Migrations (2016)
for Baritone Voice, Pierrot Ensemble & Percussion

Duration: 25 minutes

Migrations sets three original poems for bass-baritone and Pierrot ensemble with percussion, tracing the composer’s journey from Sydney to Brooklyn to Austin. Each movement explores themes of displacement, transformation, and belonging—drawing from personal experience and the broader legacy of forced migration. At its core, the work is a meditation on survival and the quiet strength of homecoming.

Gift of Rain (2013)
for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Violoncello & Piano

Duration: 3 minutes

Offering a gentle, pastoral contrast to the stormy intensity of the Mendelssohn D minor Trio it was designed to follow, this short work evokes the simplicity of a bedtime story: creatures from different lands gather, share their songs, and return home. Rooted in minimal gesture and light texture, it draws inspiration from Seamus Heaney’s poem The Gift of Rain, inviting listeners into a sound world of childlike wonder, subtle dialogue, and quiet resolution.

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Sonata for Harp Quartet (2018)
for 4 Harps

Tree of Life (2019)
for SATB Choir & Piano

Duration: 5.5 minutes

Tree of Life is a deeply personal choral work inspired by composer Sam’s great-uncle, Zenon Neumark—a Holocaust survivor who rebuilt his life in Los Angeles. At Sam’s request, Zenon penned a poem reflecting on human suffering, love, and the ways we evolve in the face of hatred. That text became the heart of the work, which juxtaposes the warmth of American choral traditions—evoking composers like Lauridsen and Whitacre—with the darker, dissonant textures of Eastern European folk music. This contrast embodies both the enduring pain of the past and the possibility of healing. Through contrasting harmonies, pitch, and voicing, the music traces a complex journey of community, reverence, and transformation, challenging both performers and audiences to confront darkness while reaching for the light.

Premiered at Carnegie Hall, Tree of Life honors Zenon Neumark’s path from unimaginable loss to a life of love and meaning. Dedicated to the victims of the 2018 shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, it stands as a solemn reflection on tragedy—and a call for healing, resilience, and compassion in the face of hate.

The Unbroken Call (2025)
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra

Orchestration: Solo Tpt—2.2.2.2—4.3.2.Btbn.1—Timp.3 Perc—Hp-Pf(Cel)(Synth)—Str
Duration: 29 minutes
Premiere: February 21, 2025, Austin Symphony Orchestra with Giveton Gelin, trumpet, and conductor Peter Bay, Austin, Texas

A genre-defying concerto that bridges classical and jazz traditions, this vibrant and emotionally charged work fuses the rhythmic vitality of jazz with the expansive power of the symphonic form. Written for both classical and jazz trumpeters, it explores the instrument’s full expressive range—moving seamlessly between lyricism, groove, and virtuosic flair.

Spanning three movements, the piece traces a dramatic arc: from high-energy interplay and intricate counterpoint, through a deeply introspective middle movement, to an electrifying, genre-blurring finale. Commissioned by Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge for Ephraim Owens and the Austin Symphony Orchestra, and dedicated to the late pianist Rich Harney, the work offers a bold and exhilarating concert experience that resonates across styles and generations.

Song of the Bhagavan (2015)

Orchestration: 2.2.2.2—4.2.3.1—Timp.2 Perc—Cel—Hp—Str
Duration: 8.5 minutes

Inspired by the ancient Hindu text The Bhagavad Gita, this orchestral work explores the profound dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and the God-King Krishna on the eve of battle. Through shifting musical voices and contrasting themes, the piece reflects their opposing natures—human doubt and divine wisdom—and the tension between action, detachment, and spiritual liberation. Premiered by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under Maestra JoAnn Falletta, the work is both a meditation and a dramatic encounter.

Theme from an Imaginary Film (2015)
Fantasy for Orchestra

Orchestration: 2.2.2.2—4.2.3.1—Timp.3 Perc—Hp—Str
Duration: 6.5 minutes

Composed following the birth of the composer’s daughter, this 6½-minute orchestral work unfolds like a miniature film score—lyrical, cinematic, and full of emotional sweep. Structured in a ternary form, it moves from the awe of new life to the whirlwind chaos of early parenthood before returning to something radiant and hard-won. Drawing inspiration from the likes of John Williams, James Horner, and Prokofiev, it imagines a soundtrack for a film with love scenes, forests, football, and spaceships—all packed into one vivid arc.

La Pluma Del Aura (2019)
for Cello & Piano

Duration: 7 minutes

Commissioned by Hai Olefsky in memory of Jane Sibley, this work pays tribute to a towering figure in the Austin arts community whose tenacity and vision left an enduring legacy. Evoking the buzzard feather Jane famously wore, the music soars through themes of gratitude, loss, and the fierce beauty of a life lived in full.

Birds of Paradise (2016)
Two Études for Soprano Saxophone

Duration: 10 minutes

Commissioned by saxophonist Shawna Pennock, Birds of Paradise is a two-movement showcase for soprano saxophone that balances expressive depth with technical accessibility. Drawing on extended techniques like multiphonics and alternate fingerings, the piece conjures a vivid avian world—from wild mating dances to the soulful cries of love denied and reclaimed. Designed for both advanced performers and ambitious students, it’s equal parts etude and theatrical mini-drama.

Quixosis (2015)
for Tuba & Piano

Duration: 13 minutes

A theatrical fantasia inspired by Cervantes’ Don Quixote, this duo for tuba and piano traces the arc of Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the imagined Dulcinea—from fervent idealism through chaotic adventure to tragic reckoning. The piece embraces the tuba’s surprising capacity for both humor and pathos.

Chiaroscuro (2015)
for Clarinet & Piano

Duration: 14 minutes

Moonfall (2023)
Ballet in 3 Acts with Chamber Orchestra

Duration: 1 hour

An immersive mythic fantasy ballet that blends dance, live chamber orchestra, and interactive storytelling. Premiered with choreographer Dorothy O’Shea Overbey, Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, and Density512 Chamber Orchestra, the work traces cosmic and human forces entwined in a tale of desire, climate, and connection. Audiences are invited to step into its world—where their choices help shape the unfolding story.

Mapping and Glaciers (2023)
Ballet with String Quartet

Duration: 55 minutes

Blending film, dance, and original music, Mapping & Glaciers explores the shifting boundaries—both natural and human-made—that define our world. Reflecting on climate change, tribalism, and resilience, the piece invites contemplation of territory, connection, and the enduring possibility of hope.

Crone (2017)
Ballet with Large Chamber Orchestra

Duration: 32 minutes

Commissioned for a ballet/virtual reality film, CRONE is a cinematic score that weaves together myth, magic, and memory. Blending live ensemble, dance, and immersive media, the work follows a mother, her powerful daughter, and a returning general through a dark, dialog-free narrative of transformation.