• For Bb clarinet and piano

• Duration: 11 minutes

• Commissioned by Abdo Timejardine-Zomeño, Ayako Oshima, Corey Mackey, Gage Higdon, Nicholas Carlson, and Tyler Mazone

• Program notes:

      American Variations is a set of variations based on an original theme realized in different musical styles: jazz, ragtime, post-modern, klezmer, and pop-rock. It was written for American clarinetist Joshua Anderson. The overall structure depicts a metaphorical journey through different times in American history, at both the macro and micro levels. Specifically, the third variation, subtitled “Strange, strange time,” focuses on the frustration and disappointment that Americans are currently experiencing in a fractured political and cultural climate. The piece ends with a variation subtitled “Coming True,” in which the music depicts the power of the American Dream and resilience of the human spirit to overcome differences in favor of unity and progress.

• For solo cello

• Duration: 4 minutes

• Written for Kevin Hekmatpanah and Gonzaga Dance Program

• Program notes:

      Unsettled Hope is a gripping musical exploration of conflict and resolution, symbolizing the battle between struggle and hope. The rhythmic patterns, evocative of struggle, engage in a duel with a lyrical theme representing hope, creating a tension that ultimately finds resolution. Performed by Kevin Hekmatpanah and choreographed by Noelle Price, the made its debut at the Gonzaga Law School’s Human Rights Conference, underscoring the global importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. The performance took place in Gonzaga's Florence campus in Italy.

• For solo piano

• Duration: 7 minutes

• Commissioned by Annie Jeng

• Program notes:

      Commissioned by pianist Annie Jeng, Above Home, Beyond the Sea resonates with personal stories and cultural heritage, framed around the famous Chinese folk song "Da Hai" (Ocean, My Mother). A symbol of Jeng's bicultural identity, the piece reflects her experience as a child of Taiwanese immigrants, rooted both in American life and Chinese tradition, unified by music.
     The melody, a familiar tune in her mother's choir, the Glorystar Children's Chorus, holds an additional layer of poignancy. It stands as a tribute to a loved family friend, an 'unofficial aunt,' who passionately loved "Da Hai" and tragically lost her life.
    Above Home, Beyond the Sea expands on the original song and captures the complex emotions associated with loss, memory, and cultural identity. The myriad feelings of nostalgia, grief, and bittersweet remembrance are echoed within the notes, rendering this a melodic memoir.
  This piece was premiered by Annie Jeng at the University of Michigan on Feb. 26, 2019, as part to fulfill her DMA degree requirement.
 

• For solo bassoon

• Duration: 5 minutes

• Commissioned by Marissa Olegario

• Program notes:

      Commissioned by basoonist Marissa Olegario, After Rain is a musical embodiment of the serene, rejuvenating atmosphere following a downpour. In the A section, the bassoon unfolds a slow, contemplative melody, utilizing a wide range of the instrument's colors to paint a scene of tranquility and fresh air. The B section shifts gears into a rhythmically invigorating depiction of the wind that dries the humidity. This musical interpretation of nature's cycle aims to offer listeners  to experience the peace and excitement of a post-rain landscape.

• For solo flute and fixed media

• Duration: 7 minutes

• Recorded materials feature Erzhan Xu on various bamboo flutes

• Program notes:

      Weeping Bamboo marries live western flute performance with a pre-recorded atmospheric soundscape, composed based on materials recorded by flutist Erzhan Xu using the Xiao, Dizi, and Xun (Chinese wind instruments). The resulting piece is a journey of mystery and color, as the flute dances in counterpoint and conversation with the ethereal fixed media. The soundscape of the piece evokes the imagery of a bamboo grove, with the flute embodying the plaintive call of the weeping bamboo.