Engaging Classical Music

The music you will find here is fun and engaging, all while preserving those aspects that make classical music deep: counterpoint, rich harmonies, instrumental palette, varied structures, and careful craftsmanship. I am a firm believer that sophisticated/deep/artful music can (and should) still be accessible. Crafting music that is both deep and accessible results in music that is engaging—from the first listening to the hundredth.

These aesthetics reflect my several loves in classical music. I love counterpoint, whether it is a Josquin madrigal, Mozart’s Requiem, or a Schubert piano trio. I love the broad structures composers create. For example, Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony starts with a movement that is almost 14 minutes long—nearly unheard of in popular music. I love the inventiveness of Hayden, the variety exemplified by Beethoven’s symphonies, the expressiveness of Mahler...

My love of this kind of music is what led me to composing. If you enjoy what you encounter on these pages, please drop me a line. But most of all, enjoy!

News

Missa Brevis (F. 155) will be premiered by the Cascadian Chorale on Saturday, November 19th at 7:30pm in Medina, and Sunday, November 20th at 3:00pm in Duval, 2011. Details here.

Christopher Lee Fraley named composer-in-residence for the Cascadian Chorale 2011-2012 season.

Thank you, staff and campers, for a fantastic week of music at MMR (on facebook)! A big thank you to Mary Sokol Brown, Cecilia Archuleta, Thane Lewis, and Meg Brennand for their enthralling performance of the first movement of String Quartet No. 2.

Just completed! An End (F. 156) is a four movement a capella choral piece based on the namesake Christina Rosetti poem. More information coming soon.

Avid has released an update to my favorite notation software: Sibelius 7 is here!