending the Boston Conservatory. I was approach by Puerto Rico student name Ivan who in a sense commissioned me to compose a flute and guitar duet. The initial them was based on a composition assignment that focused on poly modal composition. The guitar is in aeolian mode and the flute is in mixolydian mode. After the initial them is presented the two parts are in the same mode until the end section where the two parts are again in two different modes. The middle section also has nod towards a flamenco style especially in the guitar part.
New England Sonata Mvt. 1 (Premonistions Spring) for Woodwind Trio
This four movement composition is reflection of my time in Boston Massachusetts and the four seasons I experience there as I was originally from Los Angelas which really doesn’t have seasons like Boston. This is the first movement of a four movement composition that originally wrote in my first year at Boston Conservatory. The initial motive came from a composition exercise that I turned into a two movement piece originally for flute, clarinet and alto saxophone I my major instrument was alto saxophone. This movement was added later when I rescored it for flute, clarinet and bassoon. This was recorded live in the studios at James Cook University by three local chamber musicians. This has three versions one with the original trio of Flute, Clarinet and Alto Saxophone, one with an alternate trio of Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon and one version with 8 combinations of Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn, Alto Saxophone and Bassoon.
New England Sonata Mvt. 2 (City Summer) for Woodwind Trio
This four movement composition is reflection of my time in Boston Massachusetts and the four seasons I experience there as I was originally from Los Angelas which really doesn’t have seasons like Boston. This is the first movement of a four movement composition that originally wrote in my first year at Boston Conservatory. The initial motive came from a composition exercise that I turned into a two movement piece originally for flute, clarinet and alto saxophone I my major instrument was alto saxophone. This movement was added later when I rescored it for flute, clarinet and bassoon. This was recorded live in the studios at James Cook University by three local chamber musicians. This has three versions one with the original trio of Flute, Clarinet and Alto Saxophone, one with an alternate trio of Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon and one version with 8 combinations of Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn, Alto Saxophone and Bassoon.
New England Sonata Mvt. 3 (Covenant - Autumn) for Woodwind Trio
This four movement composition is reflection of my time in Boston Massachusetts and the four seasons I experience there as I was originally from Los Angelas which really doesn’t have seasons like Boston. This is the first movement of a four movement composition that originally wrote in my first year at Boston Conservatory. The initial motive came from a composition exercise that I turned into a two movement piece originally for flute, clarinet and alto saxophone I my major instrument was alto saxophone. This movement was added later when I rescored it for flute, clarinet and bassoon. This was recorded live in the studios at James Cook University by three local chamber musicians. This has three versions one with the original trio of Flute, Clarinet and Alto Saxophone, one with an alternate trio of Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon and one version with 8 combinations of Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn, Alto Saxophone and Bassoon.
New England Sonata Mvt. (Winter Holidays) for Woodwind Trio
This four movement composition is reflection of my time in Boston Massachusetts and the four seasons I experience there as I was originally from Los Angelas which really doesn’t have seasons like Boston. This is the first movement of a four movement composition that originally wrote in my first year at Boston Conservatory. The initial motive came from a composition exercise that I turned into a two movement piece originally for flute, clarinet and alto saxophone I my major instrument was alto saxophone. This movement was added later when I rescored it for flute, clarinet and bassoon. This was recorded live in the studios at James Cook University by three local chamber musicians. This has three versions one with the original trio of Flute, Clarinet and Alto Saxophone, one with an alternate trio of Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon and one version with 8 combinations of Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn, Alto Saxophone and Bassoon.