My new orchestral work, SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS premieres tonight at 7:30PM in Stude Concert Hall at the Shepherd School of Music under the baton of Jerry Hou. This work was my master’s thesis and is being premiered alongside 4 other works on the abnormally large “Alumni Composer Spotlight” concert. It’s been something of a dream to write for this orchestra that I’ve admired so much since coming to Rice University in 2022. They’ve really taken to the work and I’m excited to hear the results of their labor tonight.

For (free) tickets as well as a link to the livestream, please click here.

And to read about this piece and see the score, please click here.

My new work for quintet (alto flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano) was premiered on February 15th by DACAMERA Young Artists with me conducting. The work was simultaneously an elegy for my recently deceased mentor, Karl Kohn, as well as a response to Joe Overstreet’s exhibition, Taking Flight, on view at the Menil right now. More information on this work coming soon!

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work as a young artist with DACAMERA of Houston is getting involved in the very out-of-the-ordinary projects they put on every year. As a part of this year’s season, my friend and former classmate Nanki Chugh (pictured) invited me to collaborate with her on an educational musical theater work titled “The Science of Sound.” The work involves a set of adventurers going on a trip across the universe to find sounds to “send to Oliver so he can write us music.” Throughout the musical are a few numbers where I beam them new pieces based off the sounds they send to me. I was happy to find out that, through partnerships with a number of HISD schools throughout Houston, every single seat was filled up with 5th graders for all 6 performances.

My work “Monsoon” will be premiered by the Pacific Chamber Orchestra under the baton of their director, Lawrence Kohl on Sunday, October 27th as a part of the Dream American concert. This concert will include five premieres by emerging composers. More information on this work coming soon.

Here is the live stream link: https://music.rice.edu/live-streaming-duncan-recital-hall

As I am writing this I am less than 4 hours from the recital and still furiously getting things together, but I thought I would take this time to make a small page where I can send people who are viewing the live stream from home so that they can read a bit about the work being premiered on this recital: Wandering Rocks.

Two other works are being performed on this recital. The first is Study After Agnes Martin’s The Tree performed by Anna-Sofia Botti. It’s a neo-impressionist work I wrote in response to one of my favorite paintings. The second is The Wayfaring Stranger performed by a vocal octet which came together very very very last minute to give new life to this small work I wrote for Roomful of Teeth last year.