Kickstarter

Composer's Personal Statement

I’m composing a piece for the wonderful brass section of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. It’s entitled Sonata for Brass Ensemble, and although it’s definitely in my own modernist style, it is also an homage to the great works by Gabrieli and other composers of the late Renaissance who wrote for winds and brass. Many brass players think that the music of late 16th-century Italy is among the best ever written for these instruments. As a former trombonist myself, I’ve enjoyed playing in performances of many of these pieces, so the sound of Renaissance brass music was in my ears as I began the piece.

Composers, Inc., the San Francisco new-music presenter, has included my Sonata on their November 13, 2012 concert. Presenting an ensemble as large as 12 performers is beyond the amount that Composers, Inc. can usually afford, so I am asking my friends and colleagues, and well as anyone interested in new music or in brass instruments, to help raise $2,000 to support this performance. This concert will also include another performance by the San Francisco Opera Brass, Exaudi by my colleague Frank La Rocca, who has transcribed his choral piece for brass. The players from the San Francisco Opera who will be playing these pieces are among the best in the world, so you’ll be able to hear excellent performances of two new pieces.

I am offering gifts for various levels of giving in thanks for your support of this project. Donations for this project to Composers, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit, are tax-deductible, minus the value of any gifts received. Thank you for considering my proposal, and I hope you will consider making a gift of any size.