We Are The Unbroken (2022)

Percussion Quartet and Fixed Media, 10'

This piece was inspired by the year 2020 surrounding the pandemic. Politics in the America were

not about keeping people alive but focused on if there was even a crisis. Human survival at its

most basic form had become political for just the American people while the world watched us. I

watched politicians lie, knowing information was false and it killed thousands of people who

didn’t have to die. The first movement, Bodies Are Heavy, is meant to comment on those who

passed away and that the passing of life should weigh heavy on the soul. The second movement,

Galvanized Weapon, is meant to serve as a metaphor to continue to fight for the things that are

important to you. The final movement and title song, We Are The Unbroken, is to illustrate even

through adversity we will continue to push forward. “We will not bend, We will not break, We

are the unbroken”.

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Forgotten Faces (2022)

Grade 5 Concert Band, Fixed Media, and Visuals, 18'

The inspiration for this work derived from the theory that the human brain can only

create people in dreams the person has already seen. This information fueled my thought process

of the people a dreamer encounters. Many dreams include people who the dreamer does not

know, and at times the unknown person contributes a large role to the overall dream. The notion

of developing these unknown characters led to my decision to create four movements that tell

four unique stories.

Aural indicators in the music produce a certain image of a character, but in order to

further guide the audience, I have included a secondary title for each movement. I crafted each

title to provide a small aspect of the character’s gender, or absence of gender, followed by a

description of a piece of attire or a place. For instance, in “Space Bound (The People In

Astronaut Suits),” the number of people, along with their height, weight, age, ethnicity, gender,

etc. are all determined in the mind of the listener.

The fixed media in each movement focuses on one or more subgenres of EDM.

Movement I has elements of Dubstep and Future Riddim/Melodic Riddim. Movement II is a

combination of Funk music and Dubstep called Funkstep. Movement III pays homage to

Dubstep and Future Riddim/Melodic Riddim, and Movement IV is loosely derived from the

genre of Mid Tempo Bass.

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Movement I: Let Me Tell You A Story (The Children In Their Beds)

The theory of dreams states that while the human brain cannot imagine new faces, it can

realistically create non-human images. This idea is explored as non-human characters are

developed through text portrayed by voice actor and operatic tenor Wesley Frye. The movement

overall mimics a parent reading to a child and acting out a story. I commissioned and

collaborated on the text with author Sarah Eral. The storyline occurs in the mythical land of

Aeribeth where dragons reign over cities. The main character, Blue, is a dragon without an item

to hoard. With the help of the Ambassador of Aeribeth, they travel to three other towns to

discover the items the other dragons hoard. All the dragons have easily identifiable sounds for

their hoard. The first dragon, Purple, hoards gems and gold, which is conveyed by the jingling of

coins. The second dragon, Green, hoards food and is aurally represented by medieval kitchen

sounds such as the bubbling of a caldron. The third dragon, Red, enjoys weapons of destruction,

and their hoard is represented by the sounds of swords and axes hitting an object. After

experiencing the hoards of the other dragons, Blue decides they enjoy knowledge and stories.

This is conveyed through the sounds of flipping pages and slamming of books. The first three

dragons chorus sections are all written in the Dubstep genre but Blue’s chorus section differs and

is written in the Future Riddim/Melodic Riddim style. Text by Sarah Eral and Logan Larson.

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Movement II: That’s One Powerful Woman (The Lady In Heels)

Funkstep, the combination of Funk and Dubstep, is the inspiration for Movement II. For

this movement, the samples of heels clacking, Dubstep drum rhythms, shredding guitar lines, and

funk inspired synth pads are heard. The heels sample is the underlying beat for the entire

movement. The consistent heels convey that the powerful woman alluded to will never stop

because she does not have any weaknesses.

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Movement III: Space Bound (The People In Astronaut Suits)

This movement pays homage to the genre of Dubstep and Future Riddim/Melodic

Riddim. This piece aurally represents the beauty, calmness, and wonder of space mixed with the

terrifying, powerful, and destructive nature of the universe.

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Movement IV: Hazmatic Hyperdrive (The Man In A Hard Hat)

The Mid Tempo Bass genre is explored in the fourth movement. The formal structure of

the movement mimics an EDM DJ set where high musical tension is maintained for a majority of

the work. This musical intensity is meant to overwhelm the audience and resembles the loud

noises of a construction site. The harmonic structure of the piece is largely inspired by Laurie

Anderson’s “O Superman” where she uses two chords for the entirety of the work. This backand-

forth chordal structure informed the two-note pitch material heard in the fixed media for

large sections of this movement.

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All Hail The Bufo Toad (2021)

Voice, Viola and Fixed Media, 6'03"

​This piece is based on two works from the Lowe Art Museum: a bufo toad whistle and a LED box and glass work called Botanica. The storyline takes place in a rainforest where our character encounters a bufo toad. The bufo toad's skin has hallucinogenic properties. Our character licks the toad and reality begins to distort. The green man from the Botanical glass work appears as a spirit guide and takes our character on an adventure through nature.​

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Live To Serve (2020)

Tuba and Fixed Media, 5'12"

This piece is meant to mimic the constant bombardment of intensity that war brings. It is overwhelming but in times of crisis we must push forward.

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The Monster You Made (2020)

Amplified Cello and Fixed Media, 3'57"

​The piece is based on how we make assumptions about people we don't know. Accepting rumors as reality or taking small amounts of interactions to form our conclusions about who someone truly is. These first impressions if not positive often vilify a person and rarely do our impressions change once we have made up our minds. Someone may be one of the kindest people but no matter their actions if we view them as evil, a villain, or a monster, that is all we will ever see. It is a monster of your own creation, it is the monster you made.

 

Turn My Heart To Stone (2020)

Vibraphone and Fixed Media, 4'39"

Watching something or someone we truly cared for turn into something we despise can scar us forever.

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Electric Thunder Dunk (2020)

Trumpet and Fixed Media, 4'42"

​I wrote this piece in response to losing my hero, Kobe Bryant. My mindset, personality, and outlook for life was shaped by Kobe. I equally have the obsessive desire for the things I love. His work ethic is what I have strived to mimic as I pursue my own passions and always tried to put in the hours to achieve my goals. He said this to someone and it always stuck with me, “you’re never going to outwork me, however hard you are willing to work, I’m willing to work harder than that”. His words and actions to chase his dream at all costs, grind for greatness, and try to be a little bit better each day is something I admire about how he approached his life. I had his quotes in a giant collage on my wall for years and hear his words in my head often. He is the most influential person I have never met, but that’s what Kobe does to me. He was a man who inspired the people around him, was a loving husband, parent, and friend. I’ll love you forever. Rest easy Mamba.

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At My Pace (2019)

Voice, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, and Fixed Media, 4'59"

Logarhythmic Collective’s core trio of voice, saxophone, and trombone are on full display for At My Pace. BPM is what gives the integrity and mood for specific EDM subgenres. At My Pace pushes the boundaries of changing tempo and exploring different subgenre inspirations throughout the work including: Future Bass, Dubstep, Glitch Hop, and Drum and Bass.​

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Log The Rhythm (2019)

Voice, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, and Fixed Media, 3'42"

​Logarhythmic Collective’s core trio of voice, saxophone, and trombone push the boundaries in this 7/8 time signature work. Changing divisions in asymmetrical meter between the verses and drops changes the groove for the dance floor in new innovative ways.

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Till I Flat Line (2019)

Voice, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, and Fixed Media, 4'52"

​The narrator is describing an everlasting love and giving their whole self to their partner until their death. "They don't know love, so let's show them the beats of my heart and they can log the rhythm, you have my heart till my last breath, even when I'm gone I will love you in death".

 

You Can’t Make Fire Feel Afraid (2019)

Voice, Saxophone, Trombone, and Fixed Media, 4'

You are strong, are you bright, you are a flame. You are fire and you are alive and untamed; you can't make fire feel afraid.

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Let Me Save You (2019)

Voice, Saxophone, Trombone and Fixed Media, 6'14"

​This love song has a narrator that views themselves as a hero that can save their love interest from their current relationship.