On a Blue Lake Orchestra Piece

On a Blue Lake On a Blue Lake imagines a person floating on a lake. And looking at all the beautiful clouds floating overhead. The listener slides through a 12-bar blues that moves into a waltz. Then the dreamer returns to the original blues music.  The bass part...

Russian River Orchestra Piece

Russian River Russian River Is a piece I first composed for my own children in 2006. After the Covid lockdowns, I simplified it so it would be more accessible for a middle-school orchestra. Russian River is a dramatic piece that describes the Russian River in Northern...

Through a Dragon’s Eyes – Orchestra Piece

Through a Dragon’s Eyes Through a Dragon’s Eyes is a piece for the young orchestra. It features melodic passages in the viola and cello. And it gives a beautiful “habanera” bass line to the cello and bass. Students can imagine what it would be...

Stringfire! – Original Orchestra Piece

Stringfire! Stringfire! Is a piece I first composed for middle-school orchestra in 2017. It is accessible for a young middle-school orchestra. Stringfire! Is a dynamic piece with a lot of energy. It is dramatic and driving. All of the parts receive the melody at one...

Fiddling Around Blues – Original Orchestra Piece

Fiddling Around Blues Fiddling Around Blues is an original piece at the Grade 1 level. It includes foot stomps and “chunking” on the off beats for the upper strings. The students need to play with swung 8th notes. It’s a great piece to teach that concept the the chord...