Artistic Statement

My inklings as a composer did not begin young, as I was never classically trained until I entered my undergraduate degree. It truly began at the end of high school, through my first music theory course. I found that I already had a foundation for this level of depth in music, and my mind found clarity in the little details that could be invisible to the untrained eye. I began to allow this sense of musicality flow from my mind and body versus any amount of playing I participated in (I was a modest saxophone player at best, and those motor skills have since dissipated from my life). This is where I found my true love for music. Yes, I had always loved listening to many different kinds of music, but now I understood why. 

This new journey I embarked upon opened my eyes to incredible music I otherwise never would have found. Music that gave me visceral reactions, music that I must try to understand – music to try making myself. I began working with strong concepts, and used this music to visualize, personify, and explore. At the foundational level, my music is written with evocative purpose – to invigorate deep thought, sensation, and reflection. As a lover of the visual arts, the impressionist movement has stuck to me. I am creating my own observations and impressions on life, the physical and metaphorical, and anything else that raises an ear.

I have always been more of a student and patron of the arts than the sciences. However, areas of science, nature, and space all fascinate me in a way that is so rooted in my subconscious that I can’t help but use music as my tool to explore their mysteries. This idea continues to expand with whatever is fascinating me in each passing day. My music also develops itself as a way to reflect my own life experiences, which I know is a common theme among many composers and other artists. We are writing in a universal language that never runs out of words or phrases. Knowing that, I read and research and discover how I can translate my own thoughts and explorations into music. There is extensive beauty and significance in the idea that human beings can never fully experience that of another person, and that all we can do is explore different ways to share and connect.

I constantly take it upon myself to expand my awareness and therefore my abilities in how I create music. In this effort, I can make my own works more tangible, significant, and create with large consideration to the players. I write with a performer’s perspective and experience in mind. I aim to consider the full scope and explorative breadth of sounds that individual instruments can make to attain different qualities, or to provoke critical and emotional thought. It is largely the intersection of unique performance techniques combined with the magnified audience experience that fully encapsulates the defining quality of my work. 

My music is under no pressure to be “perfect,” as this is a nonexistent and unattainable notion that has been implied in the realm of music-making. Rather, it explores my own striking inspirations and begs for diverse and unique audience experiences worthy of conversation. My impression of sound may be different from another’s, and that is the beauty of music and life. Diversity in sound, and love for it all is paramount in my eyes.