DESCRIPTION:
This is a performance of "Soirée" from my second year MM recital at the University of Southern California captured by my brother Andrew's cell phone! Thanks Andrew.

In November of 2005 I attended a guitar recital given by my friend Kevin Smith. He opened up with a set of pieces by the French Composer Roland Dyens. I was intrigued by the composers quirky sense of humor and dance-like meters. Most guitarists will recognize the opening of Soirée as strikingly similar (if not identical) to Dyens Vals en Skaï. And they should as its only the difference of a minor second interval that distinguishes the opening of Soirée from Dyens work. The piece was dually inspired by my Pepperdine friend Roksana Zeinapurs dinner-parties. She always cooked amazing food which was subsequently followed by music and dancing. Soirée is intended to recreate the lively atmosphere of these parties. This past Fall semester I had the privilege of performing Soirée for Roland Dyens here at USC and, after I nervously played through my composition, he said Thanks for the wink. Soirée is dedicated to the friends I made at Pepperdine University.