* = original compositions | † = experimental
Concert Band
We Shall Overcome (2021) – $50
Notes
“We Shall Overcome”is a prominent civil rights anthem with notable performances by Peete Seeger, Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bruce Springsteen, Mahalia Jackson, Diana Ross, Joan Baez and many others. Baez performed the piece at the 1963 “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”, in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
This symphonic band setting of the anthem was written with the flexible high school ensemble in mind. While the arrangement is accessible to intermediate musicians, it remains faithful to the original spirit of the piece.
This piece came about as a result of a gradual development of musical and lyrical ideas, a process that is still ongoing in the performance practice. For that reason, it†’s difficult to say exactly when this piece came about or who was responsible for it. One development I†’d like to note was made by participants of the 1945 American Tobacco Company strike. At the suggestion of Lucille Simmons Whipper, the strikers changed the lyrics to one of their protest songs from “I will overcome” to “We will overcome” (The original words had been taken from the spiritual “I’ll overcome someday”.
Shall” was later substituted for “will”). This change distinguished the piece from related works from and added a collective meaning that has defined its use since.
Verse One: “We Shall Overcome”
The first verse is performed by a quartet. The small group statement “We Shall Overcome”can represent a call for unity which is answered in the next verse. The four-part harmony is transcribed with minor adjustments from Wendell P. Whallhum†’s arrangement, which was performed by the Morehouse College Glee Club at the 2009 Candle on the Bluff Awards.
Verse Two: “We’ll Walk Hand-In-Hand”
During this verse, the ensemble figuratively joins hands and restates the material from the first group as a collective. Musicians should be careful not to play bombastically here. This is especially true for percussionists. The objective of the rolls should be to produce as much tone as possible while minimizing the striking sound.
Verse Three: “We Shall Live In Peace”
Verse three features the percussion section. This verse offers percussionists an exceptional opportunity to showcase musicality. It is inspired by the guitar intro to Peter Yarrow’s rendition (Yarrow, Peter. Peter, Paul, and Mommy Too. 31 November 1992, Majestic Theatre, New York City).
Verse Four: “We Are Not Afraid”
This verse mobilizes the whole ensemble in a march-style. Influence is drawn from Peete Seeger’s preference for driving strumming patterns, as well as the custom of the songleader to interject during sustained notes (Baez, Joan. 5 June 1965, BBC Television Theatre, London.)
This section takes advantage of many of the unique strengths of each section. The French horn part features a classically orchestrated horn call, high woodwinds perform both scale patterns and trills, tubas and low reeds contribute a more rhythmic bass line, and characteristic countermelodic lines are given to the clarinets, horns, euphoniums, and trombones.
Verse Five: “We Shall Overcome”
The final verse honors the vocal tradition of the piece and its origins as a protest song in which anyone could join without instrumental playing skills. The unison line represents solidarity. You may even want to encourage audience members to sing along.
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String Orchestra
Abide With Me (2025) – $40
Notes
The Piece
“Eventide” was composed by William Henry Monk in 1861 to accompany the hymn “Abide with Me” penned by Henry Francis Lyte at some point between 1820 and 1847. “Abide with me” was first performed to Lyte†’s own melody, and while this is still sometimes heard today, Monk’s “Eventide” has since become the standard setting for the text. The two are so closely linked that the tune itself is now better known by the title “Abide with Me”.
This Arrangement
Abide With Me/Eventine has been my favorite hymn for years. Its simple beauty and the elegance of each individual line inspired this arrangement for string orchestra. Your musicians and your audience alike will fall in love with this humble treatment of one of the best hymns ever written.
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Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit (2023) – $40
Notes
Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit needed no introduction to the families of many of my Filipino students in Kodiak. I could not find commercial arrangements of the festive music many of my students enjoyed, so I wrote one after listening to every recording I could find. Pay close attention to note length in this piece. If everyone plays legato it will be muddy. I recommend teaching those with the melody/harmony to play the melody “punchily” by rote, and asking all accompaniment lines be played with ample separation. For inspiration to this type of playing, you may consider sharing a recording of the Turtle Island String Quartet.
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Cherubic Hymn No. 6 – $35
Close transcription of tchaikovsky's score. brass octet version also available
Notes
This masterfully scored prayer by tchaikovsky comes from his setting of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. The setting, published in 1878 without the permission of the clergy, prompted a legal battle while eventually handed tchaikovsky victory and weakened church control over sacred music.
The tempo is extremely slow (the USSR ministry of culture choir’s recording averages 18bpm). I recommend them as a reference recording, as well as practicing with 1/8th note subdivision to start. When performed tastefully, the effect is truly transcendent.
I believe the form is best analyzed as a single parallel period, but my college analysis paper making that case got a C- so maybe not... The text attached to the original translates to “[We], who mystically representing the cherubim and singing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, let us now lay aside every worldly care so that we may raise up the king of all who is invisibly borne aloft by the angelic orders Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.”
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Wayfaring Stranger (2023) – $40
Notes
This piece is all about being alone and the desire to be connected. This arrangement is deliberately simple. By not allowing ornamentation to fill the aural space, the beginning of the piece has a hollowness that reminds the listener of loneliness. The theme is eventually developed fully with multiple complementary lines evoking connection, before the low strings restate the theme in a final farewell.
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Do Not Reject Me In My Old Age (2022) – $40
For contrabass solo and string orchestra
Notes
This transcendent setting of a prayer by
Pavel Chesnokov was premiered by my students at Kodiak High School in 2022. It requires a string bass with a low C extension, ideally amplified. Originally Composed for basso profundo and chorus.
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Solos
Abide With Me (2025) – $15
For Solo Organ
Notes
The Piece
“Eventide” was composed by William Henry Monk in 1861 to accompany the hymn “Abide with Me” penned by Henry Francis Lyte at some point between 1820 and 1847. “Abide with me” was first performed to Lyte’s own melody, and while this is still sometimes heard today, Monk’s “Eventide” has since become the standard setting for the text. The two are so closely linked that the tune itself is now better known by the title “Abide with Me”.
This Arrangement
This arrangement for organ is based off of my 2023 arrangement for string orchestra.
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I Remember When (2020, rev. 2024)* – $20
For string quartet w/ cello solo or cello and organ | brass quartet+tbn and tbh+organ versions available
Notes
A wistful lyrical solo with involved accompaniment.
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Watch / Listen (String Quartet)
“Homework” 5 Miniatures for Piano* (2024) – $15
For Solo Piano
Notes
A piece made up of my submissions for homework assignments in music theory class. Ask me about the “Cheesy” story.
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Cherubic Hymn No. 6 – $15
Close transcription of tchaikovsky's score for solo organ
Notes
This masterfully scored prayer by tchaikovsky comes from his setting of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. The setting, published in 1878 without the permission of the clergy, prompted a legal battle while eventually handed tchaikovsky victory and weakened church control over sacred music.
The tempo is extremely slow (the USSR ministry of culture choir’s recording averages 18bpm). I recommend them as a reference recording, as well as practicing with 1/8th note subdivision to start. When performed tastefully, the effect is truly transcendent.
I believe the form is best analyzed as a single parallel period, but my college analysis paper making that case got a C- so maybe not... The text attached to the original translates to “[We], who mystically representing the cherubim and singing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, let us now lay aside every worldly care so that we may raise up the king of all who is invisibly borne aloft by the angelic orders Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.”
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Chamber Music
String Quartet No. I*
(2019, rev. 2024) – $20
For vln, vla, vlc, and cb | tbns/tba version available
Notes
Breaking from the traditional string quartet instrumentation of two violins, viola, and cello, String Quartet No. 1 is written for violin, viola, cello, and double bass. This piece narrates an adventure far too fantastic to be true, but tragically I’ve forgotten the story entirely. I guess you’ll have to imagine one.
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Saplings in the Ashes*† (2020) – $20
For English Horn, French Horn, Cello, and Piano (or Marimba)
Notes
A fun two-movement work for a special instrumentation.
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A Model of Honeybee Discourse* (2019) – $15
Improv piece for any group of 4+ performers
Notes
This piece has performers simulate the process by which a honeybee hive chooses a new nest site in order to choose a theme which they will perform. I was inspired to create this piece by professor Thomas Seeley’s recorded lecture found at https://youtu.be/JnnjY823e-w.
The piece comes with a score, detailed performance instructions, a slideshow equating the performers’ role to the bees’, and a program insert addressed to the audience so they can appreciate the dynamic they hear and see.
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Live performance in 2019 (Performed in a blacked out room)
Dgiaccsciaouxnne*† (2017) – $20
For wind quintet (fl,ob,cl,hn,bs)
Notes
This piece originated from a reckless fascination with the tritone interval. It†’s in the melody, harmony, and ostinato lines, and is often paired with writing that prioritizes each voice as a melodic line rather than simply a part of a chord. This is largely due to the limited variety in functional harmonic language featuring tritones. The form is equally bizarre, with no section lasting long enough for the listener to get too comfortable.
When working on this piece, I described my goals to my best friend Jackson and asked him what I should title it. In lieu of contributing any real ideas, He sarcastically replied “Jackson”, and as payback I really did name the piece after him, but with the longest, most ridiculous spelling I could come up with that could plausibly be pronounced as his name.
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Chorale from “Jupiter” (2017) – $15
For Trombone Choir or Marching Baritone Section
Notes
This is a short corps-style chorale I arranged for my high school’s marching baritone section at the beginning of my senior year. It can be played just as well by a trombone choir.
Originally written by Gustav Holst for orchestra.
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Hallelujah† (2015) – See Notes
For Brass Choir
Notes
This is one of my earliest arrangements. It not good and not for sale. I made it in Musescore 1, before slurs could map across multiple notes. It’s here for fun and to show where I started as an arranger.\ Originally Composed by Leonard Cohen.
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