Ephemeral Pulse (2024)

Opera on a text by Emily Dickinson

for orchestra and singers

Commissioned by Ostravské centrum nové hudby

Premiered June 29, 2024 at Jiří Myron Theatre (Ostrava, CZ) by members of ONO, Ostravska banda, and Ostrava Canticum

Petr Kotik (conductor)

Ephemeral Pulse (excerpt arranged for chamber ensemble) (2024)

for flute, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, prepared piano, viola, and cello.

Performed by S.E.M. Ensemble at Willow Place Auditorium 2.14.24

This is the first ten minutes of a 30-minute operatic work-in-progress being composed for New Opera Days Ostrava (June 2024) arranged for chamber ensemble.

Roberta Michel (flute), Katie Porter (bass clarinet), Chris Nappi (percussion), Joseph Kubera (piano), J.P.A. Falzone (prepared piano), Ah Ling Neu (viola), Jordan Gunn (cello), Petr Kotik (conductor)

Pale Blue World (2023)

for orchestra (alto flute, tenor saxophone, bassoon, tuba, percussion, vibraphone, celesta, Fender Rhodes, harp, and strings) and electronics.

Performed by the Ostrava New Orchestra at Trojhalí Karolina, Ostrava, CZ 9.2.23

Johannes Kalitzke (conductor)

Fermata Moment (2023)

for horn, percussion (triangle, vibraphone, timpani, and bass drum), piano, viola, contrabass, and electronics (manipulated casio, piano, electric guitar, and bass).

Performed by S.E.M. Ensemble at Willow Place Auditorium 3.8.23

Tim McCarthy (horn), Ian Antonio (percussion), Joseph Kubera (piano), Martine Thomas (viola), Motomi Igarashi (contrabass), Petr Kotik (conductor)

Peristyle (2022)

for bass clarinet, euphonium, percussion (triangles, vibraphone, chimes, timpani, and bass drum), harp, viola, and electronics (Arp 2600, Juno 60, Wurlitzer, and 12-string electric guitar).

Performed by S.E.M. Ensemble at Willow Place Auditorium 2.17.22

Christa Van Alstine (bass clarinet), Will Lang (euphonium), Chris Nappi (percussion), Lucia Stavros (harp), Carrie Frey (viola), Petr Kotik (conductor)

pneumatique (2021)

A prose-poem written and recited by Prajna Desai with musical accompaniment.

Published in hcx (https://harlequincreature.org/2021/12/01/pneumatique/)

Tyler J. Borden (cello), Ian Davis (electric guitar), Carmen Rothwell (bass), Lucia Stavros (harp)

3 Canons (2021)

for string quartet (composed 2018)

Performed by S.E.M. Ensemble at Willow Place Auditorium 4.3.21

Clara Kim (violin), Theresa Salomon (violin), Liuhwen Ting (viola), Ben Larsen (cello), Petr Kotik (conductor)

Mom (2019)

for trumpet, clarinet, and cassette tape

Adam Brisbin (clarinet) and Mikey Buishas (trumpet)

Three Movements for Ensemble (2019)

for flute/alto flute, bassoon, tuba, viola, and cello

Premiered at Paula Cooper Gallery 12.18.19 by S.E.M. Ensemble

Petr Kotik (flute/alto flute), Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon), John Altieri (tuba), Liuhwen Ting (viola), Meaghan Burke (cello)

Four Short Studies (2019)

Short Study I (electric guitar and Hohner Cembalet), Short Study II (electric guitar, violin, and Hohner Cembalet), Short Study IV (violin and viola), Short Study V (electric guitar, violin, viola, and Hohner Cembalet)

Premiered at Pari Passu Gallery (Ridgewood, Queens) 12.12.19

Francesca Caruso (violin), Jordan Dykstra (viola), Ian Davis (electric guitar), J.P.A. Falzone (Hohner Cembalet)

Two Movements for String Orchestra (excerpt) (2019)

for string orchestra

Premiered at Ostrava Days Festival (Ostrava, Czech Republic) 8.26.19 by the Ostravská banda under the direction of Lilianna Krych

Third Memorable Fancy (2019)

for piano, vibraphone, MIDI-controlled pipe organ, cello, alto saxophone, accordion, feedback, and Arp 2600

Premiered at Wesleyan University Memorial Chapel 3.28.19

Judith Berkson (accordion), Laura Cetilia (cello), Ian Davis (piano), J.P.A. Falzone (vibraphone), Chris Pitsiokos (alto saxophone)

Graph Study No. 1 (2019)

for flute, clarinet, harp, cello, and tuba

Premiered at Willow Place Auditorium 2.13.19 by S.E.M. Ensemble

Petr Kotik (conductor), Roberta Michel (flute), Vasko Dukovski (clarinet), Mélanie Genin (harp), Meaghan Burke (cello), and John Altieri (tuba)

DAC BE FAB (2019)

a structured improvisation on six notes for melodica, cello, and alto saxophone

Recorded in the anechoic chamber at Bell Labs, Murray Hill, New Jersey 2.8.19

Laura Cetilia (cello), Ian Davis (melodica), Chris Pitsiokos (alto saxophone)

DFC Outro (2018)

for Arp 2600, harp, and piano

Rebecca El Saleh (harp), Zubin Hensler (piano)

3 canons (2018)

for string quartet

Premiered at Wesleyan University Crowell Concert Hall 12.11.18 by Mivos Quartet

Olivia De Prato (violin), Lauren Cauley (violin), Victor Lowrie Tafoya (viola), Tyler J. Borden (cello)

1+1=1 (2018)

cassette tape, piano, and Arp 2600

a collaboration sound installation/artist book project with Meghan Forbes. Displayed at WSG Gallery, Ann Arbor, Michigan, October-November 2018

notes (2018)

for cassette tape, piano, vibraphone, organ, cello, alto saxophone, and accordion

Premiered at Wesleyan University Memorial Chapel 11.30.18

Judith Berkson (accordion), Laura Cetilia (cello), Ian Davis (piano/organ), J.P.A. Falzone (vibraphone), Chris Pitsiokos (alto saxophone)

soft speak (friends and colleagues) (2018)

composed for and performed by the Real-Time Autoschediasms Ensemble (led by Tyshawn Sorey) and Toneburst Laptop Ensemble (led by Paula Matthusen)

Premiered at Wesleyan University World Music Hall 5.9.18

following an event score, members of the laptop ensemble read names from a list into their laptop's internal microphone. this signal is fed through a simple Max delay patch. a 20-piece mixed ensemble surrounds the laptops and a conductor, following their own event score, cues the ensemble with ten gestures that escalate in intensity throughout the piece. the gestures of the ensemble as well as the whispering trigger waves of low and high frequency feedback

(if listening in headphones be prepared for sudden dynamic shifts; the softs are very soft and the louds are very loud)

six pieces for guitar and cello (2018)

Ali Jones (cello)

recorded and mixed by Zubin Hensler

available here for purchase/download: www.ianmclellandavis.bandcamp.com

study for clamplights and ensemble (2017)

Performed at Wesleyan University World Music Hall 12.6.17

Clara Babbott-Ward (bassoon), Marie Boussard (flute), Ian Davis (surge protector), Jordan Dykstra (viola), J.P.A. Falzone (organ), William Freudenheim (french horn), Ben Klausner (bass), Tyshawn Sorey (trombone), Lisa Stein (cello), Alex Waterman (cello), and Suhail Yusuf (sarangi)

Alex (2017)

performed by Ali Jones (cello) and Ian Davis (casio)

hardship songs (2016) (excerpt)

two of eight movements

performed by The Westerlies

Riley Mulherkar (trumpet), Zubin Hensler (trumpet), Andy Clausen (trombone), and Willem De Koch (trombone)

recorded by Zubin Hensler and Raphael Peterson

mixed by Zubin Hensler

Lilya (2016)

performed by Andy Clausen (trombone), Oliver Hill (violin/viola), and Ali Jones (cello)

algorithm123 (2016)

(yellow, red, and blue)

made in collaboration with Meghan Forbes

special thanks to Brian Cooper for his help with the electronics

performed by Oliver Hill (violin), Elise Frawley (viola), and Ali Jones (cello)

displayed at WSG Gallery in Ann Arbor, Michigan (July 2016)

Meghan (2013)

performed by Riley Mulherkar (trumpet), Andrew Mulherkar (tenor saxophone), Aleks Karjaka (bass clarinet), Ali Jones (cello), and Jesse Kranzler (guitar)

Lilya (2013)

performed by Maria Johnson (flute), Aleks Karjaka (clarinet/bass clarinet), Andrew Mulherkar (tenor saxophone), Jonah Parzen-Johnson (baritone saxophone), Zubin Hensler (trumpet), Rebekah Durham (violin), Ali Jones (cello), and Jesse Kranzler (guitar)

harbinger (2012)

performed by Jas Walton (soprano saxophone), Zubin Hensler (trumpet), Nicolaus Tucker (bassoon), Stephanie Leke (soprano), and Meryl Zimmerman (mezzo-soprano/alto)

published in issue 2 of harlequin creature (2012)

Denise (2012)

performed by Char Prescott (cello), Ian Davis (piano/guitar), and Andy Clausen (trombone)

Miles (2012)

performed by Zubin Hensler (trumpet) and Andrew Mulherkar (tenor saxophone)