My music draws on a wide range of influences -- I often use devices of Western music pioneered by people like Schoenberg and Webern, and I find I'm often inspired by non-Western music. By far the most important of my interests, though, is improvisation. Hence most of the work of which I'm most proud involves collaboration with creative and virtuosic performers who can contribute sounds and textures that I could never have written on my own. Below are some examples of my favorite of some of these works, together with a selected list of my works.

Cornerstones (2006), for two percussionists (Greg Campbell and Paul Kikuchi). This piece was inspired by solstice concerts in Chicago by Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake, and by the music of the great Korean percussionist, Kim Duksoo. Listen to an excerpt.

Turn Around (2007), for the Tom Baker Quartet (Tom Baker, guitar; Brian Cobb, bass; Greg Campbell, drums; Jesse Canterbury, clarinet). This piece is symmetric in form and uses slowly repetitive structures reminiscent of some East Asian music. Excerpt.

Transformation/Stasis (2003), part of a series for the improvising quartet Cipher (Tari Nelson-Zagar and Tom Swafford, violins; Greg Sinibaldi, bass clarinet; Jesse Canterbury, clarinet). It uses twelve-tone techniques and provides a framework for improvisation. Excerpt.

Other selected works:

Four Short Pieces (2008), for solo piano. These are twelve-tone piano works, composed as studies in the style. Performed by Tiffany Lin in Seattle on March 28, 2008.

Caucusaurus, a short piece composed in 2004 in honor of the '04 presidential caucus in Seattle, for an improvising ensemble of clarinet, electric guitar, violin, and vibraphone.

Swaffone, Catbird, and ...for Ornette..., for my everlasting duo project with the beautiful and versatile violinist Tari Nelson-Zagar.

Palettes, a system of graphical self-conducting strategies for improvisation, for the Sil2k Ensemble.

Unison, the River, and other short works for small improvising ensembles, performed in the Austin, Texas area in the late 90s.

Sparnk, Frack, Magnet Love, and Songs for Good People, composed in the early 90s for medium-sized improvising ensemble (5-12 players). Most often performed by a group called the New World Ensemble.