Instrumentation: Wind quintet (flute, alto sax, clarinet, horn, bari sax)

Year Written: 2021/2022

Premiere Performers: Dalia Castelan (flute), Anateresa Hipolito (alto sax), Sabrina Serrano (clarinet), Elizabeth Parrill (horn), and Carter Vernon (bari sax)

Premiered: November 12 2022 at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Program Notes

Originally written for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon, this piece was one of the most difficult works I've completed. While the main ideas came easily to me and I used my first ever outline to help me write it, I ran into more dead ends than I can count. The piece took so long to complete that I actually didn't finish it during the Fall 2021 semester I originally wrote it in. August of 2022 was spent finalizing sections and polishing everything. I believe the effort shows in the final product, as I consider Windswept Valley to be one of my best works and a great representation of my compositional voice.

Instrumentation: Cello and piano

Year Written: 2020

Premiere Performers: Ella Gaertner (cello) and Justin Legel (piano)

Premiered: November 12 2022 at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Program Notes

This piece came from a place of desperately wanting to write for cello. Though the instrument I perform on and spend time learning is piano, I've always loved cello since I took a year of lessons when I was 14. When I was 10 I wrote a simple piece for cello and piano that I always viewed as one of my favorites, so I knew I wanted to return to that instrument pairing. Dragon's Ascent uses none of the ideas from that original piece but I still view the two as intrinsically linked.

Instrumentation: Clarinet and fixed electronics

Year Written: 2020

Performer: Alyssa Jester

Premiered: November 2020 at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Instrumentation: Percussion

Year Written: 2019

Performer: Zach de Kanter

Premiered: November 13th 2019 at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Program Notes

A Familiar Tale is inspired by the magical sound of the vibraphone and my love of fantasy stories. It consists of four movements, each encompassing a different aspect of a typical fantasy story:

Chapter 1: The Tower
Chapter 2: Magic
Chapter 3: Monster's Lair
Chapter 4: Journey Home

My love of fantasy began as a child when I read books filled with magic, strange creatures, and exotic places. Even now, TV shows and games set in similar fantasy worlds capture my heart. The feeling these worlds invoke is perfectly captured by the vibraphone's twinkling, mysterious sound. Vibraphone remains the primary focus throughout the piece but each movement adds another percussion instrument to assist in telling the story. Though many fantasy stories may contain the same elements and have similar titles, the way they use those elements and spin their own story makes for an unforgettable tale. So it is with A Familiar Tale: though its title and movement names may be generic, the content found within is alive and unique. It is truly a familiar tale that will never be told the same way again. 

Instrumentation: Clarinet and piano

Year Written: 2018

Performers: Anonymous (clarinet), Mary Katherine Schober (piano)

Recorded: 2018

Instrumentation: String quartet

Year Written: 2018

Performers: Westheimer String Quartet - featuring Sean O'Neal (violin I), Zachary Montasser (violin II), Alexa Thomson (viola), and Daron Kirsch (cello)

Recorded:  2018

Instrumentation: Piano

Year Written: 2017

Performer: Mary Katherine Schober

Recorded:  2017