According to the New York Times (April 6, 1980), I received my musical training in a whoopee cushion factory. This assertion is, of course, offensive not only to the music faculty of Pomona College, but to my many friends and colleagues at the Acme Novelty Corporation of Brockton, Massachusetts. If you care to learn more about whoopee cushions, then click here. If you don’t, don’t.
I compose mostly for chorus or solo voice. This is a little odd, since I play horn; but I have always been fascinated by the connections between words and music. If you care to read a short bio, visit here.
I have won a number of awards and prizes for my compositions. You may look at the list I have posted here. In two contests I have had good results more than once: The Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest (eight pieces were finalists, with three wins and one second place), and the Amadeus Choir Carol Writing Contest (seven wins and a number of honorable mentions). A significant contest was the Welcome Christmas! concert of the American Composers Forum and VocalEssence; my carol The Shepherd and the King was broadcast and later recorded by VocalEssence. Another significant prize was the 2012 American Prize in Choral Composition, awarded for Amherst Requiem.
I have written over thirty commissioned pieces. Many of these commissions arose through my associations with Cantabile Youth Chorus, Peninsula Girl’s Chorus, San Francisco Choral Artists, and Vivace Youth Chorus as they composer-in-residence. A list of commissioned works may be found here.
I have published works with William Thorpe, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Roger Dean Music, Thompson Edition, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Leyerle, Galaxy, and Hal Leonard. A list of publications may be found here.