Compositions

Grand Opera in Two Acts - 90'3(1.2.3/Pic.) 3(1.2.3/EH) 3(1.2.3/Bcl.) 3(1.2.3/Cbsn.) - 4 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Hp. Str.Commissioned by Tianhui Ng/Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra .Premiering March 19, 2022 Shell Shaker is a new opera based upon the Chickasaw Indian legend of how the Chickasaw people received turtle shells for stomp dancing and ceremonies.

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra - 30'Solo Vln..; 3(1.2.3/Pic.) 3(1.2.3/EH) 3(1.2.3/Bcl.) 3(1.2.3/Cbsn.) - 4 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Pno. Hp. Str.Commissioned by Irina Muresanu.Premiering 2023 Hattak Heloha is a new violin concerto composed for Irina Muresanu and is based upon the Chickasaw legend of the Thunder Beings. It is the ancient Chickasaw belief that […]

Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra - 30'Solo Tbn..; 3(1.2.3/Pic.) 3(1.2.3/EH) 3(1.2.3/Bcl.) 3(1.2.3/Cbsn.) - 4 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Pno. Hp. Str.Commissioned by Adam Hanna.Premiering 2023 Forest Dwellers is a rhapsodic work about three fascinating, omnipotent and allusive Chickasaw legends. Like my ancestors, I am intrigued about their mystery and how their underlying spirits are […]

Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra - 30'Solo Bsn..; 3(1.2.3/Pic.) 3(1.2.3/EH) 3(1.2.3/Bcl.) 3(1.2.3/Cbsn.) - 4 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Pno. Hp. Str (12.10.8.6.4).Commissioned by Dallas Symphony Orchestra.Premiered February 13-16, 2020 Ghost of the White Deer is a romantic and dramatic bassoon concerto which tells the legend of two young Chickasaw Indians in love. In this […]

Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion - 7'Commissioned by Oklahoma Youth Orchestras.Premiered May 6, 2018 Chokfi’ (choke-fee) is the Chickasaw word for rabbit, who is an important trickster legend within Southeast American Indian cultures.

for Solo Baritone and Orchestra - 25'Solo Bar.; 1(Pic.) 1 2(Ebcl./Bcl.) 1 - 1 1 1 0; Timp. Perc. Hp. Str.Commissioned by South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.Premiered January 12, 2013 Waktégli Olówaŋ is composed in honor of Lloyd Running Bear, Sr. and all Lakota Indian warriors. It is based upon the book Indian Heroes and Great […]

Theatric Suite of Chickasaw Legends for Orchestra, Children's Chorus and Narrator - 90'Solo Sop. Solo Bar. Children's Chorus; 3(Pic./Pic.) 2 3(Bcl.) 3(Cbsn.) - 4 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Hp. Pno. Str. 3Nar.Commissioned by American Composers Forum.Premiered November 21, 2009 Lowak Shoppala' is a work that expresses Chickasaw identity through the medium of modern classical […]

for String Orchestra - 27'2,2,2,2,2Commissioned by Philadelpiha Classical Symphony.Premiered May 9, 2008 Shakamaxon is the historic Lenape Indian village that bordered the current city of Philadelphia. It was there, under an old elm tree, that Chief Tamanend was a signatory to the 1682 treaty between William Penn and the Lenape Indians. The old elm tree […]

Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra - 40'Solo Gtr.; 3(Pic./Afl.) 2(E.H.) 3(Ebcl./Bcl.) 3(Cbsn.) - 1(Ptpt./Flgn.) 4 0 0; 3Perc. Hp. Stgs.Commissioned by American Composers Forum.Premiered October 27, 2007

Concerto for Flute and Orchestra - 30'Commissioned by Christine Bailey Davis, Principal Flute of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.Solo Fl.; 3(Afl./Pic./Pic.) 3(E.H.) 3(Ebcl./Bcl.) 3(Cbsn.) - 5 3 3 1; Timp. 3Perc. Pno. Hp. Str.Premiered February 18, 2002 Mississippi was the original homeland of the Chickasaw Nation until our removal to Indian Territory (now called Oklahoma) in the […]

for Piano, Strings, Winds and Percussion - 12'Commissioned by Parlando.Premiering March 2022 Details coming soon.

for Solo Violin and Narrator- 7'Commissioned by Katie Lansdale.Premiering June 2021 Details coming soon.

for Solo Violin - 12'Commissioned by Katie Lansdale.Premiered December 8, 2019 Shawi' Impanompa' (Raccoon Talk) is a work for solo violin and audience participation. The work is based on an ancient Chickasaw Raccoon Song, which is stated in its pure form, at the beginning, in natural harmonics. The melody returns, many times, in different iterations. […]

for String Quartet - 25'Commissioned by Apollo Chamber Players.Premiered September 27, 2019 MoonStrike is a work composed for Apollo Chamber Players, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and features American Indian stories with a live narrator. American Indian legends are very colorful and have a tendency to take twists and turns […]

for Piano and Clarinet - 25'Commissioned by Meraki.Premiered September 14, 2019 Heloha Okchamali (Blue Thunder) is a work composed about my son, Heloha, who's name means Thunder in the Chickasaw language. His favorite color is blue (okchamali). This is my first work composed about a specific person and the vision of the work came to […]

for Saxophone, Cello and Piano - 28'Commissioned by Zinnia.Premiered January 15, 2019 Raise Aberration I Aberration II Aberration III Aberration IV Aberration V Descent Aberration IV

for Solo Violin - 9'Commissioned by Irina Muresanu.Premiered January 29, 2017 Oshta is the Chickasaw word for the number four and became the title of this work in the spirit of Irina’s project, Four Strings Across the World. The work is loosely based upon a Choctaw church hymn that was composed in the 1800’s. One […]

for Solo Baritone, Piano and String Sextet - 25'Commissioned by Hildegard Center for the Arts.Premiered November 4, 2016 The Ponca American Indians were a part of the historic forced removals from their homelands to Indian Territory, now the State of Oklahoma. Today, 39 tribes live in Oklahoma as a result of this mass exodus. Chief […]

Song Cycle for Vocal Quartet and Piano (optional children's chorus) - 25'Commissioned by Words&Music.Poetry by Joy Harjo.Premiered April 9, 2016 Found Again is a 4-part song cycle composed to the poetry of Joy Harjo's publication, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings. Historically, Joy's poetry is deeply rooted in human relationships and this song cycle is meant to […]

for American Indian Flute and Clarinet - 20'Commissioned by the Music Teachers National Association.Premiered May 31, 2014 I II III IV VI VII