At a Glance
Style
Whimsical • Light • Elegant
Selected Performances & Recognition
🏆 2022 National Third Place – The American Prize
🏆 Second Prize – Reno Pops Composer Showcase
Colorado Public Radio
German Public Radio
Concert Halls, Conservatories, and Youth Orchestras on six continents
What Makes It Unique
Contrasting lyrical and rhythmic movements provide mature musical content without significant technical demands, allowing ensembles to focus on nuance, balance, and musical sensitivity.
Musical Influences
Andy Akiho – LIgNEouS Suite No. 2
James Horner
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Igor Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
Why I Wrote This Piece
Written to provide string orchestras with artistically mature music that explores a wide variety of techniques without excessive technical barriers.
Program Note
Gradients follows the journey of a single grain of stone that has been chipped away from the top of a mountain by the relentless drip of water. As it descends through the peaks, it encounters a variety of ever changing styles as it moves through calming plateaus, sudden drops, and vast bodies of water.
Gradients was awarded 3rd Place in the 2022 American Prize for Composition and 2nd prize in the Reno Pops Orchestra Composer's Showcase. It has been performed throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It was commissioned by the Cherry Creek School District Honor Orchestra in Denver, Colorado for a concert program inspired by their home state.
Questions about the piece?
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