Piano Sextet

I began composing this piano sextet around the year 2000, intrigued by the possibilities of octatonic scales—eight-note collections that alternate whole and half steps. From the start, the goal was to explore this complex tonal palette in a way that felt both adventurous and approachable—exploring the possibilities of melody and harmony while keeping the music emotionally engaging and singable. The first movement was crafted around strict form, and that same year it was selected for a recording broadcast on Nashville radio as part of a local composers showcase. 

II. Hipnotik
The second movement, Hipnotik, develops from the D octatonic scale, with melodies and chant-like fragments slowly unfurling, as if spiraling outward. These musical threads intertwine and multiply, gradually weaving a dense, hypnotic texture. Polyphonic layers build, not in a rush, but with a slow, magnetic pull—drawing the listener into a sound world that is both meditative and entrancing.