PERFORMANCES

The wonderful Yoonie Han continues her tour playing El Jaleo, which I composed for her in 2013. It's my musical take on John Singer Sargent's masterful painting of a flamenco dancer at the very climax of her performance, and to hear Ms. Han play it constantly inspires me. El Jaleo appears on Ms. Han's CD Love and Longing. Love and Longing, CD featuring El Jaleo

The New York premiere of MUDANG - my piece for Korean piri and string quartet - takes place at Spectrum, as piri virtuoso Gamin returns from Seoul to New York and teams up with the unstoppable quartet ETHEL.  The work's title means shaman in Korean, and the music mines that side of the piri's heritage, while following the classical form of piri sanjo.  Gamin's set will also include traditional piri music, and other contemporary works and improvisations.  She is an artist not to be missed.

The second New York performance of MUDANG - my piece for Korean piri and string quartet - takes place at the Korea Society, as piri virtuoso Gamin returns from Seoul to New York and teams up with the unstoppable quartet ETHEL.  The work's title means shaman in Korean, and the music mines that side of the piri's heritage, while following the classical form of piri sanjo.  Gamin's set will also include traditional piri music, and other contemporary works and improvisations.  She is an artist not to be missed.

Yoonie Han premieres my latest piano work inspired by paintings of John Singer Sargent: Fumee d'Ambre Gris , alongside the earlier El Jaleo. Both were composed for her. The program also features the work that inspired my series: Goyescas, by Enrique Granados.

Yoonie Han plays two of my piano works composed for her and inspired by paintings of John Singer Sargent, Fumee d'Amber Gris and El Jaleo - alongside the set that inspired my series: Goyescas, by Enrique Granados.

The glorious Gloriosa Trio, featuring Jennifer Carsillo, violin; Kevin Bate, cello; and Yoonie Han, piano, plays a short, flashy work I composed for them in 2015, Vinea Gloriosa. They appear on Ilona Oltuski's Get Classical Concert Series at Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village. The trio has played Vinea Gloriosa several times before, but this is the public debut performance!

Mudang - my piece for Korean traditional piri with Western strings - will finally be heard in Korea! The incomparable Gamin, for whom I composed it, and who has played it many times in the United States, will perform the quintet version, with a string quartet to be named. The concert is presented by Ensemble TIMF, led by composer Uzong Choe.

A first presentation of a large-scale song cycle I'm developing with poet/soprano Emma Stace Darling. Emma sings my songs on her powerful poetry, under the title Girl on Fire.  It's the title of her first book of poetry (of three and counting).  This workshop performance, at the intimate Spectrum, will experiment with a quasi-dramatic presentation of our growing collaboration .

Girl on Fire is a dramatic cantata in progress - poetry by Emma Stace Darling, music by Theodore Wiprud, sung by  Emma Stace Darling accompanied by Theodore Wiprud.  From her three volumes of poetry in print so far come words and music charting the journey of our "girl on fire."   This free event at the National Opera Center will experiment with a quasi-dramatic presentation.  And as a bonus - Emma sings music from my opera My Last Duchess. .

Pianist Yoonie Han brings my El Jaleo to Boston at last.  What's so important about Boston?  The painting by John Singer Sargent that inspired the work hangs in the Gardner Museum there!  However this performance has a different resonance: it's part of a recital at my alma mater, Boston University, where I earned my master's in composition and theory.   Also on the program, music by Albeniz and Granados - his Goyescas, which provided a model for my own work.  Pictured below, Yoonie's CD featuring El Jaleo. Love and Longing, CD featuring El Jaleo