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I'm super excited about this collaboration with trumpet soloist, Mary E. Bowden. This new concerto will be a worthy addition to the classical canon that also reimagines and expands the possibilities of a
centuries-old tradition for today's ears. Latin, Middle Eastern and the American symphonic tradition come together in this soulful work retracing our collective history and looking ahead to the future. Mary and I would relish having your orchestra share in this exciting project conceived in response to our 250th American anniversary in 2026 and beyond.

I'm excited to join the roster at Visconti Arts Management. The roster is chock full of game-changing, 21st century artists. Dan Visconti (dan@viscontiarts.com) will be my exclusive and worldwide representative.

Rapture's Abyss Rapture’s Abyss for Saxophone Quartet and Solo Alto Saxophone Composed for Nois Saxophone Quartet with soloist Kendra Wheeler

In Rapture’s Abyss, I explore the paradox of ecstasy and devastation—the moment when one stands at the peak of emotional vulnerability, only to be met with tragedy. The title emerged from this tension, a meditation on extremes: joy and sorrow, fire and ice, heaven and hell. These dualities have long fascinated me, from the elemental oppositions in Robert Frost’s poem Fire and Ice to the spiritual and rhythmic polarities found in West African traditions.

The work opens with a dense polyrhythmic texture inspired by the Bata drumming of the Yoruba people—layered, cross-cutting rhythms that evoke ritual, urgency, and ancestral memory. Against this rhythmic tapestry, drones in contrary keys create harmonic instability, a sonic metaphor for emotional dissonance. The solo alto saxophone, performed here by the extraordinary Kendra Wheeler, weaves through this landscape with both vulnerability and defiance.

Midway, the piece settles into a soulful blues—a moment of catharsis and grounding. But resolution is fleeting. The music returns to its unsettled origins, reminding us that rapture and abyss are not endpoints, but coexisting states.

I am deeply grateful to Nois Saxophone Quartet and Kendra Wheeler for their fearless musicianship and emotional generosity. Their ability to inhabit both the fire and the ice of this work brings its extremes vividly to life.