Lava Cake (2024)
Instrumentation: Tuba/Euph Quartet
Estimated Performance Time: 4:00
Price: $25
Lava Cake was commissioned by the Keystone Quartet and recorded on their album Keystone Kitchen. This album features a collection of new works, each inspired by a different meal or culinary experience. For me, composing always begins with a story or a concept, and the narrative behind Lava Cake centers on the experience of indulging in something irresistibly sweet.
In the first half of the piece, I aimed to capture the sensation of savoring that sweet treat—rich, indulgent, and full of flavor. To convey this, I used extended harmonies and jazz-inspired progressions, which create a warm, lush sound that mirrors the pleasure of eating something decadent. The music flows in a way that feels both inviting and luxurious, echoing the sense of enjoyment.
As the piece progresses into the second half, the mood shifts dramatically. Here, I sought to express the inevitable consequence of overindulgence: the discomfort of eating too much sugar. The music becomes more dissonant, fragmented, and restless, mirroring the feeling of a stomach ache and the regret that follows excess. The once-sweet harmonies now feel strained and uneasy, reflecting the contrast between pleasure and its aftermath.
American Dream (2023)
Instrumentation: Trumpet/Piano
Estimated Performance Time: 12:00
Price: $40
American Dream is a sonata that seeks to weave together diverse musical traditions, blending elements of classical, jazz, and folk music to reflect the multifaceted nature of the American experience. The work opens with a cadenza designed to evoke the spirit of a gospel singer, setting the stage for a metaphorical "train ride" that carries the listener through a variety of musical landscapes.
The first movement introduces several genres—gospel, classical, jazz, and jig—each seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the music. The movement explores the rhythms and harmonies of these traditions, with the trumpet part offering opportunities for improvisation, allowing the performer to bring their voice and expression into the piece. These moments of free playing highlight the improvisational roots of jazz while acknowledging the more structured nature of classical and folk idioms.
The second movement shifts focus, with a predominant emphasis on jazz elements. Here, the trumpet is given another chance to improvise, this time toward the end of the movement, where a sense of freedom and spontaneity contrasts with the more established harmonic and rhythmic patterns established earlier in the piece.
In the final movement, the music returns to the gospel-inspired tone of the first movement, but now with a subtle transformation. Elements of Taps—the iconic military bugle call—are hinted at in the trumpet part, adding a layer of poignancy and reflection. The movement ultimately culminates in a mash of ideas, drawing together the jig from the first movement and the harmonic modulations explored in the second. This blend of themes creates a sense of resolution, as the various threads of the piece are woven together in a unified, yet multifaceted conclusion.