Inspired by an old, decommissioned road near my childhood home in Elgin, South Carolina, this piece explores the forgotten stories of rural landscapes and the travelers who once walked their paths. The haunting, folk-like melodies and the ghostly snare drum evoke the spirits of the past, connecting listeners to the hidden histories of these overgrown trails.

While the concerto is deeply personal, reflecting my own experiences growing up in the South, its resonance extends far beyond. It brings to the concert hall voices and stories from a region rarely represented in classical music—a testament to the power of music to amplify narratives that might otherwise remain unheard. The premiere, performed in my home state, celebrated this connection between place and art, offering audiences a glimpse into the beauty and complexity of a culture often overshadowed in larger musical contexts.

Through its blend of folk elements, lyrical themes, and moments of daring adventure, The Old Road embodies the spirit of exploration—not just of physical roads but of the emotional and cultural landscapes that define us. This is a piece not about arriving at a destination, but about the timeless American virtue of moving ever onward.
 

World Premiere Performance: May 4-5, 2024

Erik Franklin, clarinet
Greenville Symphony Orchestra (SC)
Dr. Leslie W. Hicken, conductor

What if the often-sidelined women of myth stepped out of the shadows to claim their stories? Mothers of Ragnarök is a bold reimagining of the Norse myth of Ragnarök, centering on Frigg and Angrboda—the overlooked mother goddesses whose children traditionally trigger the mythic events of Armageddon. Commissioned by soprano Claire Galloway, this four- movement song cycle transforms them from footnotes in male-driven narratives into powerful agents of change, reclaiming their voices to drive the destruction and rebirth of the world.

Inspired by the modern myth retellings of authors like Madeline Miller (Circe) and Genevieve Gornichec (The Witch’s Heart), I portray Frigg and Angrboda not merely as mothers but as fierce, multidimensional figures whose power, agency, and grief shape the very fabric of the myth. Each movement alternates between their perspectives, blending poetic lyricism, dramatic intensity, and mythic grandeur to illuminate their strength and resilience.

Mothers of Ragnarök is a call to respect—and fear—women’s strength, asserting their relevance not only in ancient tales but also in today’s conversations about agency, transformation, and empowerment.

The Ballad of Maurice Connor tells the story of an unlikely hero—a blind piper whose extraordinary musical talent is connected to his dis/ability—offering a rare narrative of joy and triumph in place of the tragedy that so often defines mainstream portrayals of marginalized identities.

Commissioned by Trio Montage to honor their British Isles heritage, this four-movement song cycle draws from the Irish folk tale The Wonderful Tune. I wrote the lyrics myself, bringing Maurice’s story to life as both a celebration of his artistry and a reflection on how diverse experiences enrich the human narrative.

Maurice’s blindness, far from being a limitation, is an integral part of his gift. The work challenges traditional narratives, centering a protagonist with a dis/ability whose story inspires empowerment and resilience. Blending elements of folklore, lyricism, humor, and a touch of magic, the cycle explores themes of identity, legacy, and the transformative power of art.

Tracey Paddock, clarinetist and former member of the President’s Own Marine Band, praised the piece’s final movement as “spectacular,” highlighting its technical brilliance and emotional depth. She noted, "It is so well-written—it feels both anchored and exhilarating to perform, making it a joy for musicians and audiences alike."

Since its debut, The Ballad of Maurice Connor has resonated with audiences across the U.S. and Europe and has been adapted into an instrumental suite for clarinet, cello, and piano. Maurice’s story stands as a powerful reminder of how music can amplify voices often overlooked, celebrating triumphs of the human spirit.

Performance Highlights:

• Trio Montage | Phillip Collister (bass-baritone), Marguerite Leven (clarinet), and Tim McReynolds (piano), Macon, GA, April 23, 2024.
• Trio Montage, Boston, MA, July 28, 2024.
• Trio Montage, Dublin, Ireland, August 3, 2024.
• Clinton Weinberg (baritone), Tracey Paddock (clarinet), and Keith Teepen (piano), St. Augustine, FL, October 17, 2024.

Symphony of the Streets celebrates the vibrancy of city life, exploring the intricate relationship between music, place, and identity. The Ann Street Trio presents a diverse program featuring works inspired by pop culture in urban landscapes, each piece offering a unique portrait of the streets that shaped it.

This season’s program showcases works spanning different eras and cities:

• Guillaume Connesson: Disco Toccata | A thrilling fusion of baroque virtuosity and disco groove, this piece pulses with rhythmic energy, capturing the electrifying atmosphere of nightclub and EDM culture.
• Paul Schoenfield: Café Music (arr. Erik Franklin) | A spirited nod to 1920s East Coast jazz culture, brimming with the infectious energy and swing of American nightlife.
• Beethoven: Gassenhauer Trio | Based on “Pria ch’io l’impegno,” an 18th-century Taylor Swift-style chart-topper, this piece blends popular song with classical style, echoing the lively streets and pop culture of Vienna.
• Nino Rota: Trio | Known for his iconic film scores like The Godfather, Rota’s Trio blends cinematic elegance with lush melodies, capturing the romance and vibrancy of Italian cityscapes.
• Francis Poulenc: Trio | A lyrical homage to Parisian charm, this piece evokes the vibrant café culture and playful spirit of French cabaret.

This season also debuts my Dance Suite from The Ballad of Maurice Connor, blending Irish folk idioms with contemporary composition to reflect themes of identity and place.

Performance Highlights:

• October 3, 2024 | Spire Series at First and Franklin (Baltimore, MD)
• August 10, 2024 | Garret Lake Arts Festival (McHenry, MD)
• March 3, 2024 | Annunciation Cathedral Concert Series (Baltimore, MD)
• May 19, 2024 | Living Arts Concert Series (Burtonsville, MD)

Through Echoes of the Unheard, the Ann Street Trio shines a light on composers whose brilliance was eclipsed by the prejudices of their times. We highlight stories of overlooked artistic excellence, ensuring these voices resonate in the spaces they long-deserved to inhabit.

The program includes:

Louise Farrenc | The sole woman on faculty at the Paris Conservatory during the 19th century, Farrenc tirelessly fought against gender-based pay disparities while creating music of exceptional depth and elegance.

Carl Frühling | Nearly erased from the annals of history, Frühling's work was rediscovered in an Austrian radio station's dusty filing cabinet, marked with a large ‘J’—a stark symbol of the persecution faced by Jewish artists during the Holocaust.

Germaine Tailleferre | The only female member of Les Six, Tailleferre reclaimed her artistic voice by defiantly altering her surname from "Taillefesse" to assert her identity against the wishes of her disapproving father.

The program also includes my original Dance Suite from The Ballad of Maurice Connor, a work celebrating the triumph of a protagonist with a dis/ability whose journey offers a rare narrative of joy and empowerment.

Echoes of the Unheard is a powerful tribute to the legacies of those who endured barriers of gender, religion, and circumstance. It also serves as a call to action: to uncover, celebrate, and amplify the voices that have yet to receive their rightful recognition.

Performance Highlights:

• March 27, 2024 | Salisbury University (Salisbury, MD)
• September 20, 2022 | Music at Emmanuel (Baltimore, MD)
• December 12, 2021 | Emerson Ave. Salon Series (Silver Spring, MD)
• December 1, 2021 | Roland Park Place (Baltimore, MD)

This collection of instrumental works was performed at the 50th Anniversary of the International Clarinet Association Conference, held in Denver, CO. These three chamber music works explore the resilience of the human spirit and our ability to shine light and joy in the face of adversity.

Galileo Beholds the Ringed Planet: Inspired by Galileo’s first observation of Saturn, this piece honors his relentless pursuit of knowledge in the face of an oppressive church. Shifting from a mysterious, celestial opening to a triumphant, rhythmic finale, the work pays tribute to Galileo's enduring legacy and the boundless discoveries of the Renaissance.

Elegy for the White Rhino: A duo for two bass clarinets, this work honors Najin and Fatu—the last two northern white rhinos. Their struggle for survival, juxtaposed with human-caused extinction and the hope of revival through scientific innovation, reflects the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. The music captures both the despair of loss and the fragile hope of redemption—both resting in human hands.

Who Can Retell?: This overture celebrates the brave resistance of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Using a collection of Hebrew tunes, it honors the resilience and triumph of the Israelites over their oppressors. Joyous and defiant, the piece embodies the enduring spirit of light and perseverance over darkness.

Together, these works illuminate stories of survival, innovation, and hope, reflecting the timeless human quest for light in times of darkness.

As part of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Composer Mentorship Program, I was commissioned to create new works for classical voice, culminating in two unique projects: A Greeting for tenor and piano, which premiered virtually, and Three Songs of a Mountain Recluse for countertenor, clarinet, and piano, performed live. These collaborations with the Cincinnati Song Initiative (CSI)—an Ohio-based organization dedicated to fostering new music for classical voice—emerged during a pivotal time of creative reawakening following the pandemic.

Three Songs of a Mountain Recluse draws from the evocative poetry of David Budbill, whose work channels the wisdom of the ancient Chinese poet Hanshan. The cycle reflects a collective emotional journey through the lockdown era, beginning with the meditative clarity of solitude (How?), moving into the consternation of isolation (The Music of My Own Kind Too), and concluding with a profound rediscovery of connection and joy (What Issa Heard). Throughout the cycle, a plaintive two-note motive represents a lonely call across space and time, encapsulating the longing for human connection.

This project celebrates the power of collaboration and resilience, emerging from a time of profound isolation to create music that speaks to our shared humanity. It stands as a testament to the enduring role of art in connecting us to ourselves, to each other, and to the world.

songSLAM is a unique and energizing community event hosted by Sparks and Wiry Cries in New York City. This program invites composer-performer teams to premiere new art songs in a competitive, poetry slam-style format. Each team presents a song for voice and piano, and the audience votes for their favorites, creating an interactive and engaging experience that brings art song to contemporary audiences who might not otherwise seek out this kind of music.

My team earned 2nd place at the 2023 competition with “Climbing” from Verses for Children, performed by Claire Galloway Weber (soprano) and Edward Rothmel (piano). The audience’s enthusiastic response to our performance reaffirmed my commitment to making contemporary art song accessible and engaging, demonstrating how storytelling and music can connect with listeners from all backgrounds.

I’m thrilled to have been invited back for the 2025 songSLAM competition, where we’ll present a new piece from my Mothers of Ragnarök song cycle. Participating in events like songSLAM showcases the importance of innovative and accessible formats for introducing new voices and stories to diverse audiences, ensuring that art song continues to thrive in the modern world.

As a former band student, I fell in love with music through performing in band, and I dedicate a portion of my creative output to writing pieces that inspire similar students. Through these works, I strive to make contemporary music accessible and meaningful, ensuring students’ early experiences with music are both challenging and joyful.

With a background in music education, I aim to address a specific pedagogical need in every piece, I ensure that teachers can use these works to help students refine technical skills while performing exciting, challenging, and developmentally appropriate music.

Highlights of my pedagogical works include:

• Art Songs for Young Singers: My vocal compositions, including Seashell (from Verses for Children), Weavers, and Peonies, are featured in the Modern Music for New Singers anthologies (North Star Music). These collections bring contemporary repertoire by living American composers to pre-college and young-college singers.
• Clarinet Etudes:
  • Nocturnes (Vol. 1): A series of advanced etudes inspired by nighttime themes, each focused on refining a specific technical issue.
  • Interstellar Studies (Vol. 2): Designed for pre-college and young-college clarinetists, with each piece inspired by a planet or feature of the solar system, providing opportunities to develop targeted technical skills.
  • Three Etudes on Hoagy Carmichael (Vol. 3): Designed for intermediate-advanced students, this work is a set of “improvisations” on three tunes by the famous jazz composer (Skylark, The Nearness of You, Stardust).
• Clarinet Ensemble Pieces: Written annually for my summer camp, these works accommodate students aged 11-18, from beginners to advanced players. Past titles include Rainmaker's Dance (2020), Summer Buzz (2021), Sounds in the Deep (2022), and Apollo Ascendant (2023).
• Pedagogical Band Compositions: I was commissioned by the Interlochen Arts Academy to compose Two Sketches of Mars in celebration of the landing of NASA's Perseverance rover in 2021. Other pieces include When All Falls Silent and Rainmaker's Dance (version for wind ensemble).