2025 All Northern Ca. Junior High School Honor Band performance of my composition
"A Journey For Tomorrow"
Performed Sunday, Feb. 16th 2025 at Faye Spanos Concert Hall at the Univ. of Pacific in Stockton Ca.
Conducted by: Mario Sebastian
"A Journey For Tomorrow"
Performed Sunday, Feb. 16th 2025 at Faye Spanos Concert Hall at the Univ. of Pacific in Stockton Ca.
Conducted by: Mario Sebastian
A Moment In Time
For Wind Ensemble
The Napa County Poet Laureate, Marianne Lyon, got a hold of my Composition
"A Moment In Time" and asked me to join her " "Poetic Symphony - In Three Movements" gathering at the Yountville library for her 2nd Movement gathering. During this gathering, she to speak about the composition and play it through the library sound system and asked the attending poets to write a line or two as a reflection of what they feel as they listened. Needless to say, their writings were closely in alignment with the form, texture and aesthetic nuance of how I wanted to convey the piece. This gathering was on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.
Below is the Napa Register Article with the writings of the poetics as well as the recoding of the tune.
This composition is also being considered to be performed by the St. Helena Community Band, El Cerrito Community Band and the Golden Gate Park Band for the Spring 2023 Concert Performances.
Story To Tell
For Brass Ensemble
Performing with the North Bay Brass Ensemble, based in Napa Ca., I got an idea for this project. Create a composition of short movements of contrasting textures, moods, etc. As the composition evolved, I decided to divide the movements into chapters thus titling the piece "Story To Tell"
Chapter 1: Something Is Missing ....2:47
Chapter 2: It's Time To Go. ........ 2:01
Chapter 3: It's A Foggy Day ....... 2:16
Chapter 4: Sun's Out. Let's Play ..... 2:07
Chapter 5 : We Fount It! ............. 1:38
The Marianne Lyon, Napa County Poet Laureate discovered this piece and sent out a message to the Napa County Poet Society of this special idea. Seeing how we are still in this Covid environment, and to avoid in person gatherings, She sent out my composition to inspire the poets to create a poem that the music inspires you to create. Either 1 chapter, or all five. Here's a couple poems that were created:
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Story to tell
Chapter 2 Poem by: John Petraglia What have I done In my life That merits the proud burst Musical flourish, Flashy display From a trumpet, French horn Brass partners Announcing my story My peek at destiny In a fanfare for being me Finally by now. Poem by: Lenora Hirsch Stories like lives Have beginnings middle….and endings capture times and growth and celebration Joy easy to remember Tell of struggle and growth Pain and loss Feelings hard to forget Stories like lives Shift from slow to fast Anguish to gladness And when the last note plays It’s time to let go And embrace the silence |
Story To Tell
Chapter 1 Poem by: Marianne Lyon Hour by hour day by day I began my journey back to my home Story To Tell Poem by Suzanne Bruce Chapter 1 Listen as notes float merge into seasonal thought land with gracious peace Chapter 2 Autumn's falling leaves twist as they lightly fall land with gracious peace Chapter 3 Soft snowflakes tumble solace as the mesmerize land with gracious peace Chapter 4 Spring trees awaken blossoms give way to green leaves land with gracious peace Chapter 5 Sun boldly appears hot days melt into warm nights land with gracious peace |
Heroes Of The Valley : 13:20
Started project Dec. 2020. FInished Jan. 2021
A colleague and friend of mine, Geoff Hansen, is a wonderful photographer that lives here in the Napa. He's also on the Board Of Directors with me for the Arts Council Napa Valley. After finishing the "Yosemite High Hike", I was ready to take on another similar project.
I was, and still am, enjoying Geoff's photo's of wineries, vineyards, etc. and related content that he would post on FaceBook. So I sent Geoff a link to Yosemite High Hike and asked him to send me a collection of photo's that were related to the Napa Valley's Harvest season(s), and that I would like to do a similar project with his vineyard related photo's. Well, he did just that. But what I discovered with his photo's was a story about the Hero's Of The Valley! Needless to say the story developed so that when you open that bottle of wine at home, you will have an understanding of how that wine got into the bottle. So with Geoff's photo's and my Composition, " Hero's Of The Valley", it developed. By the way..... if you can, have a beverage of your choice and give yourself 13:20 to watch.
Hope you enjoy!
When selected, click on the "full screen view" at the bottom righ hand corner.
Nick Burdick's - Yosemite - High Hike : 9:30
Nick Burdick, a fellow Napa Instrumental Music Teacher, Writer and avid Hiker posted a few pictures on his instagram, @nickthehiker, about his Yosemite “High Hike”. After looking over them, I thought it might be a fun project to compose a sound track to his adventure. I contacted Nick with my idea and he soon sent me over 80 plus photos of his hike. I ended up selecting 50 photos and started too organized the photos into a story line. As I was doing so, I was thinking about the texture, structure, sound effects and instrumentation of the soundtrack. One thing led to another and the video was done. The person that you’ll see in the video is Nick’s hiking partner, Konstantin Yakovenko, a software engineer in Bellingham Washington. Konstantin has pictures of Nick, but we haven’t been able to retrieve those photos. Hopefully we will and I’ll be able to spice them in!
You can visit Nick at : www.nickburdick.com
Enjoy!
Jupiters Dance : 30 second gingle
Samba with A Twist : 30 second gingle
These two short "diddies/gingles" were designed as "Commercial" background music for my Step Daughters Pod Cast Series - Sex Ed. With DB , now coming into her 4th season. She is currently at Columbia Univ. New York getting her Masters Degree in Public Health. Her pod casts are very impressive, informative and filled with real public information. Take a listen! You can find her on Apple Pod Casts.
Obviously, these were fun small projects that I got a few chuckles out of. (By the way, Jupiter is our cat!)
Napa Valley College Performance of In Motion- Nov. 24, 2019
Sandy Walters, an excellent musician & Alto Sax player, handed me a CD of this Concert. So I have decided to add the recording of "In Motion" to my media collection. This was a very nice surprise of which I sincerely appreciate. You can actually hear Sandy playing the sax solo in the Andante Section of the composition. She's playing the solo on soprano sax and just does a wonderful with the interpertation of the intent. Thank you Sandy!
The recording is a bit boomy in some areas, simply due to the Theater accustics. But it does capture the essences of the composition. Hope you enjoy!
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"In Motion"
Performed by the Napa Valley College Wind Ensemble. Nov. 24th, 2019 at the Performaing Arts Center, Napa Valley College.
Generation Gap Big Band : Napa Valley College Performance. Nov 24th 2019.
Scott's Place
MacAuther Park & Sleigh Ride
NVC Wind Ensemble with The Generation Gap Big Band. Nov 24, 2019 Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center
Conductor: Harry Cadelago & Trekkor Wills
NVC Wind Ensemble with The Generation Gap Big Band. Nov 24, 2019 Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center
Conductor: Harry Cadelago & Trekkor Wills
Always Alright:
Arranged for the UC Berkely Overtones
My Step-daughter Danielle, sang with the U.C. Berkeley "Overtones". An all female A Capella group. She asked me to arrange a tune from "Alabama Shakes" for the Overtones call Always Alright. Here's a video of their performance singing my arrangement of Always Alright.
Arranged for the UC Berkely Overtones
My Step-daughter Danielle, sang with the U.C. Berkeley "Overtones". An all female A Capella group. She asked me to arrange a tune from "Alabama Shakes" for the Overtones call Always Alright. Here's a video of their performance singing my arrangement of Always Alright.
Reflection Video
This video is of the Napa Valley College Performance of Reflections. This performance was in May 2018
This video is of the Napa Valley College Performance of Reflections. This performance was in May 2018
"Credit Diddie"
Pod Cast - 30 second Out Take Credit Music
Another project that my step daughter asked me to help with was for her Pod Cast "Sex Ed. With D.B." (Which over 2 years, was quite popular) She ask to create back ground music music during her "credit" portion of her pod cast. Even though she produced this Pod Cast for 2 seasons, this Out Take "Diddie" was featured on the 1st season.
Bus Ride in India:
A friend on mine, that work with Pixar, has recently branched off into an independent business with a colleage and he sent me this short take. He asked my to play around with putting a sound track with it. So, I did....
Here's a fun Unique Video of a bus ride through a town in India that I added a musical sound track to. 58 second project.
A friend on mine, that work with Pixar, has recently branched off into an independent business with a colleage and he sent me this short take. He asked my to play around with putting a sound track with it. So, I did....
Here's a fun Unique Video of a bus ride through a town in India that I added a musical sound track to. 58 second project.
Landscapes-
Performed on April 26th, 2019 by the Napa Valley College Wind Ensemble. First public performance.
Performed on April 26th, 2019 by the Napa Valley College Wind Ensemble. First public performance.