The Mill Creek Concerto for Trombone and Full Orchestra(digital download)

Throughout my time at Youngstown State University in Ohio, I visited Mill Creek several times. This concerto is a reverie of those adventures and mis-adventures in the park. Movement One was inspired by the beauty and mystery of the trees and the illegible writing that adorns the bark from past lovers and general graffiti artists. The second movement is a scherzo of sorts, reminiscent of those pesky geese that gathered around and plotted evil while Bo and I would play duets under the trees by the Lilly Pond. They would stare at us with their malicious glare and “listen” while we blissfully ignored them (and cautiously watched them back of course). Sometimes they would even march in time and inch near us, the honking devils. When spring comes, the snow melts, and there is a thunderous roar as an increased volume of water gushes past the mill. Eventually, this runoff is tamed as it reaches the Mahoning River and beauty and tranquility is restored as summer returns in Movement Three.