Composition and Music

Ryan A Marvel
pianist . arranger . composer

...follow your passion

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~~~

Compositions:

I started arranging early in my musical life, picking out melodies and wanting to color them with a different style. Composition seemed
the natural progression and soon I began to sit and play with a
pencil and paper near by. My focus until recently was mainly solo piano composition. Since 2002, I have been exploring the world of musical notation through computer programs to write orchestral scores.

One of my main musical goals is to become a film composer. I love what music can bring to a picture; emotions, colors, descriptions and subtleties that words may not be capable of. Music can add a lot to
a scene, and it must be subtle enough to not upstage the film.

Below are some of my most recent compositions.

Piano compositions:

"Building on a River: Questor's Tale" (October 2007)

        An educational video made for the Tempe Center for the
        Arts. "Rainfall", an original piano piece from my "Left Hand,
        Right Hand" album, is featured throughout the short
        film.   Producer: Dr. Mary Erickson

        Click here to view the video

"Bring you home to me" (April 2004)

        This CD is a wonderful combination of narration, poetry
        and music. Written from actual soldiers' letters from war,
        and read from a mother's perspective, this presentation of
        of prose and song is awakening.  Ryan arranged and recorded
        the solo piano, narrated the letters and played the song.
        Producer and Composer: Igor Glenn; Vocals: Kellie Walker

Bring you home to me

"Round-Up 2001" (April 2003)

        Ryan's first work on film. A documentary about the
        dying art of cattle driving in the high desert of Northern
        Arizona.  Producer: Laurie Fagen
        solo piano

Round Up -- Theme 1 Round Up -- Theme 2

Round Up -- Theme 3 Round Up -- Theme 4

Choral compositions: (sound clips coming soon...)

"Spirit in Four Directions" (March 2007)

       Benediction with anonymous text, giving honor to the four
       directions. Published May 2007.
       SATB chorus, a capella

"Sounds of Peace" (April 2002)

       Written and submitted for "Waging Peace through Singing"
       project. Beautiful text by Betti Marvel, aka "Mom".  Published
       May 2007.
       SATB chorus, a capella

"Melody of Joy" (April 2004)

        Commissioned by anonymous donor associated with Valley
       Unitarian Universalist Church for their new building
       dedication service.
       SATB chorus, brass and piano

"Spiral of Sanctity" (November 2001)

            Commissioned by VUUC to commemorate the installation of
        Rev. Lone Jensen.
        SATB chorus, solo cello

Other compositions:

"Cello Sonata No. 1" (May 2000)

Commissioned by Terry Sims for personal performance use.
Cello and piano (Recorded in May 2005 by Terry and Ryan)

Cello Sonata Sample -- First Movement

Cello Sonata Sample -- Third Movement

Samples of solo piano and orchestral music are available both in
audio and notated formats. If you are interested in commissioning
a new piece, or would like a demo CD, drop me an e-mail:

ryan@ryanmarvel.com

"If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it."

Shakespeare