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"Starship Apollo" (3.2 MB)
That ageless dream to explore outer space was not lost on my young son Peter. He inherited it from me, reinforced when he and I shared father-son times watching television greats such as Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica. When Peter turned 30, I wanted to give him something that mattered, so I wrote Starship Apollo. May the dream live on.
"The Itch" (1.9 MB)
This is a story about a couple who has the itch for something, something that might enrich them beyond any treasure ever discovered. The music takes us to exotic places we never imagined. The trip is hard. The effort makes us sweat. The mystery seems increasingly insolvable. We sense there are those who know the answers and that they are watching us, mocking us. We will succeed. Maybe.
"Complete" (3.6 MB)
Complete is about harmony. It is about a merger of the human side of our existence and the spiritual side. Anchored by the piano, it is an orchestral unification of the sky and the earth. The strings make the clouds swirl. The wind section twists us effortlessly, painlessly. Time no longer exists. We have everything but need nothing. There is no longer a distinction between up and down. Oneness. Togetherness. Complete.
"Breakage" (2.8 MB)
It is not a good night to be out, far from home, alone. Then again, not alone. Strange sounds. As hard as you peer through the mist, the shadows give up nothing. Yet, instinctively, you know something is there. And it's not there to shake your hand. You stealthily quicken your steps. It does too. The tempo quickens. You hear muffled echoes of its presence. Faster you run. Harder it runs. It's getting closer. It's almost next to you. Home is too far away.
"Letting Go" (5.9 MB)
The piano begins by looking around. You're a little lost. Then there is harmony; you're in control. Then the harmony disappears and you lose your balance. You look around. The strings make you feel overwhelmingly sad. The winds give you some stability. An unexpected change in tempo helps you recall the playful exchanges; the homework; the fights over what to wear. Life was like a wonderful waltz. Then the power of the triplets and french horns awakens you. They don't live here anymore. They just grew up, got married and left, just as you raised them to do.
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"Eagle II" (1.9 MB)
Eagle II is a Southern-style, easygoing piece for the highway. Put the top down, hang your arm out and don't let anyone pass you, except for the police.
"Closed" (4.2 MB)
The echoes of the piano remind you that you used to have the key. Stuck outside, your eyes wander. Nothing has changed. Familiar sights make you mind turn to the past, all of which is locked behind that door. The piano echoes like someone calling. There is so little separating you from the other side. So little. Sadly, you realize that what separates you from the other side is more than a key.
"The Highlands" (4.1 MB)
You see the dust, hear the rattle of the Celts. They come slowly across the hill, announced by a single bagpipe. A solid block of humanity, shoulder to shoulder, as if they were one massive threatening beast. The horns announce strength and bravado. The battle is fierce. You hear crashing cymbals. It is hell on earth. The moan from the winds and the slower tempo signal the end of hostilities. The triplets from the winds rally the survivors to gather together. No longer interested in fighting, the horns announce the call to march home. A single bagpiper is the last to disappear over the hill.
"Eliza" (4.8 MB)
She was so little. But still a person. Yet unseen, she was beautiful. Yet unable to speak, she spoke. She lived even before she could breathe. I knew her well and loved her even though we never met.
"Mach 10" (5.6 MB)
The strings and strange echoes announce that it's coming. It soon hovers overhead. The gentle wind section suggests it is friendly. The horns suggest it is also fierce. It is bigger than a floating city. The portals open. The strings create suspense and awe. The trumpets proudly announce the crew. As the tempo changes, we realize that another ship approaches. The trumpets sound the alarm. Lasers fire. A final massive explosion disables the enemy. Before you can radio your thanks, the USS Mach 10 lifts effortlessly up and into the sky, departing earth's gravity and leaving behind only flurries of gratitude and fading echoes of its brief visit.
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"Daybreak On Deck" (5.1 MB)
The winds and soft strings reflect the arrival of daybreak at sea. As the ascending strings suggest, the morning mist clears as the winds and strings herald in the first hints of the sun. The untraditional chord progression reminds us that every day is different. The winds and the introduction of the french horns, and the modulation to a minor chord, assure that whatever kind of day lies ahead, it will have its own power and majesty. After a brief calm from the winds, strengthened by strings and percussion, the day is now fully upon us.
"Glory" (1.8 MB)
Glory is a pensive and relaxing piece, written in a Tom Rush style. It is uplifting and will focus you on things for which you are grateful. In all, a palliative for the brain.
"In The Twinkling Of An Eye" (5.6 MB)
As the oboe opens the piece, so do you slowly open you eyes. Unthinkable just a day ago, you can't believe the time has come. The piano line is peaceful but temporary. You look over at her. She's still asleep, adorable, innocent, unaware the hour is near. You kiss her gently. The strings sound and she awakes. She knows what your expression means. The fullness of the orchestra reflects the intimate eye contact between the two. Nothing needs to be said. She gets up. She heads for the door. One of the most glorious loves of your life is gone, in the twinkling of an eye.
"Victory" (4.4 MB)
The drummer brings us to attention. With the strength of brass and percussion, the CO gives us all a spirited pep talk. Like the wandering wind section, our thoughts turn in many directions. The brass returns, announcing that the huge mouth of the cargo door has opened onto the tarmac. We file inside, swallowed like Jonah into the whale. We take our seats along the cold walls of the aircraft. The tempo slows. Instead of excited chatter, we all fall silent. We think of loved ones, the familiar sights of home. The trumpets sound again. The comfort of our thoughts is broken as the engines roar and the gigantic transport begins down the runway. Faster and faster, we all bump and sway in unison, our eyes darting from one soldier to another. Now eager to talk, it's too late. It's too noisy. We lift off. We hear an anthem in our heads and it reminds us why we are all proud to be Americans.
"Go Try It" (1 MB)
Go Try It is a quick, fast-paced spot for a future television ad featuring various athletic challenges. Try to sit still during Go Try It.
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