Leviathan David Jones 2014-11-17 | Leviathan is loosely modeled after Anton Webern’s Concerto for Nine Instruments, Op. 24. It makes use of the same instrumentation and formal structure as Webern’s piece, and, while this is not strictly a 12-tone work, it uses Webern's 12-tone row to produce much of the melodic and harmonic material. This piece was a key turning point for me as a composer, as it helped me to break free of traditional, triadic harmonies and embrace my own personal “emancipation of dissonance.”Performed for my senior composition recital on October 18, 2014, in the Barrus Concert Hall at Brigham Young University - Idaho.Mary Kate Busath - flute; Kendyl Hollingsworth - oboe; Brennan Jessee - clarinet; Darren Stanger - trumpet; David Jones - horn; Randall Smith - trombone; Emily Driggs - violin; Molly Patrick - viola; Alex Isackson - pianoCourtney Wolterman - conductor;
David A. Jones, For the Bird Singing before Dawn (choral version) (score video) David Jones 2026-08-13 | For the Bird Singing before Dawn, for mixed chorus or vocal quartet and pianoText by Kim Stafford, 2018 Oregon Poet LaureateWorld premiere by the Linn-Benton Community College Chamber Choir, directed by Raymund OcampoCommissioned by the Music Teachers National Association and the Oregon Music Teachers Association. Completed in part at the 2026 Artists Residency at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts in New York CityPurchase the score here: selfpublify.com/products/for-the-bird-singing-before-dawn
David A. Jones, For the Bird Singing before Dawn (quartet version) - OMTA Conference 2026 David Jones 2026-08-11 | For the Bird Singing before Dawn, for mixed chorus or vocal quartet and pianoQuartet versionText by Kim Stafford, 2018 Oregon Poet LaureateCommissioned by the Music Teachers National Association and the Oregon Music Teachers Association for the OMTA Composer of the Year AwardCompleted in part at the 2025 Artist's Residency at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts in New York CityWest Coast Premiere on August 8th, 2026, at the Oregon Music Teachers Association Conference at Portland State UniversityMadeline Ross, sopranoGrace Weaver, mezzo-sopranoDavid A. Jones, tenorErik Hundtoft, bassDianne Davies, piano
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing - New Original Hymnsong by David A. Jones David Jones 2026-07-30 | O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, by David A. JonesText by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788For Reid and Doris JackmanDavid A. Jones, tenorBethany Evans, piano @bethanyevansharp8164
David A. Jones, Journey Before Destination, for concert band - GSU Wind Ensemble, Darrell Brown David Jones 2026-04-09 | Performed October 15, 2025, by the Georgia Southern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Darrell BrownBased on the First Ideal of the Knights Radiant in Brandon Sanderson's epic series, The Stormlight Archives, "Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination," this piece celebrates the journey of life and the process through which life's challenges transform us and make us stronger and more resilient.
David A. Jones, To Be Alive beneath Cherry Blossoms - Straub Middle School Advanced Band, Danny Hunt David Jones 2026-04-08 | Performed April 1, 2026, by the Straub Middle School Advanced Band, directed by Danny HuntThis piece was commissioned by a consortium of bands led by Danny Hunt and the Straub Music Boosters.Based on poetry by Kobayashi Issa and Toi Derricotte, this piece is a celebration of the cultural strength and diversity of the Salem, Oregon, community, as represented by the beautiful cherry trees found at the State Capitol and throughout the region.
David A Jones, Great Lumbering Mechanical Monstrosity David Jones 2025-06-16 | Inspired by steampunk aesthetics.Performed June 7th, 2025 by the Willamette River Horn Quartet at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Salem, Oregon
David A. Jones, Symphony no. 1, Alamat, IV. Aswang David Jones 2025-06-01 | Symphony no. 1, “Alamat” (meaning “Legend”), is a programmatic work portraying mythical creatures from Filipino folklore. Filipino culture is rich with stories and myths of awesome, magical creatures, some light and playful, and others truly frightening and grotesque.The Aswang is the most feared and well-known of all creatures found in Filipino folklore. They are vampire-like creatures that disguise themselves as regular townspeople by day, and then transform at night to hunt for victims. The Aswang is a creature of immense power. They hunt primarily on the ill or wounded and on small children, but will attack anyone they find walking alone and defenseless. They have long, snake-like tongues, and huge, bat-like wings, and they move swiftly. Some Aswangs, known as Tik-tiks, make a distinct “tik-tik” noise, represented in this piece by the woodblock, that sounds loudly when the creature is far away, but gets softer and softer as the creature grows closer, until it strikes and seizes its victim. Even today, many people still firmly believe in and fear the dreaded Aswang.Performed May 1, 2025, by the Georgia Southern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Darrell Brown.
David A. Jones, Symphony no. 1, Alamat, III. Diwata David Jones 2025-05-31 | Symphony no. 1, “Alamat” (meaning “Legend”), is a programmatic work portraying mythical creatures from Filipino folklore. Filipino culture is rich with stories and myths of awesome, magical creatures, some light and playful, and others truly frightening and grotesque. The Diwata, also known as Encantada, are dryads or fairies that live in the forests and mountains, or at sea. They are gods, benevolent guardians that watch over the natural habitats in which they reside. They are described as being human in appearance—an image of perfection, without wrinkles or flaws. Many people invoke the Diwata ritually to bless their crops and protect them and their families from misfortune. The Diwata are said to incur illness or famine if not given proper respect.Performed May 1, 2025, by the Georgia Southern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Darrell Brown.
David A. Jones, Symphony no. 1, Alamat, II. Duwende David Jones 2025-05-30 | Symphony no. 1, “Alamat” (meaning “Legend”), is a programmatic work portraying mythical creatures from Filipino folklore. Filipino culture is rich with stories and myths of awesome, magical creatures, some light and playful, and others truly frightening and grotesque. Duwende are small, goblin-like creatures that live in dusty corners of houses, or in tree stumps, termite hills, and other dark, secluded areas. Their name is derived from the Spanish “duen de casa”, or “owner of the house.” They are mischievous little creatures that often take things from people’s homes and laugh at them when they can’t find them. They can cause either good or ill fortune, depending on how homeowners treat them. It is common in the Philippines to murmur phrases such as “tabi-tabi po,” meaning, “excuse me”, to beg the Duwende’s pardon for bothering them. Some people leave food on the floor for the Duwende as an offering of peace, in hopes that the Duwende will bless them and not be angry with them.Performed May 1, 2025, by the Georgia Southern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Darrell Brown.
David A. Jones, Symphony no. 1, Alamat, I. Mangkukulam David Jones 2025-05-29 | Symphony no. 1, “Alamat” (“Legend”), is a programmatic work portraying mythical creatures from Filipino folklore. Filipino culture is rich with stories and myths of awesome, magical creatures, some light and playful, and others truly frightening and grotesque.The Mangkukulam is a witch, a worker of black magic. Also known as bruha or bruho, each witch possesses unique powers. They cast curses on those who threaten or offend them, causing them to become ill. A certain variety, known as Mambabarang, causes insects to infest the bodies of its victims, killing them slowly and painfully. One who is cursed by a Mangkukulam cannot be cured by conventional medications, but can only be restored with the magic of an Ambularyo, or faith healer.Performed May 1, 2025, by the Georgia Southern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Darrell Brown
Ryan Cayabyab, Nais Ko (I Wish) - David A. Jones, Rebecca Stager David Jones 2024-07-09 | Ryan Cayabyab, "Nais Ko" ("I Wish")David A. Jones, voiceRebecca Stager, piano
Felipe de Leon, Muntawit (selections) - David A. Jones, Rebecca Stager David Jones 2024-07-09 | Muntawit ("Little Songs"), by Felipe de Leon1. Bukang Liwayway ("Dawn") (00:00)2. Pananabik ("Anxiety") (02:14)3. Pagkainip ("Impatience") (03:16)4. Agam-Agam ("Fear") (04:58)5. Banaag ("Beam") (06:58)6. Alinlangan ("Doubt") (08:30)David A. Jones, voiceRebecca Stager, piano
A. J. Villanueva, Prayer of Serenity David Jones 2024-07-09 | "Prayer of Serenity," by A. J. Villanueva @ajvill Text by Lettie CowmanDavid A. Jones, voice, percussionKirt Peterson, clarinet
David A. Jones, Two Songs to Poems by Jose Corazon de Jesus David Jones 2024-07-09 | Dalawang Kanta sa mga Tula ni Jose Corazon de Jesus ("Two Songs to Poems by Jose Corazon de Jesus")(00:00) "Ang Tren" ("The Train")(07:02) "Isang Punongkahoy" ("A Tree")David A. Jones, voiceRebecca Stager, piano
Ernest Gold Sonata for Horn and Piano, performed by David A. Jones and Rebecca Stager David Jones 2024-02-22 | A rarely-heard sonata for horn and piano by renowned film composer Ernest Gold. Performed February 17th, 2024, by David A. Jones and Rebecca Stager at the Loucks Auditorium, Salem, Oregon.00:00 I. Theme and Variations10:16 II. Allegro con grazia13:05 III. Adagio21:55 IV. Allegro
David A. Jones, Canzona for Brass Quintet - Braeburn Brass David Jones 2023-05-12 | Commissioned by my good friends, the Braeburn Brass @braeburnbrass , this work was inspired in part by the great instrumental canzonas of Giovanni Gabrieli. It features brilliant fanfares and lyrical, sweeping melodies with some modern twists.Performed April 27, 2023, at the University of IowaThe Braeburn BrassHamad Barbarji, Gregorios Papaefthymiou, trumpetsMomoko Seko, hornBrian Entwistle, tromboneWiatt Cariveau, tuba
Lisa Neher, American Waters David Jones 2023-04-08 | A very powerful work for unaccompanied voice by Portland-based soprano and composer Lisa Neher. She writes:"American Waters explores bodies of water as literal and metaphorical barriers between us and the places and people we know and love. As a nation of immigrants, our histories are rich with stories of family coming to the United States across oceans or traveling from one side of this continent to another. My great-grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from Ireland, leaving family and friends behind, and my own career has taken me to regions far from my native waters of Puget Sound. This piece digs into the emotional toll of these moves through the lens of water.I created the text for this piece by stitching together fragments of folk songs from the U.S. and the United Kingdom. These fragments are like hints of memories from the past which are reinvented with new melodic lines. Whispered sounds emulate the noises of splashing surf and crashing waves."Performed March 25, 2023Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, tenor
David A. Jones, Apparition David Jones 2023-04-08 | This piece was commissioned by the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS program and written for soprano Anne Wright while I was a composition fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2021. I was first introduced to Stéphane Mallarmé’s poetry while studying the music of Maurice Ravel as a graduate student at Rice University. I admired Mallarmé’s evocative language and natural imagery, and though I do not speak French, I decided to try my hand at setting one of his poems - my first attempt at setting a non-English text. In this poem, “Apparition,” the speaker, mourning the loss of a loved one, suddenly sees a vision of his love, laughing joyfully, bringing him comfort in his grief.Performed March 25, 2023Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, tenorRebecca Stager, piano
David A. Jones, Isang Punongkahoy (A Tree), text by José Corazón de Jesús (aka Huseng Batute) David Jones 2023-04-08 | Eleven years ago, I served as a missionary for two years in the Philippines. It was a challenging, transformative, and life-changing experience, one that has had a significant impact on my world view and artistic voice. During my assignment, I studied and gained fluency in Tagalog, and I fell in love with the Filipino people, language, and culture.I came across this poem by Huseng Batute in a recent effort to reconnect with this part of myself, with the Tagalog language, and with the Filipino culture and community. I was struck by the poem’s somber tone and vivid natural imagery. The poet compares himself to a tree by a stream, once full of life and beauty but now bowed down and withered with age. The text is a meditation on man’s relationship with God and the inevitability of death.Performed March 25, 2023Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, tenorRebecca Stager, pianoText: "Isang Punongkahoy," by José Corazón de Jesús ("Huseng Batute")Kung tatanawin mo sa malayong pookako’y tila isang nakadipang kurus;sa napakatagal na pagkakaluhod,parang ang paa ng Diyos.Organo sa loob ng isang simbahanay nananalangin sa kapighatian,habang ang kandila ng sariling buhaymagdamag na tanod sa aking libingan.Sa aking paanan ay may isang batis,maghapo’t magdamag na nagtutumangis;sa mga sanga ko ay nangakasabitang pugad ng mga ibon ng pag-ibig.Sa kinislap-kislap ng batis na iyan,asa mo ri’y agos ng luhang nunukal;at saka ang buwang tila nagdarasal,ako’y binabati ng ngiting malamlam. Ang mga kampana sa tuwing orasyon,nagpapahiwatig sa akin ng taghoy,ibon sa sanga ko’y may tabing nang dahon,batis sa paa ko’y may luha nang daloy.Ngunit tingnan ninyo ang aking narating,natuyo, namatay sa sariling aliw.Naging kurus ako ng pagsuyong laingat bantay sa hukay sa gitna ng dilim.Wala na, ang gabi ay lambong na luksa,panakip sa aking namumutlang mukha!Kahoy na nabuwal sa pagkakahigani ibon, ni tao’y hindi na matuwa.At iyong isiping nang nagdaang araw,isang kahoy akong malago’t malabay.Ngayon, ang sanga ko’y kurus sa libingan,dahon ko’y ginawang korona sa hukay!"A Tree," by José Corazón de Jesús ("Huseng Batute")Translation by David A. JonesIf you gaze into a distant placeI am like a cross with arms outstretched;having knelt for so long,as if at the feet of God.An organ inside a churchprays in grief,while the candle of life itselfstands guard all night over my grave.At my feet is a streamthat cries day and night;In my branches are affixedthe nests of birds of love.In the sparkling of that stream,you can expect to find flowing tears;and also the moon, as if in prayer,greets me with a wan smile.The bells at every orationspeak to me of lamentation,birds in my branches wear a veil of leaves,stream at my feet flows with tears.But look at my fate,dried up, died in my own comfort.I have become a cross of withered affectionand watchman of the pit in the midst of darkness.All is lost, the night is a mourning veil,a covering for my paling face!A tree that has fallen, sprawled to the earth,can give joy no more to bird or man.And just think that in days past,I once was a lush and leafy tree.Now, my branches are a cross over my grave,my leaves have become a crown over the pit.
Ken Davies, Loose Connections David Jones 2023-04-08 | An exciting, challenging work for solo horn by Ken Davies. The composer writes:"This horn solo piece is dedicated to composer, hornist and educator Dr. Thom Hutcheson. In 1991, I found returning to school with a graduate teaching assistantship at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) an unexpected solution to my job situation. One of my theory professor's was Dr. Thom Hutcheson who was also the composition chair and the horn professor. Within a couple months of my up to date schooling, my earlier ambitions of being a composer (my undergraduate degree was not in composition) began resurrecting themselves now that I was aware of 12-tone serial styles having given way to newer developments. Though I had said nothing about my earlier activities in composition, commercial music and small time publishing attempts, I registered for private composition lessons at the beginning of my second year. While he gave me a stern warning about my "attempting such a leap," Dr. Hutcheson allowed me into his course after all. By doing so, he became the significant encouraging mentor who restarted me on my way. This recital piece attempts to contain the musical integrity worthy of professionals while remaining within the range and technical capacity of a cross section of students and amateurs."Performed March 25, 2023Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, horn
Ryan M. Hare, Lyric Étude no. 8, Homage to Gustav Mahler David Jones 2023-04-08 | A very neat little piece for low horn by Washington composer Ryan M. Hare. The work makes some overt references to the introduction to Mahler's 9th Symphony, which opens with strings, harp, and a lovely 2nd horn solo.The composer writes: "Early in the era of COVID-19 'sheltering in place' in 2020, with almost no live musical performances happening anywhere worldwide, I began writing these 'Lyric Études' for performers I knew who had requested them, in the interest of maintaining and nourishing musical and creative connections. Lyric Étude No. 8 was requested by and dedicated to Josiah Boothby. It is subtitled 'Homage to Gustav Mahler,' and carries the tempo indication 'slow, but with movement, as if exploring wondrous and deep places.'"Performed March 25, 2023Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, horn
Walter Saul, Psalm 23 David Jones 2023-04-08 | A powerful setting of the familiar psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd." Written for the composer's wife, Daphne.Performed March 25, 2023, in the Lincoln Recital Hall at Portland State UniversityDavid A. Jones, tenorRebecca Stager, piano
David A. Jones, Sonata for Horn and Piano David Jones 2023-04-08 | An energetic work for horn and piano, written in 2015 for my undergraduate horn professor, Dr. Jon Klein.Performed March 25, 2023, in the Lincoln Recital Hall at Portland State University.David A. Jones, hornRebecca Stager, piano
Nothing So Exquisite - Jerry Hou, Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra David Jones 2022-03-01 | Nothing So Exquisite is a tone poem for large orchestra that depicts the conversion story of a man named Alma, as told in a sacred volume of scripture called the Book of Mormon. Alma’s story is comparable to that of Paul the Apostle in the New Testament. Early in his life, though his father is the head of the Church of Christ, Alma rebels against his father’s teachings and becomes a violent opponent of the Church, persecuting the Saints and seeking to lead them astray. He continues to fight zealously against God until, like the Apostle Paul, he is confronted by an angel and commanded to stop his evil ways, and he ultimately repents and is converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. From that point on, he devotes his life to the service of God. Alma’s experiences are recorded in Alma 36:6-22 in The Book of Mormon. The jagged, dissonant theme that opens this piece represents Alma’s rebellious and prideful state before his conversion. The work follows Alma’s account as he is confronted by an angel with a voice of thunder and falls into a coma for three days. During this time, he is tormented by the memory of his sins and sees no hope for redemption until he suddenly recalls his father’s teachings of Jesus Christ – represented in the music by a Kyrie chant played by offstage trumpets. He cries desperately for mercy, and his pain and torment are instantaneously replaced with peace, joy, and light. “Yea... there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea... there could be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” He is then enveloped in a transcendent vision of God sitting on His throne, surrounded by numberless angels singing praises to Him. He concludes, ”...and my soul did long to be there.”As I have studied Alma’s account, I have always been struck by the sublime, immediate, transformative power of Christ. Exquisite pain and torment are transformed into exquisite light and joy; horror at facing God’s judgement is replaced with longing to enter His presence; a bitter enemy to God is transformed into a valiant force for good. Likewise, through the course of this work, Alma’s dissonant, fragmented theme is transformed into something more glorious, beautiful, and complete.Written for the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra at Rice University. Premiered by Jerry Hou and the Shepherd Symphony on February 18, 2022 in the Stude Concert Hall at Rice University.
David A. Jones, An Impulse to Soar - Aspen Contemporary Ensemble 2021 David Jones 2021-09-05 | The title of this piece is based on a quotation by Helen Keller: "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar." I started this work in April 2020, soon after the COVID-19 shutdown swept the United States. It was a dark, uncertain time for everyone. While I felt I could have written something dark and tortured in response to the situation, I decided to move in the opposite direction, channeling a sense of hope and optimism for the future.Premiered by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, directed by Tim WeissAugust 18, 2021, Harris Concert HallChristian Paquette, fluteAmer Hasan, clarinetColin McCall, percussionDerek Wang, pianoJacob Schafer, Nathan Lowry, violinsCatherine Chen, violaOtávio Manzano Kavakama, cello
David A. Jones, Thirty-Three LIttle Girls Set Out for the White Butterfly Hunt David Jones 2021-07-01 | Likai He, violinMichael Clark, pianoThis piece was written in response to a Max Ernst painting of the same title. I was struck by the painting’s bright colors and the grand, playful adventure the title suggests. The bright chords in the extreme registers of the piano at the outset of the piece depict the brilliant explosion of light emanating from the center of the painting. The energetic section that follows captures a scene of excitement as hundreds of butterflies are released into the wild and dozens of little girls run off into the woods to go catch them. The slower but playful middle section depicts scenes of the girls’ adventures and misadventures as they chase their quarry. A dark, plaintive section follows as some of the girls wander a bit too far and find themselves in the deepest part of the woods, filled with shadows and mysterious shapes. Their cheerful spirits unmarred by the frightening experience, the girls soon stumble back into familiar territory, reunite with their friends, and continue their hunt.Special thanks to our recording engineer, Fran Schmidt
Through a Brittle Landscape, for trumpet and fixed-media electronics David Jones 2021-04-08 | Performed by Noah Dugan on February 23, 2021, in the Wortham Opera Theater at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.This work explores relationships between two opposing sound worlds: the electronics are often brittle, clipped, and agitated, atop which the trumpet floats with smooth, flowing melodies. As the work progresses, the trumpet’s melodies are gradually infected with the brittle, broken nature of the electronic sounds, and the electronics are transformed to match the smoothness of the trumpet. In the end, the two opposing forces reach a state of reconciliation as they learn to inhabit one another’s sound worlds. Commissioned by my friend Gregory Sills.
Theo Chandler, Canon and Response David Jones 2020-12-07 | Canon and Response for clarinet, written and performed by Theo Chandler. The first section is a canon in four voices, performed on a single instrument. Following a brief interlude, the second section is a solemn, expressive response to the material of the first section.
Sonata for Clarinet, Horn, and Piano, i. David Jones 2020-12-07 | Originally written as a sonata for horn and piano in 2017, I wrote this version in 2020 to perform with a clarinet, horn, and piano trio I formed with my composer-performer colleagues called Tubes, Keys, and Strings.Theo Chandler, clarinetDavid Jones, hornJake Sandridge, piano
Improvisation 2 David Jones 2020-12-07 | A short, improvised piece for clarinet, horn, and piano.Theo Chandler, clarinetDavid Jones, hornJake Sandridge, piano
Piano Miniatures on a Theme by Crawford, Theme David Jones 2020-12-07 | In preparation for an outreach presentation at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), I asked the band director, Stephen Crawford, to write a short melody, then wrote two short piano pieces based on his theme.
Piano Miniatures on a Theme by Crawford, i. David Jones 2020-12-07 | In preparation for an outreach presentation at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), I asked the band director, Stephen Crawford, to write a short melody, then wrote two short piano pieces based on his theme. This first piece is a simple setting of the theme using standard functional harmonies and a basic ternary form.Jake Sandridge, piano
Piano Miniatures on a Theme by Crawford, ii. David Jones 2020-12-07 | In preparation for an outreach presentation at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), I asked the band director, Stephen Crawford, to write a short melody, then wrote two short piano pieces based on his theme. This second piece is the more experimental of the two, placing the melody in somewhat unusual rhythmic and harmonic contexts.Jake Sandridge, piano
D. H. Regnier, Quarantine Miniature #17 David Jones 2020-12-07 | Written by my friend, Dalton Regnier. Part of a series of miniatures he wrote near the beginning of the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown.David Jones, horn
Impressions David Jones 2020-04-26 | A short experimental film I created recently for a class. All sounds and video are by me. The piece is an exploration in various superimposed textures and color effects.
Rarefaction David Jones 2020-04-26 | A short, stop-motion animation that I created as the final project for an experimental film course. I created both the sounds and the video. The piece was inspired by a weird half-dream I had a few weeks ago. The alarm on my phone, which was on vibrate, started going off, and in my half-sleep I perceived it as a weird, shifting pitched sound. After I woke up, I decided to try to recreate the effect using audio sampling techniques. The sounds and visuals explore the physical phenomenon of vibration, both on a large-scale and a molecular level.
Spires, for tenor and string quintet - Invoke Quartet, Zilkha Hall 4.26.2019 David Jones 2019-07-08 | Performed April 26, 2019, by the Invoke Quartet and musicians from the Shepherd School of Music, at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston, TexasBrice Todd, tenorNick Montopoli, violin IZachariah Matteson, violin IIKarl Mitze, violaGeoff Manyin, celloAustin Lewellin, double bassSpires was commissioned by the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance, located on campus at Rice University. This performance was part of a chamber music festival presented by WindSync, with generous underwriting provided by the Boniuk Institute's Arts of Tolerance program.Program Notes:"These steeples, everywhere pointing upward, ignoring despair and lifting hope, these lofty city spires, or simple chapels in the hills—they rise at every step from the earth to the sky; in every village of every nation on the globe they challenge doubt and invite weary hearts to consolation. Is it all a vain delusion? Is there nothing beyond life but death, and nothing beyond death but decay? We cannot know. But as long as men suffer these steeples will remain."—Will Durant, The Pleasures of Philosophy: A Survey of Human Life and DestinySpires or steeples are an architectural feature used widely in many religious cultures throughout history. Directing our vision upward toward God and toward heaven, spires are a universal symbol of hope, stability, and peace, inviting all men to exercise faith, to become better people, and to reach out and lift up the weary and downtrodden.Inspired by the quotation above by the American philosopher Will Durant, Spires is a setting of two poems by the 13th-century Persian Sufi mystic, Rumi. Both poems deal with themes of inclusivity, invitation, and consolation, beckoning the listener onward and upward with the clarion call, “Come!” The symbol of the spires is represented in the music by a rapidly rising motive of ascending sixths that unifies both movements.Text:I.Come, come, whoever you are.Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.It doesn't matter.Ours is not a caravan of despair.[This door is not the doorof hopelessness and frustration.]*Come, even if you have broken your vowa thousand timesCome, yet again, come, come.—attributed to Rumi*Drawn from an alternate translation of the same textII.Today I beheld the beloved, that ornament of every affair; hewent off departing to heaven like the spirit of Mustafa.The sun is put to shame by his countenance, heaven’s sphereis as confused as the heart; through his glow, water and clay aremore resplendent than fire.I said, “Show me the ladder, that I may mount up toheaven.” He said, “Your head is the ladder; bring your headdown under your feet.”When you place your feet on your head, you will place yourfeet on the head of the stars; when you cleave through the air,set your foot on the air, so, and come!A hundred ways to heaven’s air become manifest to you; yougo flying up to heaven every dawning like a prayer.—Rumi, translated by A. J. Arberry
Blurred Chronometry David Jones 2019-05-03 | For more music, visit www.davidajonescomposer.comThis piece is an exploration in multiple simultaneous, asynchronous tempi. Many sections of the piece involve the three members of the trio performing the same music in unison, but at slightly different speeds. The technique is similar to a medieval device known as a proliferation or mensuration canon, in which multiple voices sing the same material, but in different meters, in carefully calculated ratios such as 2:1, 3:2, etc. This piece is not so precise, but relies on approximation and human error to achieve its effect.Performed at James Madison High School, Houston, TX, by the Tubes, Keys, and Strings Trio, in an outreach event sponsored by the Sviatoslav Richter Fund for Music Outreach at the Shepherd School of Music.Theo Chandler, clarinetDavid Jones, hornJake Sandridge, piano
Elegy, for saxophone and bassoon David Jones 2018-07-27 | Written for the Xelana Duo for the 2018 Connecticut SummerfestPlease like and subscribe, and visit www.davidajonescomposer.com to hear more!This somber, lyrical piece is explores many of the timbral possibilities offered by this unique combination of instruments. The saxophone and bassoon share a broad common range, blurring the lines between the traditional roles of soprano and bass voices or melody and accompaniment. The title, Elegy, reflects the piece's mournful quality.Ana Garcia, alto saxophoneAlex Davis, bassoonWill Jones, recording engineer
The Zookeeper David Jones 2018-05-12 | This single-movement chamber cantata is a vocal fantasia or dreamscape of sorts. An instrumental fantasia in the Baroque period is a quasi-improvised piece that often takes a single musical idea as a point of departure, "spinning out" melodies and counterpoint based on that idea. This piece likewise takes the idea of a zookeeper with a zoo in his mind and spins it out into a wandering, stream-of-consciousness dreamscape, venturing whimsically into the depths of human emotions.The text is by Zach T. Power, a fellow graduate student at Brigham Young University. The full text can be found here: http://www.zachtpower.com/diary/2016/11/24/the-zookeeperPerformed by the Hear & Now Ensemble at Rice UniversityJerry Hou, directorApril 26, 2018Duncan Recital HallJenna Kreider, Olivia Spencer, Georgia Belmont, Sarah Grace Graves, sopranosJustin Doute, Erin Graham, percussion
Leeway David Jones 2018-03-01 | Leewayfor Pierrot Ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano)To hear more, visit www.davidajonescomposer.comThis piece was an experiment in aleatoric and improvisatory techniques. Titled "Leeway," because while the performers were given specific instructions and parameters, much was left to the performers for interpretation and improvisation.Recorded 2/25/2018, by the NUNC ensemble, directed by Miranda Cuckson.Barry Crawford, flutesGleb Kanasevich, clarinetsMiranda Cuckson, violinClaire Bryant, celloNing Yu, piano
Soliloquy for Violin David Jones 2017-12-04 | For more music, visit www.davidajonescomposer.comWritten for my friend and colleague, Lauren Anderson, a fellow BYU graduate student. Premiered at the Fall 2017 Composers' Forum in the Hirsch Rehearsal Hall at Rice University. Lauren will also perform the piece at her graduate recital in Provo, Utah, in January.The inspiration for this piece came from a few different sources. I recently moved to Houston with my wife and 1-year-old son to begin my doctoral studies in composition at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. My wife and I are both from the Northwest, and so the local climate and wildlife are some things we’re not as familiar with, cicadas being one of them. I was intrigued particularly with the fact that cicadas, upon reaching adult form, shed their skin, leaving behind a ghost-like shell stuck to the bark of trees or on the surfaces of fences.Then, only about a month after we moved to Houston, Hurricane Harvey struck the area, and our first-floor apartment was flooded, destroying many of our belongings, including most of our furniture and appliances. My family was safe in Dallas when the storm hit, but coming back to Houston to find our home and belongings destroyed by floodwaters was devastating. In the time that followed, many hands reached out to help us as we salvaged what we could from our old place, found a new apartment, and began rebuilding our lives. We couldn’t be more grateful.During this difficult time for my family, this piece became more deeply personal. It became an opportunity for me to express some of the frustration and pain I felt during the ordeal of the flood and the process of rebuilding. What began as a simple exploration of cicada shells transformed into a journey of loss, grief, recovery, and new beginnings.
The Birds of Tin David Jones 2017-08-02 | Written for Ensemble Hexnut ( http://www.hexnut.nl/ )in a workshop put on by Splendor Amsterdam ( http://splendoramsterdam.com/?lang=en ), which took place in June 2017. Special thanks to the members of Hexnut for a great performance and experience, to Steve Ricks for organizing the workshop, and to the Laycock Foundation for making it possible.Contrary to my usual composition process, I actually began writing this piece before I selected the text. The Morse code-like opening with disjunct interjections was one of the first ideas that I wrote down. I wanted to experiment with the timbral effect of having the vocalist rolling her r’s alongside flutter-tonguing in the winds. Iselected the text for this piece, an English surrealist poem by Charles Madge, with this effect in mind. After I selected the text, then the rest of the piece was shaped around the form and emotional quality of the text.Performed June 13, 2017, by Ensemble Hexnut, at Splendor Amsterdam, NetherlandsPlease like and subscribe, and visit www.davidajonescomposer.com to hear more of my music.
David A. Jones Graduate Composition Recital David Jones 2016-11-23 | Composer David A. Jones presents a recital of his works, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Music degree in Composition at Brigham Young University. The recital will take place in the Madsen Recital Hall, in the Harris Fine Arts Center in Provo, Utah.The program will feature guest artist Jon Klein, professor of horn at Brigham Young University - Idaho, who will present Jones's Sonata for Horn and Piano. The program will also include works for solo flute, solo marimba, solo oboe, string quartet, and electronics.
Trapped: Modern Dance Video David Jones 2016-06-29 | This was a collaborative project with choreographer and film director Dania Rice (youtube.com/channel/UCRakZ48zGj1n9squ5Tm_-eA). The video portrays symbolically the difficult, frustrating, painful, and emotionally-draining process of addiction recovery. This project is my first electroacoustic work, and uses sampled sounds, recorded acoustic instruments, and VSTi virtual instruments.Video and Choreography: Dania RiceDancer: Bronwen Partridge (youtube.com/channel/UCnWP_edjKSOOwQl3RP4pb_A)Music: David A. JonesViolin: Emily Holmstead, Chloe HopperViola: Ashley GalvezCello: Kelly FrazierBass: Christian Hales
Aspen David Jones 2016-05-10 | I’ve recently become intrigued by a rather remarkable quality of aspen trees. Aspens typically grow not as individual trees, but in clone colonies. These colonies spread by sending out root suckers. Each of the trees in a colony is interconnected by a single, intricate root system; even the largest grove of aspens is made up not of many trees, but of one single, living organism.This piece seeks to capture, in a sense, this unique quality of aspen trees. The piece doesn’t follow any specific program; rather, I began with a few simple ideas that seemed reminiscent of the nature of aspen trees, and allowed those ideas to spread and develop.This piece was commissioned by the Brigham Young University Chamber Orchestra, directed by Kory Katseanes, through the Barlow Student Composition Award, and was premiered on March 31, 2016, in the De Jong Concert Hall in Provo, UT.To learn more about David Jones and his music, visit www.davidajonescomposer.com
Quicksilver David Jones 2016-04-10 | For solo flute. Recorded Feb. 27, 2016, by Carlton Vickers.This piece employs a 12-tone row that I pulled from a 4th-semester dictation packet from a class I'm teaching. I don't usually write using 12-tone methods, but recently I've found I quite enjoy it. It forces a composer to focus on expression, gesture, and motivic development more than on actual notes. It's a really fun method of writing.To see more of my music, visit www.davidajonescomposer.com
The Glass Bead Game, James Beckel David Jones 2015-06-25 | Performed May 28th, 2015Brigham Young University - Idaho Symphony OrchestraRobert Tueller, conductorDavid A. Jones, hornDavid Jones was one of two winners selected to perform with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra as part of BYU-Idaho's Winter 2015 Concerto Festival.Uploaded with permission from the composer.
