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This highly melodic and virtuosic solo showcases the artistic and technical capabilities of the soloist while providing a joyful and uplifting musical offering to the audience.

Sinfonia No. 3 for Trumpet

Trumpet Solo with Piano

This four-movement suite for brass quintet is as delightful to hear as it
  is challenging to play.  The variety of
  moods and styles represented create a most engaging piece for inclusion on
  any recital.

Illusions for Brass

Brass Quintet

Format

Lighthearted, lyrical and virtuosic, this playful horn solo with concert band features memorable melodic content accompanied by a combination of Lydian and quartal harmonies.    The original solo was written in 1975 when I was in my senior year at the University of Miami.  My original idea was to write ten solos, one for each major instrument in the wind section of the concert band, each accompanied by wind ensemble, and performed by my friends who were also my Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "brothers."  I was honored to have my friend, Basil Kerr perform the premiere performance of Sinfonia No. 1 on his senior recital.  

After the premieres of Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn and Sinfonia No. 2 for Euphonium, I graduated in 1975 and began my teaching career, and that spelled the end of the project until fifty years later when I was commissioned to write a solo for trombone with concert band in 2024.  In trying to find a title for the piece, I remembered I had written two other solos many years ago and decided to call it Sinfonia No. 3 for Trombone.  It was then I considered updating and resurrecting the other two solos.  Amazingly, I was able to find the original scores in my files, and two years later found some time to start the process.  I hope the result is something that will find its way into the repertoire for horn soloists, and a piece they enjoy playing.

Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn and Concert Band

Concert Band Score & Parts

Lawrence Fogelberg was a band director in Peoria and Pekin, Illinois, and was the father of Dan Fogelberg.  The Fogelberg Foundation wanted the music to represent the way a single band director becomes the catalyst behind the spreading of knowledge and technique from one student to the next until they have an ensemble filled with inspired musicians, then perpetuated from year to year into a legacy that reaches far beyond their singular band room. While this composition was commissioned to honor Lawrence Fogelberg, it really is intended to honor all band directors past, present and future.  

Since Lawrence Fogelberg was an oboist, the piece begins with an unaccompanied oboe playing a four-note statement. This melodic fragment evolves throughout the entire piece and is used in a variety of ways, first as the representation of a question which then expands into a complete melody full of passion and sincerity. This thematic gesture takes on new meaning much as teachers face a multitude of challenges and joyful moments they encounter every day with their students.

Living Legacy

When my friend Carl Anderson approached me about writing a piece for him to play as a soloist with the Prairie Wind Ensemble of Central Illinois, I was certainly intrigued by the possibilities.  The result of this collaboration is a highly melodic and virtuosic solo that showcases the artistic and technical capabilities of the soloist while providing a joyful and uplifting musical offering to the audience.   After conducting the piece, I realized that the solo was actually playable by any brass instrument AND worked well with the existing accompaniment.  Consequently, Carl's invitation for me to contribute to the solo repertoire for trombonists has resulted in a set of solos for the entire family of brass instrumentalists.

Sinfonia No. 3 for Horn and Concert Band

Commissioned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of "San Diego's Finest City Freedom Band," With Pride and Joy! is a celebratory piece written in an overture format, opening with a fanfare before introducing the main theme in a lighthearted style meant to express the joy of living life to its fullest in a diverse community as well as the happy interactions between the band and the community, and the excellence of the musical ensemble itself. The contrasting lyrical section is both poignant and powerful as it represents the power of love and how we, with time, can overcome sadness experienced over those we have loved and lost, and find comfort in our fond memories. 

Solos are included for players in nearly every section, allowing for a further representation of diverse musical voices that can come together in the creation of joyful and meaningful musical moments. With the band's conductor asking me to write something "joyful" for a "Pride Band," the title, With Pride and Joy! was an obvious choice!

With Pride and Joy!

Todd Stalter has been a friend for many years, starting in 1991 when we taught in nearby school districts in Illinois, and on to when I served as his editor as Alfred Music.  Most people know him as a very talented composer of band music, but he is also a wonderful teacher, conductor and clinician.  After 34 years of serving as Director of Bands at Eureka High School, his colleagues wanted to commemorate his distinguished career with a commission, and I was so honored they asked me to write the piece for him.   They requested a fanfare-type piece that all of the Eureka Bands could play together in a ceremonial performance at Todd's final band concert in May of 2025.  The title was suggested to me because these words are the definition of the word, "eureka."

For It Has Been Found...

Sinfonia No. 3 for Euphonium

Euphonium Solo with Piano

"Convergences" is quite the mixture of musical elements - Lydian and major/minor tonalities, numerous meters, pointillistic and punctuated styles in contrast to flowing and lyrical moments, rapidly changing colors and rhythms, agitated themes contrasted with tranquil melodies and harmonies, quiet and shimmering phrases following loud and powerful statements, and minimalistic accompaniments that seem to poke at you, which stand in sharp contrast to rich and enhanced harmonies that wrap you in a warm hug. Consequently, it seemed as though the title, "Convergences," was the best way to convey the juxtaposition of these musical ideas.

Convergences

This lyrical piece evokes feelings of loss, hope and endurance through its wistful colors and melodies.  Written for my friend, Scott Lang, to honor the short life of his identical twin brother, it is Scott's words that can truly express the meaning behind the music:

Todd Mac Lang was my best friend, my mirror self, my twin, and is a presence that follows me through every season of my life.

Autumn Elegy, commissioned in memory of my identical twin brother, is a tribute to the four short years we shared and also
to the bond that has never ended; it has simply changed shape. This piece is not just "for" Todd, but "to" him; it is my way of
saying that I still think about you and love you. A half-century after his passing, my memories of him are as lucid as if they
were yesterday.

As I've grown, so has the outline of his absence: first, the missing playmate; then the friend who never got my late-night
phone calls; the uncle my two boys will never meet; and the father he might have become but never had the chance to be.
Through it all, he has remained what he was from the very beginning - my brother.

Every fall, as the air sharpens and the world turns gold, I'm brought back to his October passing. The grief doesn't diminish
with time; it simply stretches out, appearing at longer intervals, yet striking with the familiar clarity of sadness when it arrives.
In that annual chill, there's a quiet warmth - and the comfort of memory.

Autumn Elegy is intended to invite a musical reflection and remembrance of the people who have impacted you throughout
your life. This piece is not only a remembrance of Todd's brief life, but a tribute to how a single life, however short, can be
a lifelong echo.

Autumn Elegy

This lyrical piece evokes feelings of loss, hope and endurance through its wistful colors and melodies. Written for my friend, Scott Lang, to honor the short life of his identical twin brother, it is Scott's words that can truly express the meaning behind the music: Todd Mac Lang was my best friend, my mirror self, my twin, and is a presence that follows me through every season of my life. Autumn Elegy, commissioned in memory of my identical twin brother, is a tribute to the four short years we shared and also to the bond that has never ended; it has simply changed shape. This piece is not just "for" Todd, but "to" him; it is my way of saying that I still think about you and love you. A half-century after his passing, my memories of him are as lucid as if they were yesterday. As I've grown, so has the outline of his absence: first, the missing playmate; then the friend who never got my late-night phone calls; the uncle my two boys will never meet; and the father he might have become but never had the chance to be. Through it all, he has remained what he was from the very beginning - my brother. Every fall, as the air sharpens and the world turns gold, I'm brought back to his October passing. The grief doesn't diminish with time; it simply stretches out, appearing at longer intervals, yet striking with the familiar clarity of sadness when it arrives. In that annual chill, there's a quiet warmth - and the comfort of memory. Autumn Elegy is intended to invite a musical reflection and remembrance of the people who have impacted you throughout your life. This piece is not only a remembrance of Todd's brief life, but a tribute to how a single life, however short, can be a lifelong echo.

Autumn Elegy for Full Orchestra

Full Orchestra Score & Parts

Sinfonia No. 3 for Horn

Horn in F Solo with Piano

Sinfonia No. 3 for Trumpet and Concert Band

Sinfonia No. 3 for Euphonium and Concert Band

When my friend Carl Anderson approached me about writing a piece for him to play as a trombone soloist with the Prairie Wind Ensemble, I was certainly intrigued by the possibilities.  The result of this collaboration is a highly melodic and virtuosic trombone solo that showcases the artistic and technical capabilities of the soloist while providing a joyful and uplifting musical offering to the audience.

Sinfonia No. 3 for Trombone and Concert Band

Sinfonia No. 3 for Tuba

Tuba Solo with Piano

An Arboretum Adventure opens with a serene, evocative melody before venturing into a spirited and unconventional development, ultimately culminating in a majestic finale. The composition captures a day spent wandering through the Morton Arboretum, reflecting both the grand serenity of the landscape and the delightful quirks found in nature. The title pays homage to Lisle, Illinois—the "Arboretum Village." This piece also serves as a metaphor for the local music program’s philosophy: music begins with deep "roots" that establish a firm foundation. As students grow, the program branches out to produce "abundant musical fruit," offering both aesthetic beauty and a "safe harbor" for students navigating the challenges of youth.

An Arboretum Adventure

This heartfelt solo for euphonium offers an impressionistic setting to this lyrical piece. The ever-changing dynamics and tonal shifts enhance the passion and intensity of the music, from quiet and intimate to bold and powerful, giving the soloist an opportunity  to demonstrate the technical and emotional range of this beautiful instrument. Originally written with full band accompaniment, this version allows the piece to played with piano providing greater opportunities for performance.  

The original solo was written in 1974 when I was in my senior year at the University of Miami.  My idea was to write ten solos, one for each major instrument in the wind section of the concert band, each accompanied by wind ensemble, and performed by my friends who were also my Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "brothers.".  While the euphonium solo was listed and the second in the series, it was actually written first.  Then I decided the project should be a suite, playable as movements in concert, and therefore decided the first solo should be something more up-tempo.  Consequently, Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn was written next.  After the premieres of these first two solos, I graduated in 1975 and began my teaching career, and that spelled the end of the project until fifty years later when I was commissioned to write a solo for trombone with concert band in 2024.  In trying to find a title for the piece, I remembered I had written two other solos many years ago and decided to call it Sinfonia No. 3 for Trombone.  It was then I considered updating and resurrecting the other two solos.  Amazingly, I was able to find the original scores in my files, and two years later found some time to start the process.  I hope the result is something that will find its way into the repertoire for euphonium soloists, and a piece they enjoy playing.

Sinfonia No. 2 for Euphonium

Lighthearted, lyrical and virtuosic, this playful horn solo features memorable melodic content accompanied by a combination of Lydian and quartal harmonies.    The original solo was written in 1975 when I was in my senior year at the University of Miami.  My original idea was to write ten solos, one for each major instrument in the wind section of the concert band, each accompanied by wind ensemble, and performed by my friends who were also my Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "brothers."  I was honored to have my friend, Basil Kerr perform the premiere performance of Sinfonia No. 1 on his senior recital.  This version allows the solo to be played with piano accompaniment.  

After the premieres of Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn and Sinfonia No. 2 for Euphonium, I graduated in 1975 and began my teaching career, and that spelled the end of the project until fifty years later when I was commissioned to write a solo for trombone with concert band in 2024.  In trying to find a title for the piece, I remembered I had written two other solos many years ago and decided to call it Sinfonia No. 3 for Trombone.  It was then I considered updating and resurrecting the other two solos.  Amazingly, I was able to find the original scores in my files, and two years later found some time to start the process.  I hope the result is something that will find its way into the repertoire for horn soloists, and a piece they enjoy playing.

Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn

This heartfelt solo for euphonium offers an impressionistic setting to this lyrical piece. As it transitions through numerous tonal shifts, the band provides warmth and a variety of colors to the symphonic palette. The ever-changing dynamics  enhance the passion and intensity of the music, from quiet and intimate to bold and powerful, giving the soloist an opportunity to demonstrate the technical and emotional range of this beautiful instrument.  

The original solo was written in 1974 when I was in my senior year at the University of Miami.  My original idea was to write ten solos, one for each major instrument in the wind section of the concert band, each accompanied by wind ensemble, and performed by my friends who were also my Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "brothers."  While the euphonium solo was listed and the second in the series, it was actually written first.  Then I decided the project should be a suite, playable as movements in concert, and therefore decided the first solo should be something more up-tempo.  Consequently, Sinfonia No. 1 for Horn was written next.  

After the premieres of these first two solos, I graduated in 1975 and began my teaching career, and that spelled the end of the project until fifty years later when I was commissioned to write a solo for trombone with concert band in 2024.  In trying to find a title for the piece, I remembered I had written two other solos many years ago and decided to call it Sinfonia No. 3 for Trombone.  It was then I considered updating and resurrecting the other two solos.  Amazingly, I was able to find the original scores in my files, and two years later found some time to start the process.  I hope the result is something that will find its way into the repertoire for euphonium soloists, and a piece they enjoy playing.

Sinfonia No. 2 for Euphonium and Band

Global Sections - CORE [DO NOT TOUCH]*

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