About the Book
A Soldier's Prayer was composed in 2004 as an assignment for my studies as music composition major at West Valley Community College in Saratoga,
California. It's first performance was given by fellow music major and
vocalist, Briana Donahue, as I accompanied her on Piano in the recital
hall of the College's music building on December 17th, 2004. Since the
piece's first performance, I developed it a bit further and gave it its
first performance in it's newly developed form on June 5th, 2008. For
that performance, the voice of Gabriella Zurzolo joined forces with my
accompaniment on Piano, all in the great hall of the Ruppersdorf
Wasserschloss in Ruppersdorf/ Herrnhut, Germany.
Performance Time: 6min.
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Born in 1985 and raised in San Jose, California, I grew up with a very musical background. I imitated simple tunes by ear
on the piano as a child that my father would play and I eventually began
to formally learn how to read and play music at the age of 10 by
learning the trombone. At 15, as a Sophomore in High School, I then
picked up the guitar. The idea of composing music had always intrigued
me. However, after being exposed to some jazz arrangements and a
composition by a high school marching band friend and fellow trombonist,
the wheels began to turn in my life that eventually brought me to the
decision that I wanted to spend the rest of my life composing music. The
idea that something never heard or even imagined before could come out
of someone's mind and be written down for others to read, play and hear
had fascinated and inspired me to go for it myself. My music is largely
inspired by my faith in God and should tell you about Him and what He
has done in my life through the salvation His Son, Jesus Christ, brought
to you and me.
I like this quote:
"Life, wherever it
reveals itself; truth, no matter how bitter; bold, sincere speech with
people -- these are my leaven, these are what I want, this is where I am
afraid of missing the mark."
- Mussorgsky in a letter to Vladimir Stasov
-Daniel Mollé
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