SHOWCASE: ACOUSTIC & ELECTROACOUSTIC
In Nomine no. 1
"Three In Nomines" was inspired by Picforth's "In Nomine"—an absolutely incredible piece that is the sole known work by Picforth. While each of my in nomines do not strictly adhere to that medieval form, it takes Picforth's use of cantus firmus and isorhythm as a starting point for compositional exploration.
Written for and performed by HUB New Music, 2021
This is not Predetermined
"This is not Predetermined" is an experimental electroacoustic piece about the line between determinism and predeterminism, a line often neglected in the consideration of free will. This piece musically explores the implications of nuclear decay, thermal noise, quantum phenomena, and philosophy, on the notions of free will and determinism.
Written for and performed by Fifth House Ensemble, 2021
A Turing Test
"A Turing Test" was performed at Word of Mouth 2022, a collaboration between Binghamton University composers, musicians, and poets. It is a setting of Cole Depuy's poem of the same name.
Composition: Leif Haley | Poetry: Cole Depuy | Singer: Lex Bonner | Piano: Joel Harder | Cello: Zachary Sweet | Percussion: Leif Haley | Conductor: Daniel Thomas Davis
Fiend in the Field
"Fiend in the Field" came from an idea I had during a period of fascination with Greek mythology: what if Theseus had never killed the minotaur? What if it were still around, and one day, the Cretans get tired of things and take bull dozers and excavators to the labyrinth, and flatten it? What happens to the minotaur then, just standing around in the open; going from one kind of chaos to another? In some sense, that's the idea at the heart of this piece: the monster bereft of its domain.
Written for and performed by YARN/WIRE, 2020
SHOWCASE: ELECTRONIC
Alien Planet
This piece began with a ramshackle PVC-pipe bass-flute sort of thing, which can be heard throughout the piece in different ways, usually distorted and processed almost to the point of unrecognizability. I like that no matter what I do to it, there's still a kind of breathiness and overtoney quality that doesn't completely disappear. A broken electric guitar also got roped into the mix to produce some more bizarre sounds.
This piece is an exploration of electroacoustic sound, designed to be both experimental and cinematic; to tell a story by its soundworld.
Augend
A collection of sounds and rhythms arranged in a way that might reflect the sorts of things you're liable to experience if you ever partake in some adventures beneath existence. There might be a story here, or there might not be. The answer is probably in the next number higher.
Disarticulated Piano Hammer
Every sound in this piece was created with a piano (or voice). I can't remember exactly how many different pianos I sampled, but I think it's about 20, each with a slightly different sound and timbre. This was primarily an experiment in sound recording and sonority, though I'm intrigued by the musicality that's come out of it.
Ac Tenebras [And the Darkness]
A dark and haunting orchestral piece (realized electronically) with some unique instrumentation, featuring dry tuned gongs, numerous bells, sweeping low brass, and electrified strings.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Hello! I am a composer, percussionist, and pianist currently studying at the Royal College of Music, London, with Kenneth Hesketh. Prior, I studied composition with Daniel Thomas Davis and percussion with Joel Smales at Binghamton University, New York, where I graduated with highest honors in music for the creation and performance of my evening-length chamber opera, Prunella, based on the eponymous fairytale.
Awards I have won for my work include Binghamton University Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, and the Binghamton University Summer Scholars and Artists Fellowship. My compositions have been performed by numerous professional ensembles including Momenta Quartet, HUB New Music, Fifth House Ensemble, YARN/WIRE, and New Thread Quartet.
I enjoy both classical and electronic music, with a particular interest in rhythm and sonority, and I am always looking for more things to bow, from cellos to cowbells to music stands.
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