#148 - "Gauntlet Down"

A fixed media piece that I composed, choreographed by Ashley Miller and performed by University of Central Missouri Dance Department on their spring performance "Still/Moving" - April 2014. The lighting design and video were created by Jeff Peltz.

#147 - "Stone Castles Burning Down and Being Blown into the Swamp"

This is a humorous piece I composed for toy piano, loosely based on a Monty Python reference.

#146 - "Contronym"

This is MIDI-generated recording of my solo piano piece "Contronym."

#145 - "Gradualism"

This is a MIDI-generated recording of a minimalist experiment piece I composed for oboe, bassoon, viola, and cello.  The opening chord is gradually changed in terms of pitch and rhythm from beginning to end.

#144 - "Zydeco World"

This is a piece that I composed for a competition calling for one-minute record pieces to be choreographed.

#143 - "Homily"

This is another piece for my video collaboration project with Matt DeFord to create 6 second looping videos based on words randomly selected from the dictionary. The video is yet to come.  The idea behind this one is that it fits both the first definition as it is a short talk, and it fits the second definition as it is advice that most people don't want to hear.

Lyrics:
The Lord commands us, "give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven."

#142 - "When I'm Grown"

This is a rough demo for a song that I wrote for the music students of my friend Michael Durham at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired to use for a recording project.  I'm excited to hear what they do with this piece. When I get the recording, I will post it here for comparison.

Lyrics:
"When I'm Grown"
By Samuel Stokes

INTRO:
B  F#m | B F#m | B  F#m | B F#m |


V. 1
     B                    F#m      |B            F#m        |
They told me I would understand someday when I become a man.
        B                   F#m                | B                   F#m |
But the time has come and I still don't know the things I should know.
B            F#m             |B              F#m          |
Someday if I really try, I'll understand the reasons why
   B                F#m          |B         F#m  |
We do the things we do and go the places we go.

G        E7                  |G                 E7         |
 Maybe I missed the boat, and now I'm trying to stay afloat.
G             E7      | G       F#      |B  F#m | B F#m | B  F#m | B F#m |
Maybe I won't be alone, someday when I'm grown.


V. 2
  B                         F#m           |B             F#m            |
I thought that things would be so clear if I just aged a few more years.
B               F#m             |B                  F#m  |
Now I know that no one knows the things they should know.
B           F#m           |B            F#m        |
Lost at sea without a map, all a staggering mishap.
B               F#m            |B             F#m  |
Going where the winds of fate decided to blow.

G        E7                  |G                 E7         |
 Maybe I missed the boat, and now I'm trying to stay afloat.
G             E7      | G       F#      |B  F#m | B F#m | B  F#m | B F#m |
Maybe I won't be alone, someday when I'm grown. (begin improv solo)

(continue improv solo - B Mixolydian)
B  F#m | B F#m | B  F#m | B F#m |

G        E7                  |G                 E7         |
 Maybe I missed the boat, and now I'm trying to stay afloat.
G             E7      | G       F#      |B  F#m | B F#m | B  F#m ||: B F#m :||(fade)
Maybe I won't be alone, someday when I'm grown.