List of Works

This cadenza was composed and arranged from Eddie Van Halen’s revolutionary guitar solo “Eruption” from Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut album. The version on Van Halen is famously known for being a recording of Eddie practicing the solo before a live performance – an impressive warm-up!

Initially, this arrangement was going to be a transcription of the “Eruption” solo meant to be performed on saxophone exactly as Eddie did it on guitar, however…Eddie was far too good and I believe it is impossible to play “Eruption” on a saxophone with the same speed and precision that Eddie makes sound like a breeze. Thus, this cadenza was adapted to best fit the capabilities of an alto saxophone in terms of range and technique. The key was changed from the original for ease of facility, but the major sections all mirror those found in the original guitar solo. Listen on YouTube!

Pictures of Percy pays homage to the music and passion of Percy Aldridge Grainger. He held an unending appreciation for the saxophone family and was a crucial figure in the legitimization and popularization of the instrument. Despite 
his adoration, Grainger never composed an original work for solo saxophone. Through this work, I sought to create a representation of Grainger’s music within the solo saxophone literature. Each movement of Pictures of Percy follows a 
method of composition used by Grainger:

I. Shepherd’s Hey is a fairly faithful arrangement of Grainger’s band piece by the same name. Grainger produced a few arrangements of other composers’ works in his lifetime.

II. The Maid & the Palmer is an original setting of a folk tune that Grainger never set himself. Some of Grainger’s most important work involved collecting, preserving, and setting folk songs.

III. Horkstow Grange is an arrangement of the same tune Grainger used for the second movement of his Lincolnshire Posy. Grainger often re-used melodies in different contexts and arranged his folk song settings for various combinations of 
instruments.

IV. The Man from Melbourne is a completely original composition in the style of Percy Grainger. Grainger is most well-known for his folk song settings, but he did compose original works as well.

This set of variations is derived from the old cowboy tune “In the Bright Mohawk Valley,” better known as “The Red River Valley.” The exact origins of this song are unknown. Each variation should take on its own unique character. The initial statement of the melody is straightforward and folksy, utilizing simple harmonies. The harp, violas, and later violins should sound as much like an acoustic guitar as possible. Variation I is much more harmonically colorful. The flugelhorn solo soars over the ensemble, later joined by trombone and horns. The melody is fragmented for Variation II, which persistently drives the piece forward, led by the xylophone and marimba. The next variation, a tango, can be performed with much capricious arrogance as the viola section’s melodic line is marked “snootily.” This can (and should) be taken to heart. A new melody is introduced here, “Wayfaring Stranger,” while the original melody is fragmented into an accompaniment. The tango is interrupted briefly by, quite frankly, a mosh. The rhythmic figures in the double bass, cello, and bass drum should be as clean and tight as possible to best emulate the feeling of the “breakdowns” common to various genres of metal music. Really aim to surprise the audience with this one. After a short return to the tango, Variation V begins with a gradually morphing, mechanical percussion ostinato overlaid by quick, overlapping woodwind lines. An unrelenting wall of sound overtakes the ensemble and pushes the piece to a close.

Frision was inspired by a desire to compose a “classical” piece of music for drumset in which the melodic capabilities of the instrument could be explored. Each of the three movements aims to embody a specific verb, as reflected in their titles. “Flow” is a persistent, rhythmic movement that makes use of a variety of percussive timbres and includes some of the most melodic drumset material of the piece. It has been described as an “impression of someone having a fun quick exploration around the drumset.” “Linger” is warm, intimate, improvisatory, and reminiscent of a jazz ballad. “Erupt” is a highly energetic, beat-based romp that is firmly rooted in metal.

This work is written for eight percussionists and features the tunes "Up On the Housetop," "Deck the Halls," "The Holly and the Ivy," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in various styles. I wrote this piece for a mixed middle school/high school ensemble to perform.

Scott Joplin's music typically works really well for saxophone and Augustan Club Waltz is no exception! This ragtime arrangement is appropriate for high school students as well as collegiate-level performers. Its sweet melodies will be stuck dancing in your head!

I arranged this little duet for use with my students. The iconic "Mii Channel" theme song has been used in memes for years. Most students know it and have fun playing this simple arrangement!

This arrangement is a healthy mixture of fun and challenging music with just a hint of spice! I created this unaccompanied solo arrangement of my favorite hymn to perform at the 2019 Commencement Ceremony at Southwest Baptist University.

In the Garden has always been one of my favorite hymns. I find the intimate nature of the text really endearing. I tried to capture the pure loving relationship between Savior and speaker described in the lyrics through the music.

Swipesy is a cakewalk originally composed by Scott Joplin and Arthur Marshall. This classic ragtime-style piece can be a fun challenge for bands of any age! Syncopated lines, auxiliary percussion toys, unique instrument pairings, and a wonderful melody all contribute to the happy atmosphere this work creates.

This piece was composed for two of my friends, Kevin Miniter and Rylan Villarreal, both of whom are wonderful saxophonists. The piece evokes the fun, loose aesthetic of jam sessions. It's brief, energetic, and maybe even a bit silly.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Texas Hues was adapted from a piece titled Two Miniatures for Piano which I wrote in the fall of 2022. The original inspiration for the music came from two drastically different scenes and the colors I most associate with them. The first movement, “Sinking in Lavender,” represents the quickly changing beauty of a Texan sunset. From blue skies to a bright golden glow to majestic purples that finally resolve into murky darkness. The sheer size of the Texas skyline (exaggerated by the lack of a high tree line) is vastly different than that of Missouri, my much more thickly forested home state. In stark contrast to this massive and colorful movement is the somewhat pointillistic and fragmented “Skittering Saffron.” This second movement was inspired by the tiny European house geckos, which can be found throughout north Texas. They are an invasive species that make their home in houses, schools, apartment complexes, and essentially anywhere they can find bugs and shelter. I regularly see these little critters in various places through my day-to-day life. I find them adorable and wanted to craft a movement representative of just how difficult it is to capture them!

Two Miniatures was inspired by two of my favorite things about the state of Texas; two things that are in such stark contrast to each other. Lavender Hue was inspired by the beautiful sunsets in Texas. The treeline is so low in much of north Texas that the sky feels HUGE and the sunsets are extraordinarily spectacular. The second miniature, Invasive Species, was inspired by the prevalence of the European house geckos that make their home in and around many buildings in Texas. I've always loved wildlife, so I generally try to capture these little fellas and move them away from human feet but they are FAST. I tried to capture the majestic spectacle of a Texas sunset and the erratic escape techniques of a tiny gecko in these two movements.

This short work for two like saxophones embodies the awkward dynamic that we all experience from time to time: seeing someone in public whom we kind of know or haven't seen in a while. The work is fragmented, interruptive, and purposefully ungraceful.

I arranged this hymn for a Father's Day service at church. Each verse of this arrangement is informed by the respective stanza's lyrics: straightforward, somber, and joyous.

Breakneck embodies high-speed racing and loud cars! This fast-paced piece is a great concert opener! It's a grade 2/2.5 so it's perfect for advanced middle school bands or high school bands.

I didn't expect to actually arrange this Red Hot Chili Peppers song in its entirety. I first set out to just transcribe John Frusciante's killer guitar solo for saxophone but it grew from there!

Village Suite is a series of character pieces that blend the jazz idiom with medieval music to create a fun and story-driven programmatic experience for the listeners. Each of the six movements is representative of a specific character one might meet in a medieval village, and each of those characters is depicted by a specific instrument or instruments (see below).

1. The Town Crier - trumpet(s)

2. The Royal Fool - tuba

3. The Local Drunkard - trombone

4. The Executioner - percussion

5. The Wayfarers - clarinet, euphonium

6. The Performance Troupe - oboe, saxophone section

Village Suite also calls for a couple of non-traditional instruments: the "coin cup" and the "bottles." The coin cup consists of a metal cup or can and a handful of coins. The coins are dropped into the cup and then shaken. The bottles refers to glass bottles suspended from a gong rack and played like wind chimes.

This work was originally written for SATB choir or men's chorus by Romanian-Hungarian composer György Orbán. Daemon is a highly rhythmic and chromatic work with plenty of meter changes to go around.

Festum is an homage to the creepy carnival aesthetic that has been popular in horror media for years. The first movement, “The Carnival Awakens”, illustrates the sounds of an abandoned carnival suddenly coming to life while the second movement, “Lost in the Hall of Mirrors”, emulates the wonderment and awe that one might feel exploring such an odd place. Finally, with the advent of the third movement, our worst fears are realized....it's time to “Get Out of the Clown House!”