2014 Christmas Carol Mash Ups #1

Every year, I wind up doing a little parlor trick for students toward the end of the Fall semester. I have them pick a carol and a composer, and I try to play the carol in the style of the composer. A student once told me that it was more fun than watching...

St. John of the Cross: The Little White Dove

My setting of San Juan de la Cruz’s text “La blanca palomica” is finally out in print from the folks at Colla Voce thanks to the indefatigable Jo-Michael Scheibe. He really is one of the most important new music champions of our time.The piece was...

Why Nico Muhly is wrong about Romantic music

For a few years now, I have been complaining about the tendency of composers to write music that is sonically interesting that doesn’t ask anything of me emotionally. I’ve been working against this kind of music for most of my life. I try to encourage...