I suppose you could say that given my small output, composing is a hobby for me. However, I feel it is an essential part of my overall musical process. Having discovered how difficult it is to compose even a few small pages of real worth, my admiration, nay, reverence for the great composers has grown many times over. Herbert Howells and the Rennaisance masters are the inspiration for my choral works, and I have tried to head in the direction of a new tonal language not by abandoning tonality but by having it go in new directions without losing intelligibility and formal coherence.
Completed Works
Click on the links to see the composer’s commentary, vocal texts, sample pages of the scores, and to listen to sound files of works that have been recorded.
Vocal Works
An Anglican Mass for Megan in C, Op. 2 (1987)
In the original English text – 1959 Anglican prayerbook, or in Latin.
First performance April 5 1997 at Pollack Concert Hall, Montreal: Capella Nuova directed by Iwan Edwards
Magnificat in D flat major, Op. 6 (1996)
Latin text.
Missa Brevis, Op. 7
- for unison congregational singing with organ accompaniment in A minor (English text from the ASB)
- for unison congregational singing with organ accompaniment in A minor (Latin)
- for 4 voice choir with organ accompaniment in D minor (English text from the ASB)
Two Songs for Solo Voice with Piano Accompaniment
Dragging for Traps, Op. 1 (1979)
Poetry by Milton Acorn
Lines composed in response to a challenge to write a sonnet, Op. 5
(1995 – poetry by Clarke Fraser)
Instrumental Works
prelude in B minor, Op. 4 (1996-99)
prelude and fugue in C, Op. 8
Ravel’s Bolero, arr. for piano solo
Adagio for Strings, Op. 11
Piano transcription of Samuel Barber’s work for chamber orchestra.
Have a look at the score: page 1/4 | page 2/4
3 Arrangements for string quartet, Op. 9
Go tell it on the Mountain (spiritual)
Go Tell It On The Mountain Full Score
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
When a Child is Born
With trumpet solo – written for Paul Merkulo
Noels d’Autrefois
With solo voice – a la Charles Aznavour with accompaniment in the style of Eleanor Rigby
Recorded by Le Quator Artur Leblanc on Amberola Records