As Sisters In Zion / Armies of Helaman
A dear friend of mine requested an arrangement of the "EFY Medley" for Flute and Clarinet for her daughter to play at her missionary farewell. I worked for a couple months at it, but I just wasn't satisfied with how it was turning out. Then I heard a young man play a slow, deeply pensive rendition of "Called to Serve" for his farewell, and suddenly I knew what I was doing wrong. I hurried home from church and deleted everything I had done, then wrote the last 10 measures of this song, and after that, the rest of the song seemed to simply fall onto the page. I finished it in a single sitting.
Flight of the Happiness Berry - Piano Solo
A dear friend of mine wrote the first four measures of this song to spite a composition teacher who told her that her compositions were always sad-sounding. Over my lunch period, I expanded it out to what it is now to tease my friend.
I Am a Child of God - Cello, Clarinet + Piano
This is a very simple arrangement that sounds simply beautiful. Written for cello and clarinet because that's what my wife and I play.
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Mixed Quartet
The voicing for this quartet is a little unusual, but these are the instruments my family plays. One daughter and I play the cello, another daughter plays the flute, and my wife plays the clarinet. I simply adapted a string quartet arrangement for these instruments. It's actually quite nice, I think.
Jesus, Lover of My Soul - Cello + Piano
A beautiful cello solo of this favorite hymn. If you listen carefully, you'll hear an secondary theme: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Ok, so maybe you don't have to listen so carefully, as it's pretty obvious.
Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me - 2 Cellos + Piano
This is one of my favorite arrangements. It has a very peaceful, contemplative mood, and the rich, dark sound that you can only get from cellos.
Nearer, My God, to Thee (Cello Solo with Piano)
This is one of my Grandma's favorite hymns, so when I was asked to play something for her funeral, I wrote this arrangement. The elegance of this arrangement is in its sweet simplicity. Avoid the temptation to speed it up, and it will reward you with a rich, contemplative, spiritually immersive experience.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Piano, Violin, Cello
A slow, mournful arrangement of the beautiful Christmas hymn. I tried to capture the spirit of the soul in bondage pleading for the advent of a Messiah to deliver it from its enemies - captive Israel from the Roman Empire - and mankind from the chains of Hell. It blends the rich low register of the violin with the resonant mid-range of the cello and the steady pulsing of the piano to weave an enchantment that lingers long after the music ends.
The First Noel
An arrangement of this well known Christmas hymn for 2 flutes with piano accompaniment.
Download Sheet Music: Flute I
Download Sheet Music: Flute II
Download Sheet Music: Full Score
Download Sheet Music: Piano
Computer Rendered recording:
The Witching Hour
A friend of mine stopped by to see me with her young children in her minivan. As we visited on the porch for a few minutes, the children started to climb out of the van and run around. One after another, she grabbed the children to put them back in the minivan, and as she would chase after one, another would climb out and start running again. It was quite comical. She said to me, "This is the Witching Hour - time time of day when I start to become a witch!"
Two Part Thing in G - Eng. Horn and Bassoon Duet
I have always wanted to learn to play the bassoon. I love the way it sounds. So just in case I ever pick one up and learn to play it, I wrote this little piece that I could practice.
All Creatures of Our God and King - String Quartet + Piano