Solo Voice
American Sonnets
In 2020, I was asked to compose a piece using the provocative poetry of Terrance Hayes. I chose the following three poems from Hayes’ collection American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assassin because I felt they represented my personal state of mind and view points as a Black American man (especially Inside Me) at that time. This piece was commissioned by the Brooklyn Art Song Society.
NIGHTFALL (…while you were dreaming..)
Art songs have long been an interest of mine. The vocal works of Maurice Ravel, Richard Strauss and Arnold Schoenberg have always seem to ignite my passion for composing music
CARO MIO BEN
An arrangement of this classic aria from the 24 Italian Art songs collection.
DEAD FIRES
“If this is peace, this dead and leaden thing, Then better far the hateful fret, the sting.”
American Sonnets
In 2020, I was asked to compose a piece using the provocative poetry of Terrance Hayes. I chose the following three poems from Hayes’ collection American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assassin because I felt they represented my personal state of mind and view points as a Black American man (especially Inside Me) at that time. This piece was commissioned by the Brooklyn Art Song Society.
DEAD FIRES
“If this is peace, this dead and leaden thing, Then better far the hateful fret, the sting.”
NIGHTFALL (…while you were dreaming..)
Art songs have long been an interest of mine. The vocal works of Maurice Ravel, Richard Strauss and Arnold Schoenberg have always seem to ignite my passion for composing music