Medium Pieces

Next Year

Download “Next Year” Score

Written in 2011 for Daniel Bolshoy, five movements, fairly difficult, ca. 9 minutes.

Daniel grew up in Israel, as did I, and I wanted to write music that reflects this connection. So I took the Old City as inspiration and tried to capture its elemental, strange, and unsettled essence. I enjoyed writing this piece, but I remember feeling strangely compelled to really strip things to the bone. Any kind of decorative flourish that didn’t serve a specific purpose ended up on the cutting room floor.

“The piece is rich with tasty contrasts of rhythm and harmony, making for a set that will likely become popular program fare in a short time.”–Classical Guitar Canada

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Rain

Jouni Stenroos (Tablet and mobile users can listen on Soundcloud.)

Download “Rain” Score

Written in 2010 for James Day, four movements, moderate difficulty, ca. 10 minutes.

“Rain” was where I decided to start focusing on music that’s there for me to write, rather than on music that’s slightly out of reach. This small shift in attitude has made composing easier and more enjoyable for me. I tried to write direct and evocative music here, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out. It’s my most often performed solo piece.