Click to view older news posts.
Works List redesigned -
12/21/2011
The Works List portion of this site has been redesigned! The new layout is streamlined quite a bit from the old look and I hope it improves usability. Click the titles to open a separate window with more information on the piece. If you see any strange ASCII symbols that do not belong or any missing/broken links, please shoot me an email and I will get it fixed.
Also, the Bamboo Cutter piano-vocal score has been slightly updated and I fixed the missing first half of the orchestral score to Upon A Dark Horizon. Enjoy! - Joe
Updated scores -
12/14/2011
I recently updated a few scores and have uploaded the new versions to the site today. First, few small changes you might not even notice happened to Upon A Dark Horizon as suggested by Chris Nichols with the CSU band performance in November. Second, after consulting with the performers/commissioners, here are new versions of Imaginary Sheep and Other Fantastic Tales. The accordion notation is clarified, a few misspellings in German are fixed, and we re-worked quite a few of the word splits. - Joe
New Voices at CUA profile -
12/10/2011
Check out my composer profile on the New Voices at CUA festival page here. Neat! - Joe
Dark Horizon video -
12/9/2011
Colorado State posted an excellent video of the premiere performance of Upon A Dark Horizon from the Aries Festival. Check it out here:
- Joe
New Blog Post -
11/28/2011
I am waiting on recordings from the recent band premieres to post here and also to blog about the experience earlier in the month. In the meantime, check out a new blog post about the perils of doing yard work in a strange place. Also, I fixed several links in the blog section that were broken due to the site migration a few months back. - Joe
New short trio -
10/30/2011
Today I put the finishing touches a short trio called Nimbus for flute, violin, and double bass. It was written specifically for the Bateira Trio who are performing a Vox Novus concert in 2012, and I should hear in January whether or not it was selected. If you would like to hear the MIDI rendition of the work, click here at your own risk:
- Joe
New blog post -
10/18/2011
Here's a new blog post about the recent performance of "Songs of Enchantment and Wonder" at Salem College. - Joe
Site downtime -
10/11/2011
...and we're back in business! After a lengthy bit of downtime due to a hosting switch, the site should be up and visible to everyone again. Big thanks to webmaster extraordinare Doug for ironing out the DNS settings this afternoon. A few items of note since I last posted:
* Songs of Enchantment and Wonder was selected for the New Voices at Catholic University of America festival in January. The performance info will be up as soon as I have definite details.
* Frenetico will be premiered at Bucknell in November under the direction of Dr. William Kenny. I am very excited to hear this piece live!
* Julia and I had a wonderful trip to Winston-Salem last weekend for the concert celebrating Margaret Sandresky's music. We met some great people and heard some really fine performances on the Saturday night concert. I will be posting a blog in the next couple of days with some comments and pictures from the trip.
* I finally finished note entry for the commissioned string duo - now on to editing and then printing! - Joe
Get me to the church on time -
9/15/2011
This past weekend Julia and I were married in a beautiful and intimate ceremony in West Chester with some of our friends and family attending from across the country. A great time was had by all and I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Faunbrook Inn and Limoncello Ristorante if you are in the area. - Joe
Wind Ensemble Premiere -
9/2/2011
The wind ensemble version of Upon A Dark Horizon will be premiered at the Colorado State Aries Festival in November. The score and parts shipping out early next week and I am very much looking forward to hearing the piece! Julia and I are also hoping to find time for a New Belgium brewery visit while we're in Fort Collins - mmmm... Fat Tire. - Joe
Contest news -
8/24/2011
Here's one piece of the previously-mentioned good news -- This past weekend I received word that Songs of Enchantment and Wonder won the Margaret Vardell Sandresky competition at Salem College. The performance information appears here on the site and I am hoping to be able to attend the composition symposium that afternoon in Winston-Salem. Exciting! - Joe
Band version of Dark Horizon -
8/22/2011
A couple of exciting things are brewing but until I can release details here is an updated copy of the score to the band version of Upon A Dark Horizon. Several minor register issues and percussion text changes have been fixed and the parts have also been updated. Class prep is going extremely well - classes start Wednesday! - Joe
New job and residence -
8/07/2011
Julia and I just completed a move from Kansas City, MO to New Cumberland, PA! I will be joining the music faculty at Bucknell University this fall and am looking forward to working with some excellent students and fellow faculty members. We are close to finishing the unpacking and just got re-connected to the internet - please let me know if I missed an email if I don't get back to you in the next couple of days. - Joe
New work for solo flute -
7/18/2011
Updates are slow in these sweltering summer months but here is a new piece for solo flute - A Flutist's Field Guide To Insects. If you would like to torture your ears with a MIDI realization feel free to do so here. - Joe
Music Ordering via PayPal -
6/13/2011
I am pleased to announce a major site update - you may now use PayPal when ordering my scores! Click the Order Music link at the top of this page and add scores to your cart. Finalize your order via the "View Cart" button at the bottom of the page. Remember that you may also order PDF copies at half price to save on shipping costs and printing time. - Joe
Upcoming Performances -
6/12/2011
The performances list has been updated for the summer. Since I usually do not have many performances between June - August this is a welcome change! - Joe
Song Cycle Score -
6/7/2011
The piano version of my soprano song cycle Imaginary Sheep and Other Fantastic Tales is now available for perusal and/or order. I am excited to hear the original version with accordion this summer, too. Enjoy! - Joe
New blog post -
5/27/2011
Today features a new blog post discussing my philosophy on writing music that performers enjoy playing. While writing the post I was inspired for the next topic, which I will save for next week after the holiday. - Joe
Band transcription now available -
5/20/2011
Recently I finished transcribing an orchestra work written this past winter for wind band in the hopes of increasing the chances of having it performed. You will find the band version of Upon A Dark Horizon in the wind band section of my works list, along with a MIDI realization of the transcription. Personally I think the piece works well in either medium and I am proud of it even after letting it sit for a while. Please visit the Music Orders page to request the score and parts, and please help me spread the word on this piece - it should make your band sound like a million bucks!
Also, I found several small mistakes in the orchestral score which have now been corrected. - Joe
New work for young band -
5/12/2011
If you are interested in educational music I will direct your attention to my page dedicated to works for young band. Full Moon is the second piece of a three-part series with themes on vampires and werewolves, with grade levels suitable for beginners as well as more advanced players. The final work will be the most technically challenging of the trilogy - stay tuned for more details! - Joe
New song cycle -
5/9/2011
At long last I can finally post the score to a new song cycle for soprano and accordion(!). Imaginary Sheep and Other Fantastic Tales was commissioned last year by my friends Rob and Melissa Overton, who chose the source poems by Christian Morgenstern. This was quite the challenging piece for me as I do not speak German (nor have I set it before) and have never written for accordion. A big thanks goes to Rob who recorded himself speaking the poems so I had an idea on the syllabic construction and pronunciation!
I will create a piano version soon for those of you who do not have any accordion-playing friends, and hopefully Rob and Mel will be premiering the work in August. Stay tuned for more info! - Joe
New (old) work available -
4/26/2011
Moonlit Meadows for trumpet, cello and piano is now available to order. The work was written in 2004 and uses modal lines with an emphasis on counterpoint. An audio recording of the premiere by the Orenunn Trio is available in the Works List (which is now accessible again after some bad coding - whoops!) - Joe
Several news updates -
4/25/2011
Essence - a short work for solo guitar - was selected for the Vox Novus 15 Minutes of Fame concert series in NYC. It will be premiered by guitarist Kenji Haba alongside 14 other one-minute works. Excellent!
The live recording of Cradling Persephone is now available under the Works List. Many thanks to Trio Fab for their hard work on the piece! The work is now available to order if you would like to perform the trio.
Finally, I am still looking for a premiere performance of Frenetico if any band directors are looking for a good concert opener (or wherever you feel it might fit on the program). - Joe
Blog post -
4/20/2011
A new blog post is up today - Learn To Look Up.
Also, if you are in Lawrence next week make sure to check out the dance performance that includes my piece Cradling Persephone. The dancers are knocking it out of the park and would love to see you there! - Joe
Horn Sonata performance -
4/14/2011
For those of you in the Denver area, don't miss the Colorado Chamber Music Society on May 21st, with Sara Keene playing my Horn Sonata. The concert is at the Decker Public Library, 1501 S. Logan in Denver. - Joe
Songs of Enchantment Recording -
3/9/2011
You can hear a recording of the recently-premiered Songs of Enchantment and Wonder on the Facebook page, or on this site by clicking here. A hearty thanks and bravo to Lisa Neher - to whom the cycle is dedicated - and the amazing Josh Charles on piano!
Update - the premiere is also available on Youtube: Songs 1 and 2 - Songs 3 and 4 - Joe
New Blog Post -
3/5/2011
A new blog post is online, discussing programming contemporary works alongside great masterpieces. - Joe
Commissioned Work for Dance -
2/24/2011
Recently I finished a commissioned work for choreographer Michelle Hayes called Cradling Persephone. Scored for flute, clarinet and cello, the piece is inspired by Persphone, queen of the underworld. The dancers are hard at work rehearsing for the performances at the end of April, and I am excited to watch the movements and music sync up! You can hear the piece here:
Also, a recording of the first movement of Nautilus is now online. - Joe
Past Performances -
2/20/2011
You may now view a complete list of past performances at the end of the Performances box to the right. If you find something missing or incorrect, please send me an email and I will fix or add to the list. - Joe
New Audio Posted -
2/19/2011
There are two new audio excerpts available today - the first and third movements of Aurora Sings At Dawn and the first, second, and final movements of Songs of This War. Please check them out under "Vocal" in the Works List.
In other news, I recently finished a new commission for a trio to accompany dancers which will premiere in April. Hopefully this week I can get the score and audio mock-up online - stay tuned! - Joe
New Blog Post -
2/4/2011
There is a new blog post online today discussing what I like to call the Riker Third. A bit of geeky theory fun for a chilly Friday in Kansas City!
Also, the scores to Nautilus and dustdevil have been updated with a few minor corrections and re-uploaded.
- Joe
Wind Band recordings -
2/1/2011
I just uploaded a bunch of recordings of my wind band music to the page under the Works List. They are all live recordings except Frenetico, of which I am still looking for a premiere. Enjoy! - Joe
Horn Concerto and Dark Horizon -
1/31/2011
The horn concerto premiere was a fabulous success - Paul and Ellen played their hearts out, and I am thrilled to be able to hear the piece live. Audio files are posted on the Facebook page, so please give them a listen!
Also, I have finished extracting the parts for Upon A Dark Horizon and re-uploaded the score after finding a few minor errors in the original score. That piece is now available for purchase under Order Music. - Joe
Revised score -
1/26/2011
I know I just wrote that I do not tend to revise my works, but a recent performance of Songs of This War inspired me to re-write the third movement. The clarinet key clicks look good on paper but just do not sound out in the audience. At Robert McNichols's recital the pianist took over the role of the "ghostly snare drummer" and I have re-written the score to reflect this change. It sounds GREAT and I cannot wait to get a recording up to reflect the change. - Joe
Performance and Blog -
1/24/2011
If you are in the Lawrence area, don't miss Robert McNichols singing tonight at 7:30 on the KU campus! Also, here is a new blog post discussing my views on composition contests. - Joe
New blog post -
1/19/2011
A new blog post is online here - a brief discussion of my personal revising process compared to other composers. - Joe
New orchestra work -
1/16/2010
I just put the finishing touches on a new work for large orchestra called Upon A Dark Horizon. It is approximately 10 minutes in length and inspired by the NASA Deep Impact mission to observe a comet at close proximity. I will be printing and mailing the piece off this week for my entry to the competition for which it was written - hopefully I will have an update in about 6 weeks with some good news!
Click below for a MIDI mock-up if you dare...
- Joe
Music Orders -
1/7/2011
I just purchased a wide-format printer which will relieve all but binding duties from my friends down at the copy shop. While sheet music is not necessarily something that goes on sale, per se, this does result in price reductions on orders of my music! Prices are updated and can be found here - Order Music - Joe
Horn Concerto premiere! -
12/16/2010
Huge and exciting news! My Horn Concerto is scheduled for a premiere on January 30, 2011 with Dr. Paul Stevens as the soloist. The horn and piano version will be part of his recital, and I'll be there cheering him on (and potentially dodging any foreign objects at the conclusion). This is extremely exciting for me since many dissertations go unperformed, and also that the horn concerto was written for and dedicated to Paul. I am glad to finally be able to hear the piece in its entirety and hope that this is the first of many performances to come! - Joe
Publications and new recording -
12/14/2010
Kefali Press has accepted Midnight in the Butterfly Garden, Part 2 and Songs of Enchantment and Wonder for publication in the spring of 2011. I will post again when the works are available - for now you may still order copies from this site.
The premiere performance of Shimmer by the Allegresse Trio can be found in the Works List, or you may listen to it right here:
- Joe
Music Ordering and new scores online -
12/2/2010
Pricing and ordering information for my works can be found by clicking Order Music at the top of the page. If you order music and program a work, please let me know and I will put the concert information on the site!
Scores are now available for four older band works in the Works section. Check out The Last Gunslinger, Pursuit, Chaudron, and Crestline Escapade.
Finally, the full score for Nautilus is now available online. - Joe
Year in Review -
11/17/2010
Normally these lists don't start until December, but I am getting the jump on the crowd! 2010 was what I would describe as a very good year, indeed. I finished my DMA, had some great performances, and completed works that I consider to be some of my highest quality yet. While I am starting a new piece this week and have a song cycle commission coming up, I don't know that I'll finish anything before the new year rolls in. Here's a recap of my work in 2010 - if you are a new visitor, please feel free to contact me if you would like to perform any of these pieces!
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra - written for Dr. Paul Stevens and served as my DMA dissertation.
Shimmer - written for the Allegresse Trio, and my first "non-student" work. I love this one...
Songs of Enchantment and Wonder - song cycle for Lisa Neher on wonderful poems by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Frenetico - energetic work for wind band, my first band piece in several years and it was a ton of fun to write!
this is the garden - chamber orchestra piece inspired by an E.E. Cummings poem. I have high hopes for this piece, and would love to hear a live version soon!
That's all for now - keep checking back and thank you for your continued support, friends!
- Joe
Frenetico score/parts, Horn Concerto audio -
11/12/2010
An updated score to Frenetico is now online, fixing a range issue and a few tiny details. The individual parts are now complete and available for distribution - tell your band director friends! - Joe
Final blog and full score -
11/8/2010
The last blog post is online, with discussion on the second half of the piece. Hard copies of the score should arrive early this week and I'll get it in the mail by Thursday - fingers crossed for the first contest entry!
Here is a link to the full score for my new piece this is the garden for chamber orchestra. You can also click the following for a semi-decent MIDI realization - don't judge this too harshly until you've heard the real thing!
- Joe
New blog post -
11/4/2010
A new blog post is up - why "keeping it simple" isn't always easy, plus a great episode of Frasier! Also, note entry on the piece is done - all that's left is cleaning up percussion and cutting about 45 seconds of material. Gonna show this deadline who's boss! - Joe
Contest news -
11/3/2010
I sent off the Horn Concerto on Monday to its first contest! I admit that I am a little more anxious about this one, since I put a great deal of time and effort into that piece. Receiving bad news from contests and calls for scores never feels good, but I think this one might hurt a little more since I have high hopes for the piece. I tried a new pseudonym this time since Mr. G. Li Altri wasn't doing so well in his entries - fingers crossed! - Joe
Third blog post -
11/1/2010
Another blog post is online discussing drawing listeners in with the first note of a piece. 11 days left to get the score in the mail! - Joe
Second blog post -
10/26/2010
The second blog post is up, with information on pre-composition and an idea for a reality show featuring composers! - Joe
Local composer friend and new blog -
10/25/2010
Check out the work of Kansas City-based composer Nick Omiccioli here and his blog here - great stuff!
Also, here is a new feature for the site - a blog that will discuss my current project, with sketches and samples of the work as it comes together. The first post is up with more to follow, and you can find it right here. - Joe
Work in progress -
10/22/2010
I started the orchestra piece 5-6 times before it really got rolling, and things almost came to a screeching halt yesterday after hitting a block on the fast section. However, note entry starts tomorrow and I am hoping to have the sketch done in the next 10 days in time for a November deadline! Back to work... - Joe
Orchestra update -
10/18/2010
Two quick looks into the orchestra piece, which is finally shaping up!
Reduction of the first half, plus energy graph:
Piccolo solo with string texture reduction:
- Joe
Concerto parts and Allegresse reminder -
10/07/2010
The orchestra parts for the horn concerto are FINALLY done! Spent an excellent couple of days with family in town from Texas, now back to work on the orchestra piece this afternoon. Don't forget to check out the Allegresse premiere if you are in Lawrence this coming Monday night! - Joe
New work for chamber orchestra -
9/24/2010
Here is a sneak preview of the work space for a new piece for chamber orchestra - I've started this piece a few times and have various sections that I like, it is just a matter of figuring out how to put those sections in a straight line. Sounds easy enough, right?
- Joe
Horn Concerto update -
9/22/2010
The individual parts for the orchestra version of the concerto are nearly done - one more trip to Starbucks in the near future should do the trick! Also, Paul has a potentially excellent connection to do a live premiere of the horn/piano version in the next couple of months - stay tuned for more details! - Joe
Radio interview airs Thursday! -
9/21/2010
I will be the featured guest this week on the "Prism" new music radio show, hosted by Jason Charney. The show airs Thursday, September 23rd and can be heard on 90.7 FM in the Lawrence area or streamed online here.
My featured works are dustdevil, Nautilus, Bamboo Cutter and the Moon, and Pan's Flute and I also brought in a selection of other music that inspires my writing to fill out the rest of the show. Check it out! - Joe
Info on Shimmer premiere -
9/13/2010
Come hear the fabulous Allegresse trio on Margaret Marco's oboe recital on October 11th, where they will premiere my trio Shimmer. More details here. - Joe
dustdevil -
9/10/2010
Audio excerpts from my piece dustdevil are now available under the Works > Orchestra section. - Joe
More Audio -
9/09/2010
Excerpts from Bamboo Cutter and the Moon and Midnight in the Butterfly Garden (Part 2) are online! - Joe
Audio Excerpts -
9/08/2010
Audio excerpts are being posted to the site in the Works section, beginning with the Horn Concerto and Pan's Flute. More to come as I edit them, and you can still find full versions on Facebook. - Joe
Moving, Concerto, and updates -
8/27/2010
Hello friends! I am sorry for the lack of updates, but Julia and I have finally finished our move to Kansas City. A blog post may be upcoming about some of the crazy adventures we've had in the past month!
In the meantime here are a few updates on projects and performances:
- Performances updated with the information that I have. If you are playing something of mine, please send me an email and I will post the info here.
- Dr. Paul Stevens is nearly ready to record the horn/piano version of the horn concerto! Stay tuned...
- Speaking of the concerto (my DMA dissertation, now accepted by ProQuest!) here are PDF copies of the orchestra score, solo part, and piano reduction. Please contact me if you would like to order hard copies.
- The "Frenetico" score has been updated, correcting some slight errors that I found during our moving down-time.
That's all for now, thank you for your patience and please keep checking the site for news on some exciting upcoming projects!
- Joe
New Piece! -
7/25/2010
What a whirlwind - started and finished a work for wind ensemble in a very short amount of time! The piece is pure energy and I could barely sleep at night with it pulsing away in my head. Here's the score for "Frenetico" and click here for a "Merry-go-round from Hell" MIDI mock-up. - Joe
Preview - New Band Work -
7/19/2010
Working on an energetic new piece for wind ensemble that I am liking rather well at the moment - pardon the mess!
- Joe
New Song Cycle -
7/13/2010
Just finished a new song cycle for mezzo and piano, "Songs of Enchantment and Wonder" with poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson. The piece was written for my friend Lisa Neher and you can check out her own music here. - Joe
Competition News -
7/09/2010
"To Those Who Fly" wins first prize in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony composition contest! The piece will be premiered in May 2011 and published by Cimarron Music. - Joe
Looking for Recordings? -
7/08/2010
If you are looking for recordings of my music, please visit the Facebook artist page. There are several older works not currently uploaded - please email if you are looking for something that is not currently online. - Joe
Quick Look -
7/06/2010
Working on a cycle for mezzo and piano on RL Stevenson's poetry:
- Joe
Brass Fanfares -
7/01/2010
Several scores for brass fanfares are now online under Works > Wind Band. Approximate grade levels are also given for all completed band works. - Joe
dustdevil -
6/23/2010
The score to my orchestra work "dustdevil" is now online - you can find it here and in the Works section. - Joe
Father's Day and "SOTW" -
6/20/2010
Happy Father's Day! My father Bill Eidson (Air Force) and Julia's father Daniel Gallagher (Navy) both served our country, and we are extremely proud of them. We miss Dan greatly and wish he were here to celebrate with us. If anyone is interested in performing my baritone song cycle "Songs of This War" in honor of these men and our troops, I will send you a free PDF copy of the parts. - Joe
Vocal Music Samples -
6/20/2010
Sample scores to four major vocal works are now available under Works > Vocal/Opera. - Joe
First Score Samples Online -
6/17/2010
Score samples are now available in PDF format. The first to be uploaded are under Chamber Works > Mixed Ensemble. More will follow shortly! - Joe
Music Industry Blog -
6/14/2010
In a band? Want to be in one? Check out Jeff Scheel's blog - the lead singer of Gravity Kills dispenses sage advice to up-and-coming acts. The entry "Do you have a plan" from June 2010 is particularly helpful for any artist trying to make a living in this business. - Joe
New Trio -
6/10/2010
Just finished "Shimmer" for the Allegresse Trio - see the full score here. - Joe
Contest Entries -
5/28/2010
Sent in 3 contest entries today, and still waiting to hear back from 10 others. I feel like I am single-handedly helping the post office through the recession! - Joe
Twitter and Facebook -
5/26/2010
Please follow me on Twitter or on the Facebook artist page - your support is greatly appreciated! - Joe
The doctor is in -
5/15/2010
Graduation day! 10 years of hard work finally coming to a close. Freelance composer looking for commissions! - Joe
SOTW Performance postponed -
4/12/2010
The "Songs of This War" performance with Robert McNichols will now happen in the fall - I will update with details as soon as they are finalized. Looking forward to hearing another fabulous performance of this work! - Joe
Defense passed! -
4/09/2010
On Wednesday I passed the defense with honors! The committee was very supportive of the piece, and I am looking forward to the orchestra premiere with Paul Stevens! Now we just have to find the right orchestra... - Joe
Dissertation defense -
4/02/2010
The horn concerto is complete! Defense scheduled for Wednesday April 7, 3:30pm... - Joe
2010 Vista Festival -
3/23/2010
The Opera Vista festival kicks off today - Julia and I are flying to Houston to meet everyone and hear the other chamber operas! Check for updates at www.operavista.org and twitter.com/josepheidson - Joe
DMA Recital -
3/09/2010
FABULOUS job last night at the recital - all of the performers played their hearts out! Recordings will be on the Facebook page ASAP. 150 bars left on the concerto score... - Joe
Dissertation Update and Twitter -
2/16/2010
First movement scored for full orchestra, 100 pages to go! Also, follow updates via Twitter (@josepheidson) - Joe
Dissertation Update -
1/30/2010
The Concerto for Horn and Orchestra is done! At least, the piano version is complete. Edits and orchestration coming soon! - Joe
Contest News -
11/20/2009
"Aurora Sings At Dawn" has been awarded third prize in the Aurora Borealis Duo composition contest. You can visit the website of this talented duo at www.auroraborealisduo.com - Joe
Semifinalist! -
10/10/2009
"Bamboo Cutter and the Moon" was selected as a semifinalist in the Opera Vista chamber opera competition! Excerpts will be performed at the 2010 Vista Festival in Houston, TX and the audience will select the winner. Read more at www.operavista.org - Joe
Songs of This War -
09/19/2009
Finally, at long last... "Songs of This War" for baritone/clarinet/piano is ready. A song cycle based on the Civil War poems of Herman Melville, and dedicated to those who serve our country in the armed forces. - Joe
Aurora Sings At Dawn -
07/02/2009
New song cycle for soprano and solo percussion is (finally) done. Happy early 4th of July! - Joe
Bamboo Cutter Recording -
06/25/2009
Bamboo Cutter and the Moon premiere recording posted on the Facebook artist page! - Joe
Contests and new work -
06/01/2009
Nautilus received an honorable mention from the Music09 contest - sweet! New fanfare To Those Who Fly sent to Dallas Winds today. - Joe
Click to hide older news posts.