New EP ~Fable *Released June 27th 2025*
This EP contains a collection of pieces that I wrote inspired by experience, stories, encounters, and landscapes that I had the pleasure of traversing during my time in China a few years back. This album is also accompanied by some incredible artwork created by Katie McLoughlin​​
Places to listen:
& just about anywhere else you can hear music!
Track 1~ Davidia
This piece is about a Davidia(Dove) tree that I saw and sat underneath while visiting China. This tree was overwhelmed with mainly green leaves. Upon looking closer I noticed that there were a couple of red flowers hidden, but blooming sparsely on the tree. I began to Imagine a story about a pair of these red flowers finding each-other in all of the chaos of the green.
Track #2~ Sun and Moon
After coming down from the steps of the Great Wall of China, I was seated at a little cafe drinking a beer and gazing at the sun casting a gleam over the massive handmade structure. Though its creation was done so under very dark circumstances, I was still in awe of the beauty of the Great Wall and perplexed/amazed at how something Magnificent can always be found even in darkness. I again let my mind wonder and imagined a love story between the sun and moon and between darkness and lightness. I was additionally inspired by a beautiful piece of music that I got to sing in collaboration with a local Wuhan choir. The piece was entitled "The Moon is My Heart".
Track #3 Erasure
I wrote this piece very quickly after visiting Tiananmen Square. Visiting this place reminded me of the importance of our memory specifically as it relates to tragedy. Furthermore I created this piece to signify the long and awful tradition of the powerful silencing the subjugated so as to maintain their illusion of power.
Track #4~ Cixi (Dragon Lady)
I created this piece as a retelling of the story of The Dragon Lady or Empress Dowager Cixi. Cixi’s rise to power began in darkness. When she was just 16 years old she became a concubine to Emperor Xianfeng. She then went on to birth his only child and just six years later, the Emperor died, leaving his and Cixi’s son to become the new Emperor. It was through this succession and her cunning that Cixi was able to gain much political power. Cixi went on to become one of the most powerful women in the history of China, active from the 1860s into the 1900s. As mother or adoptive mother of two Chinese emperors, she acted as regent before they were of age and continued to wield considerable influence over China after they formally assumed power. Many believed that Cixi’s methods of gaining/keeping power were shrouded in manipulation, deceit, and possibly even murder. While this may be true,upon learning about Cixi, I couldn't help but think of her dark beginnings as a concubine and how she took that darkness and turned it into power, and in many ways, used that power to create great and lasting change. Some of Cixi's political accomplishments included banning foot-binding, reforming the legal code and the education system, and outlawing certain barbaric punishments.
Track #5~ Yellow Crane Tower (Voice Memo)
After climbing down the steps of the yellow crane tower, I stumbled upon a beautiful little lily pond. It was there that I reflected upon the origin story of the tower that our tour guide shared with us. I was so inspired by the beautiful tale and the message that was hidden inside of it, so I decided to create this tune in tribute.