Wind Ensemble

Brass Choir

Choir

Solo Works

Music for Two

Chamber Music for Larger Ensembles

Tip of the Spear (2019) for trombone choir (8 parts: 6 tenor, 2 bass)
Heroic Brew (2018) for horn choir (6 parts)
Moonlight Rhapsody (2016) for oboe, viola, and piano
Up To No Good (2015) for woodwind quintet
Homage (2014) for trumpet sextet
Inosculation (2014) for string quartet
Compressionism (2012) for trumpet sextet
Cross Face Cradle (2010) for clarinet, trumpet, viola, piano, and percussion
Ice Town (2009) for trumpet sextet

Duration: 6’00”

First two score pages (pdf)

Excerpt 1            Excerpt 2             Excerpt 3

At the end of January 2009, a devastating Ice Storm swept over a good portion of the Midwest leaving parts of Kentucky and neighboring states without power and water. It was the worst natural disaster in Kentucky’s history, and for some, the storm continued to affect regular life for several weeks after the fact. Ice Town was in the early stages of becoming a piece of music when the storm hit. While the whole piece does not attempt to musically describe the events of the storm, the “slow-down” can be heard clearly before Rehearsal Letter C. The subsequent section, beginning at measure 103, gradually unveils and manipulates what I termed the “Ice Chord.”

Much like life right after the storm, the texture there is more loosely organized, with a muted trumpet solo and staggered echo effects. As the music progresses, the instruments gradually come back together and triumphantly bring back the music from the beginning of the piece.

Ice Town was composed for and premiered by Dr. Eric Swisher and the Murray State University Trumpet Ensemble.

Score and parts available for sale at Triplo Press.

OK, Then AL (2005) for brass quintet
The Belfry (2001) for woodwind quintet and vibraphone
The Last Sunset (2000) for trumpet, trombone, and piano
Poetics (1999) for flute, clarinet, bassoon, piano, and marimba
What Love Tells Me (1999) for 2 horns and organ
Prelude and Scherzo (1995) for brass quintet