Notes: Though this playlist contains 5 tracks, they represent four projects as directed in the supplemental FAQ. Tracks 3-4 are part of the same project. The total performance time stays under the allotted 15 minutes. All of my recordings were made in informal settings with good, but not great, recording tools. Several of the recordings are a single take. A secondary goal of mine, not listed in the Personal Statement, is to become much more comfortable in the recording studio.  You may access the scores by clicking on the links in the text below, they should open in a separate page while the music continues. Thank you and enjoy!

Track 1, Nick And Nora: Words, music, guitar, and vocals by Michael Fresonke. This delicate waltz shows a move in my work towards adding more intricate guitar accompaniments to my songs. This realization stands alone and could also be the basis for adding more instruments, especially strings. 

The final goal is to incorporate using a variety of instruments, complex harmonic language, purely instrumental movements, and featured collaborations into my pop song cycles (See personal statement). Most of these elements are part of this portfolio.

Track 2, It Really Does Go Both Ways: Words, music, guitar, and vocals by Michael Fresonke. This folk-rock anthem comes from a creative period where I intentionally simplified my approach to melody, harmony, and form. The resulting set, Ten Year Crush, became my first pop song cycle.

Track 3, I Love Her Touch, A Jazz Trilogy MVT 1: Lyrics and lead sheet by Michael Fresonke; Vocals, Alexa Jordan; Piano, Jan McDaniels. This jazz inspired ballad is one example from a creative period that included various uses of chromaticism. While most of my recent music is built around extremely simple chords and scales, one of my goals is to slowly introduce chromaticism into my sets.

Track 4, Quiet Sets, A Jazz Trilogy MVT2: Lyrics and lead sheet by Michael Fresonke; Vocals, Alexa Jordan; Piano, Jan McDaniels; Guitar, Michael Fresonke. This groove, loosely based off of the Tango, is a second example from the same period as the previous track. In the tune, the verses are strictly minor while the bridge has a flourish of chromaticism.

Track 5, Little Suite In AM: Music and performance by Michael Fresonke. This suite is an homage to the great composer and pedagogue, Matteo Carcassi. In the same way his Suite in CM introduces the first position of the guitar, mine introduces the fifth position combined with open strings. One of my creative goals is to introduce instrumental movements into my pop song cycles. Though this suite is stylistically different from what I hope to include with my songs, I've included it to demonstrate facility.

Score for writing sample, In The Stillness: This score is added to supplement my writing sample.