this is a song cycle made up of 4 sections. there is a break between sections 2 and 3, but the other sections are connected. the first 2 minutes consist of a few layers of drum machines playing. each layer is made up of little sounds and the relationship between the layers shift and evolve. eventually acoustic instruments join in and sprout songs over the rhythmic base. each of these beginning section starts instrumentally and ends with a vocal entrance. the last 2 sections mimic the beginning in an expanded way. section 3 "the cathedral" eventually leads into "the world is always disappearing" (section 4) which is a vocal section. the use of a sample that exists throughout the piece is another element that ties it all together. the whole scheme of the work goes like this: Relay 1 (percussion introduction, instrumental section leading to vocals); Relay 2 (percussion transition, instrumental section leading to vocals)// Relay 3 ("cathedral" organ introduction/transition, instrumental section leading to the song"the world is always disappearing")

ghost life is an ongoing project and its concept is always changing for me. when it first started, i wanted to combine my love of pop and ethnic music with ensemble organization. the instrumentation allowed me to put percussion up front to form its own narrative. at an age where anybody can play a single instrument and fill up a room completely with sound, i wanted all the individual sounds of the group to be tiny. i also tried to avoid any use of chord progressions, relying instead on the constanly shifting rhythmic elements and combinations to sustain interest in the pieces. in "ghostbeat 4" i started using tunable percussion. a set of marching quad drums are in tune with the bass, and play an intertwining pattern the same exact register. therefore percussion at this point adds to the melodic elements of the music. in turn, the melodic instruments (bass and organ) play in a more percussive manner in the middle section. in "a3" my focus on was to grow a small melodic motif that occur in the beginning. the marching quad drums are playing an intertwining rhythm with both the drum kit and the bass. the small percussion section is still in the foreground and maintains its own narrative. the "relay cycle" was a variation on this approach to music. since the "relay cycle" didn't rely on the performability of the pieces, i was able to make the music more dense. since the completion of the "relay" i've started to think of this group as a visual live group. a new piece takes into account some actions that would enhance the structure of the piece. a cycle that will hopefully involve dance, has been plotted out and has been started.

my usual mode of working is to work on something for a span of time. that way i have some time get some new perspective and develop ongoing ideas. while working out the end of the relay song cycle, i was getting frustrated by going back to the same material over and over. i decided to sit down and write a song and see it through to the end (or close to it) in the course of an hour or two. this gave me some distance from the main project at hand, and gave me a sense of accomplishment. it turned out to be a good fun exercise and i continued to do it. after a while i realized that i had acquired a few songs that i liked and wanted to do something with them. my approach to these songs is very different from my usual working methods and the ideas behind this project continue to progress. the songs are pop based but the structures have done away with the usual progression. the sections are rarely repeated, and if so, they have been developed. also, these songs remain short and focused on a single main theme to develop. a unique visual element will be part of the live presentation. i recently have finished a sets worth of material and hope to perform it in the coming year with a new group.

duo project started in 2013 with long time collaborator, emmanuel nicolaidis. these songs were recorded in September, 2014.

started a new band collaboration in 2016, as a drummer. being the drummer of a group is a new experience for me. we recorded an album in el paso, texas, in july, 2017.

music written for other people's projects

music written to accompany eamon espey's visual works

this was an attempt to bridge the gap between classical song cycles and pop music. the impetus for this project was an art opening at the current gallery, where it was first performed. for this, we decided to work with orchestral instruments and vocals. the 14 piece ensemble was made up mostly of hired peabody students. the only other time these pieces were performed was at whartscape, in 2008, at the 2640 space. with the exception of the moon song, these pieces were written in collaboration with emmanuel nicolaidis.

this was a trio group with emmanuel nicolaidis and michael bouyoucas. initially, strictly, a studio group, we were able to create ensemble-like passages. the "moveable walk" is piece which exploits the ability to quickly shift timbres while anchored to a central theme. "cabbage bring me the lettuce. i want my wife back" is also anchored on a main theme, but emphasizes the cadences by using silences between the variations.