Featured Project
Nocturne in Ab/ 2020
I composed my "Nocturne in Ab" at the tail end of my Freshman year of college. A dear friend of mine, composer and pianist Emmanuel Sikora, requested that I compose an original work for him to be premiered at a recital he was giving in Peru. The work arose through a thoughtful collaboration which combined our mutual love of melody with a sectional approach to form I had been working through at the time. The recital went marvelously, and the work has entered a regular part of our programming.
In March of 2020, the world shut down as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged nearly every aspect of day to day life. During this time, I found myself returning to the woods of Tully, NY- I place I have grown very fond of over the course of my life there. The sense of grounding and meaning I found in it's rolling glacial valleys became an immense source of inspiration, and I decided to pay tribute to my home through the eyes of the Nocturne. I selected eight of my favorite places in town, with each corresponding to a different section of the work. For two months of my summer, I hauled my keyboard, generator, and recording gear miles into the woods in search of my vision. With the help of my incredible family and many supportive friends/community members, I was eventually able to weave a tapestry of image and sound around the Nocturne. The project culminated in a digital premiere on August 13th, 2020, and it represents one of my most ambitious and fulfilling projects to date. |
This project remains my most ambitious to date, and it opened the door for opportunities and experiences I never dreamed possible.” |
Selected Recording Projects
In addition to my composition work, I also find myself heavily inspired by recording technology- in particular, it's intersection with the world around us. The Nocturne project served as a springboard for my dive into Sound Recording Technology, and my love for the outdoors never quite went away. I spent the better part of the Covid-19 pandemic developing a technical and working knowledge of recording and mixing through various independent and collaborative projects.
In fall of 2020, I did a short recording project inside my friend's empty grain storage bin. By using a small stereo microphone setup, I was able to accurately capture and recreate the acoustics of the space. A video of me playing solo melodica inside the bin is featured on my YouTube channel. That same winter, I also collaborated with my friend and colleague John Tocco on his song "Christmas in Manhattan." In addition to providing arrangements and mixing work, I also recorded my piano solo in the woods behind my home. That video is featured on his YouTube channel, and the song on all major streaming platforms. Perhaps most significantly, I also spent the first half of 2021 writing, arranging, recording, and mixing my debut album "Edge of Being." This featured collaborations with some of the most talented people I know, and it truly solidified my love for recording and audio production. That album is also available on all major streaming platforms, as well as for purchase on Bandcamp. |