I was one of those kids that read each Harry Potter book in about a day. I would get so locked in to the stories that I would forget meals and stay up through the night reading, always hungry for…
John Williams – Harry Potter Sequence 1
Take Me Out To The Ball Game Sequence
It’s springtime. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the grass is growing, and its BASEBALL SEASON. I grew up a Bay Area sports fan, and continue to root for the Giants and the A’s, but my baseball fan-ship is…
Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade Sequence 1
This sequence focuses on a chromatic fanfare that the trombones and trumpets play in the second movement of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov‘s Scheherazade. This orchestral work is a shimmering masterpiece that is full of life, spinning tales of the sea, princes, and…
Dropkick Murphys – Shipping Up to Boston Sequence
Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend to all! In the spirit of this American/Irish holiday, I’ve chose a fun minor scale sequence from an American Celtic Punk band called the Dropkick Murphy’s. This group rose to fame by writing music for…
Purcell – Rondo in D Minor Sequence
This sequence is based on the first melody from Henry Purcell‘s Rondeau in D minor, from his Abdelazer suite. Unless you are a baroque music buff, you are more likely to know this melody as the theme from Benjamin Britten‘s Young Persons Guide…
Shostakovich – Festive Overture Sequence 1
This piece starts with a regal fanfare before launches into an exhilarating second section that is built around the melody featured in this sequence. This piece has grown to be one of my favorite overtures, and is yet another reason…
Mendelssohn – Lobgesang Sequence
This sequence is based on the main theme from Felix Mendelssohn‘s Symphony No. 2 Lobgesang . Up until about a month ago I had never heard this piece, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to perform it last week. The…
Bach – Little Fugue Sequence
I think I knew what a fugue was in high school, but the genius and beauty of Bach Fugues finally hit me when I was in my first year at UCLA. I remember my theory professor Dr. Carlson sharing some recordings from…
Verdi – Rigoletto Sequence 1
Verdi’s Rigoletto was premiered in 1851, and tells a tragic story of revenge gone wrong. For more about the plot, check out wikipedia. This aria is sung by the Duke of Mantua, who is a very selfish, arrogant character, who takes…
Vulfpeck – Dean Town Sequence 1
Vulpeck is an American Funk band that formed in 2011 while the core members were students at University of Michigan’s school of music. The band has gone on to release four fantastic albums, multiple EPs, and now tours the world…