Three ensembles at Ripon High School in Ripon, WI recorded some of my choral works through my student teaching experience. Thanks to all of the fine students at this school! They were wonderful to work with and I hope they enjoyed learning these pieces!

"Opening the Window" for mixed chorus (SATB div.)
Recorded December 19, 2012 by RHS "Prima Voce"

"Songs of Ophelia" for treble voices (SSA) and guitar
Recorded December 19, 2012 by RHS "Cantabile"

"Skyline" for mixed chorus (SAB) and piano
Recorded December 18, 2012 by RHS "Bel Canto"

November 20, 2012 -- Ben Essick, tenor saxophone and Brandon Ford, vibraphone, will perform "Separation in the Evening" and "Fire in the Evening" (2011) from "Paul Klee: Painted Songs" in recital at the University of Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne. The recording will eventually be archived on the IPFW Music YouTube page

A link to the recording of Mvt. II from my senior composition recital. Kristen Raygor, tenor sax.

Link to Dr. Farrell Vernon, saxophone instructor at IPFW, playing Milhaud's "Dance." Ben Essick is a student of Dr. Vernon, who is scheduled to perform both movements in February at the Manchester New Music Festival. 

After one quarter of working with the middle school band, I have moved up the road and begun to teach both high school band and choir at Ripon High School.

In addition to my preparation of their current repertoire (Handel's Messiah, part 1, Saint-Saens' Bacchanale, Rimsky-Korsakov's Tsar's Bride, and others), I have begun to add my own band and choral compositions and arrangements. 

Jazz Band -- "Reinventing No. 13" -- 
An arrangement of Bach's 2-part invention (No. 13 in A minor) in a jazz style.

Concert Band -- "ROMP Four Preludes for Band" -- 
A four movement arrangement of an original piano piece. We will focus on Mvts I, II and IV. 

Symphonic Band -- "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" --
An arrangement for concert band, with some added strings, of an original piano solo based on the tune "Resignation" from the Southern Harmony hymn collection.

Cantabile (SSA) -- "Ophelia Songs from Hamlet"
A three-part women's chorus arrangement of the solos created for Dordt College's production of Hamlet in Spring 2012.

Prima Voce (SATB) -- "Opening the Window"
A setting of text by Oliver Wendell Holmes for SATB, div, unaccompanied.

Bel Canto (SAB) -- "Sky Line"
A three-part setting of Prescott Hoard's poem from 1923.

Not all of the songs have been introduced yet, but some initial recordings have already been made. Hopefully, some of the selections will be programmed on upcoming concerts and will definitely be recorded and possibly uploaded to YouTube. 

Despite the intense amount of preparation involved in introducing these pieces, and the difficult rehearsals to come, I am immensely excited for this opportunity and gracious to the teachers at Ripon High School for letting me use my compositions as I complete my student teaching requirements in their classrooms.