Catalog
Cat Links String Orchestra

Wildwood

This concert work is now available for an exclusive area premiere for this fall!

Born from visions of cinematic landscapes, enchanted forests and streams of sunlight, this neoclassical tone poem for string orchestra ushers performers and listeners through a journey of mystical beauty and dark shadows. 

This concert work opens with an exhibition of the main theme. The theme’s intervallic leaps and falls reflect a wanderer’s steps through a journey of discovery, inspiration and trial.  As the theme develops and intertwines with other thematic elements,  the pilgrim’s progress turns from promising to poignant. The trees, once majestic become dark giants that hide the next bend in the road. Finally, as the path opens to a new vista, the tension releases into a transformed recapitulation of the melody, this time full of wonder and resolve.

This project hopes to connect with its performers and listeners to be brave as they pursue their dreams, take the unknown pathways, and conquer the dark shadows. 

By joining this community of performers, you will have exclusive performance rights to perform this concert work in your city (and surrounding area) through 2024.

Interested in premiering? Please get in touch with David through Connect page.

FREE PERUSAL SCORE
Cat Links Full Orchestra

Marauders Wave

This concert work is now available for an exclusive area premiere!

A three-movement action/adventure symphonic work for full orchestra conjuring tall ships, seafaring heroes, and pirates!

The first movement, entitled “Tall Ship Launches” starts with the ship’s confident and noble theme. Building on the motifs of other themes expanded in the other movements, the ship launches into the sea. This movement concludes with the mysterious and unsettling sea theme. The second movement, “The Battle” starts as a seafaring march in compound rhythms and low brass fanfare. The intensity builds into action music, angular octatonic harmonies, sword battles on deck, cannon fire, and ends in hopeless destruction. The last movement, entitled “The Return” begins in lament and loss. But just as all hope is lost, the Tall Ship emerges from the smoke and fire. The music follows it’s journey to safe harbor, and ultimately to its triumphant return.

Interested in premiering? Please get in touch with David from the Connect page.

FREE PERUSAL SCORE
Cat Links String Orchestra

A Hero’s Welcome

This concert work is now available for an exclusive area premiere!

A patriotic tone poem for string orchestra, piano and timpani.

Whether performed for Memorial Day, a Veteran’s Day celebration, or other concert program, your orchestra is sure to leave its audience full of heart and pride for the tremendous sacrifice and selfless service of our champions of courage.

Program Notes

This original concert work overflows with Americana themes of bravery and valor. Written largely in the melodic and harmonic language of American 19th century, the piece touches on hymnody and folk rhythms that conjure feelings of reverence and hope.

Memories and recall of war crest as the high strings strain the hero motif and percussive ostinatos are played by piano and low strings. Finally, the music breaks as trepidation falls into tension, and tension into repose. The patriotic themes return, and hope and anticipation build into a glorious reunion.

A Composer’s Introspection

The warmth of embrace, the pride of patriotism, the tears of togetherness. Our military reunions move us because we can only imagine what our loved ones have walked through and seen. Soldiers returning from war walk with the scars borne by the perils and desperations of war. Holding our hero tight in homecoming’s embrace also means acknowledging we are holding one who experienced turmoil as a sacrifice for the freedoms of our country.

“A Hero’s Welcome” captures the layers of emotional complexity that come home alongside the soldier. Intermixed with the joy of return, the score also contains anxious motifs like storm clouds that appear and reappear. Certainly, every hero or heroine, whether soldier or first responder, lives with memories of loss and horror. These are the bruises that will forever stay with them, yet their sacrifices are not in vain. 

Interested in premiering? Please get in touch with David through the Connect page.

Free Perusal score
Cat Links Marching Band

Up From Ashes

This original marching band show is based on the story-arch of the phoenix – an immortal bird from Greek mythology that is transformed following a fiery death into victorious new life. Many analogies of this archetype make this compositional work perfect for stories of struggle, death, and overcoming (e.g., an unlikely hero’s tale, war, wildfires, violent volcanoes). Whether a natural disaster or personal travail, all of us can identify with this narrative – facing and overcoming adversity with personal transformation and achievement.

The show opens with a peaceful but industrious theme led by mallets and high woodwinds. With a warning heralded from the piccolo, everything changes, and an ominous theme is introduced by the low brass. This theme gradually builds in dread until a violent climax of destruction (e.g., death). Following the disaster, quietly the theme is restated as a mournful bugle call featuring solo trumpet. A new hope rises in the second movement which begins with a melancholy theme featured on solo Flugelhorn. This theme grows in strength and ambition until it breaks into celebration with the opening industrious theme recapitulated in a major key. The show concludes with a triumphant brass fanfare declaring a victorious transformation and achievement over death and destruction.

Score and parts include an optional thematic 16 bar warm-up prelude.

Available for purchase on J.W.Pepper

Cat Links Christmas / Advent, Full Orchestra

Gesú Bambino

Italian organist and composer, Pietro A. Yon composed Gesú Bambino for his congregation in 1917. Later, lyricist Frederick H. Martens adopted the tune into his English-language version, When Blossoms Flowered ‘mid the Snows. Although less known that some carols, Gesú Bambino today continues to grow in its number of publications and international popularity.

The carol’s tune reflects a Latin-root folk charm with its simple compound rhythms and harmonic sensibilities. This Theme and Variations arrangement adds some surprises including a brass chorale, playful woodwind flourishes and joyful call-and-response refrains. As with the original version, the chorus is played in counterpoint with the traditional tune, Adeste Fideles (Oh Come Let Us Adore Him), making this carol the perfect celebrative addition to any holiday program.

Available for purchase on J.W.Pepper

Cat Links Christmas / Advent, Full Orchestra

Wexford Carol

The Wexford Carol is a traditional Irish hymn likely composed in the 12th century. Although its magnetic melody is less known outside of the song’s homeland, its old-world folk charm captivates hearts upon first hearing. The refrain wanders through Ionian, Mixolydian and Dorian modes, beautifully combining the introspection and hopefulness of the Christmas season. This arrangement is in Theme and Variations form and navigates through an Irish air style violin solo and a series of short wind solos to establish the melody. Variations include a brass chorale, decorative tutti sections, and a build into a broad celebrative climax with large, powerful Copland-esque harmonies.

Available for purchase on J.W.Pepper

Cat Links Christmas / Advent, String Orchestra

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Old world variations of a traditional Christmas hymn melody (HYFRYDOL). This work creates Christmas cheer in a unique way,  with folk-like drones and plaintive solos alongside an allegro with charming syncopations. The performance opens in the style of a Scottish “slow air” and develops into festive variations. (mock-up recording)

Available for purchase on J.W.Pepper

Cat Links Christmas / Advent, Piano, String Orchestra

From the Heart of the Father

This arrangement for string orchestra and harp (or piano) unites ancient hymn, “Of The Father’s Heart Begotten” and the familiar Tudor melody “Greensleeves” with a strong melodic sensibility and diverse, lush textures. Arranged for strings and harp (or optionally piano). (mock-up recording)

Available for purchase on J.W.Pepper