Music For Wind Ensemble
Here you’ll find my music for wind ensemble. My wind ensemble music varies from easy to advanced and there’s a little something for everyone. Please check it out! And…if you’re interested in purchasing and performing my music, please contact me!
Concerto for Clarinet (2016/2022) medium-advanced, 16:30
My Concerto for Clarinet is one of the most meaningful compositions so far in my life. I composed this work in memory of my dear friend, Matt Ball. Matt’s clarinet teacher, Dr. Mac Hinson, collaborated with me in brining this piece to life. Matt’s friendship was an unexpected, but joyful one. When four of my closest friends came to Indianapolis in March 2015 for my MM recital, he was one of them. I didn’t know that would be the last time that I would see him. In the summer of 2015, Matt found out that he had very aggressive brain cancer. On September 29th, 2015, Matt passed away. It’s hard for me to type into words how much his friendship meant, but I’ve found more peace through this music. The foundation of this piece comes from the opening of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Matt would play the record of that piece quite often in undergrad. It brings back beautiful memories and when this piece is performed, for about 16 minutes, it feels he’s still alive. This piece starts with my last memory of Matt in Indianapolis and ends with the passing of his life and reflection of the fun memories we made. The premiere was in May of 2016 at Fort Zumwalt South HS (MO). In Spring of 2022, an additional 4th movement was composed for a special performance in Cleveland, Ohio.
Here is a program note written by Emily Murdoch, Matt’s fiancé: HERE
I. Indianapolis
II. Brain Cancer
III. The Sphere Unleashed
IV. Many Years Later (2022)
Score Sample: HERE
Cost: $50 per movement, $180 for total set. PDF score and parts.
Recording (World Premiere recording in 2016 by the FZS Band and Mac Hinson):
A Butler Celebration! (2020) medium-advanced, 5:00
A Butler Celebration! was commissioned by Professor Michael Colburn and the Butler University Bands in celebration of their centennial celebration in 2020. This is an arrangement of five different Butler University school songs. The piece was scheduled to premiered in April 2020 but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Score Sample: HERE
Cost: $80 for PDF score and parts
Scenes From Dreams (2020/2015) very advanced, 20:00
Scenes From Dreams was originally composed in 2014-2015 for my masters thesis. I returned to SFD in 2020 to create an additional 4th movement. The piece is based around a set of dreams that I experienced in 2009-2010 as an undergrad at SIUE. I held off on making sense of the dreams until I felt mature enough to do so. In unlocking my dreams and expressing my experiences through music, I became more aware of myself and my life. While not officially titled, SFD is my Symphony No. 2 for wind ensemble. This piece has not yet been premiered.
I. Ascend to Hell
II. …my mother has been dead for 16 years…
III. I am exhausted.
IV. A Love That Should Not Be
Score Sample (Movement II): HERE
Link to my M.M. thesis archive: HERE
Cost: $75 per movement, $250 for total set. PDF score and parts.
Rehearsal Recording (Butler Wind Ensemble 2015):
Symphony No. 3: The Dreamer (2017) medium, 12:00
Symphony No. 3: The Dreamer was commissioned by a consortium led by Mr. Greg Allen. In the spring of 2016, Greg Allen (an awesome educator and band director) and I had a long conversation about the need for more “serious” or “larger” works for young band. Together, we collaborated on brining to life a short symphony for young band that advanced middle school programs could perform. I was shocked by the support and by Fall 2016, fifteen bands had joined the consortium. This is my second most performed work for wind ensemble. This symphony explores my personal life experiences from moving to Cleveland in 2016…the good and the bad. This piece is dedicated to my mother and father.
I. …drifting…
II. A Culmination of Events
III. Joyful Memories
IV. Reality
Score sample (Movement I): HERE
Cost: $50 per movement, $150 for total set. PDF score and parts.
Recent Performance Highlight: Composer-in-residence and guest conductor with the Bremen (IN) High School Band in May 2021.
Highlander Heaven (2016) medium, 5:00
Highlander Heaven was commissioned by Zac Sweeney the Glenvar High School Band. This piece was commissioned to help celebrate the opening of a new auditorium for the high school. In 2006, when I was 16, I wrote my first wind ensemble piece, A Keltic Overture. That piece only lives in the library at one high school and no one will probably ever hear it again…however, I used the main motivic ideas from A Keltic Overture to form the foundation for Highlander Heaven. It’s always fun to say hi to your past self.
Score sample: HERE
Cost: $80 for PDF score and parts
Live Performance (2019 NDC Honor Band, start at 1:01:25):
For Patrick (2013) medium, 6:00
For Patrick was composed in memory of Patrick Tucker. This piece was my first exploration into making music meaningful. Below is a program note from Dan Tucker, Patrick’s father. Dan is one of my best colleagues, friends, and mentors.
Program note from Dan:
One of the really fun days of becoming a parent is the day you get the ultrasound. You get to see your baby for the first time and maybe find out if you are having a boy or a girl. Sadly, it was on this day my wife and I were told that our son Patrick had an anomaly which would make him "incompatible with life.” Even if he survived the birthing process, doctors informed us that he would only survive for a few minutes. What a horrible thing for a parent to hear.
Our son, however, was perfectly fine in utero, so we decided that we would make Patrick's entire life full of love and joy. He could hear, kick, and even play little games that parents like to play with their unborn babies, and we determined that we would talk and play music for Patrick, read stories to him, and fill each of his days with love. We knew that his birthday would be a day of great joy and inevitable sadness.
On April 9th, Patrick came into our world. He was simply beautiful, and he gave our family four hours and four minutes of love. I like to think that no person has ever experienced as much love from the beginning of life to the end as did Patrick.
Late one night I found myself trying to explain all of these feelings to my good friend, Michael Krueger. I asked him if he might consider writing a piece of music for Patrick. I needed someone who knew my family and could take our raw emotions and turn them into music. Someone who understood. I knew that composing such a piece would be a challenge, and it might even be impossible to create. It couldn't be sad, yet sadness needed to exist. It couldn't be happy, yet happiness needed to exist. The emotions were too complex to say so how could I tell someone how the music should sound?
Michael Krueger has put into music something that I couldn’t articulate. I like to think of this composition as an expression of Patrick's story as told from Patrick’s perspective. I love playing it with my band, and I hope you will as well. It gives me great satisfaction to know you will be playing For Patrick.
Score Sample: HERE
Cost: FREE. I do not sell this piece and never will again. If you want a copy, please just contact me.
Recording (Butler University Wind Ensemble 2014):
Looking Down, I Saw The Sky (2010) easy, 2:45
Looking Down, I Saw The Sky is for young band. Commissioned by the Vestal Middle School Band in 2010. As an undergrad at SIUE, the composition studio was presented with a composition contest to compose a piece of music for Vestal Middle School. While I didn’t win the contest, my composition was still chosen to be premiered by VMS. Looking Down… is a short minimalistic-influenced piece for young band.
Score sample: HERE
Cost: $50 for PDF score and parts.
Symphony No. 1 (2010) advanced, 20:00
Symphony No. 1 was my creative outlet for a severe depressive state between ages 18-20. I have a wonderful mentor and life friend, Chris Koets. Mrs. Koets was one my middle school and high school band directors. After high school, I fell into an awful depressive state and Mrs. Koets helped me pick myself up and make sense of life through music. Symphony No. 1 is a reflection of personal struggle and growth. In the end, the piece fades out with similar music as it began…suggesting that all of the moments in our lives—the good and bad…are all important to who we currently are. This piece is dedicated to Chris Koets.
* A special note: there is a cello part with this symphony.
I. Patiently, Reflective
II. Hopeless
III. Peaceful
Score sample: HERE
Cost: $50 per movement, $125 for total set. PDF score and parts.
Recording (University of Missouri Saint Louis Wind Ensemble May 2010):