When I first set foot on the campus of The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1988, my vision of musical stardom was narrowly focused on synthesizers and the sounds of Depeche Mode. A degree in pop music wasn’t an option then, so enrolling as a music major seemed like the most logical step on my path to musical fame. Little did I know, my true musical journey was about to begin in a place I least expected: the university choir, and it’s there that the seeds for what would become my “Flower Songs” were sown.
Joining the choir was a decision driven by curiosity and perhaps a bit of youthful distraction. David Weiller, UNLV’s choral conductor, welcomed me into the University chorus. Initially, the choir environment felt foreign. The warm-up routines and stretches seemed odd, and truthfully, the sopranos were a strong incentive to stay beyond that first week. Then, we began to rehearse the Mozart Requiem.
This masterpiece was a revelation. It was an awakening to a world of musical depth and beauty I had never imagined. Rehearsals became deeply emotional experiences, filled with the overwhelming power of Mozart’s composition. I was transformed into a dedicated choral enthusiast, eagerly anticipating every rehearsal and performance. At the heart of this transformation was David Weiller, an exceptional educator and musician. He became that rare teacher who profoundly alters the course of a student’s life.
In my second year, I was privileged to join the advanced choir. David had a cherished tradition of performing a different arrangement of Go, Lovely Rose each year with this ensemble. Inspired by this, I decided to compose my own setting of the poem as a unique tribute to him. The choir premiered my piece the following year, 1991. Then, in the spring of 1992, we performed it again at the Western Regional ACDA convention in Hawaii, concluding our program with my composition. This marked my debut as a concert composer! The experience was already incredible, but it became truly life-changing when Barbara Harlow from Santa Barbara Music approached me after the performance. She expressed interest in publishing my work.
Barbara envisioned a set of pieces, so I selected two more flower-themed poems, I Hide Myself and With a Lily in Your Hand, and composed settings for them, weaving in musical threads from Go, Lovely Rose. These three pieces became my “flower songs”. Their publication soon led to actual commissions, launching my career as a professional composer. Looking back, I am struck by the serendipity of it all. Stumbling into David Weiller’s sphere of influence was a stroke of incredible luck. Without him, my life and musical path would have been drastically different. It is with immense gratitude and deep affection that I dedicate these “flower songs” to Maestro David Weiller, the guiding force behind their creation and my unexpected journey into choral music.
