100 Days 100 Nights
2025
Recorded in Vienna, Austria at the Synchron Stage with the Synchron Stage Orchestra as part of the Hollywood Music Workshop with Conrad Pope.
100 Days 100 Nights is a musical reflection on unspoken longing and the quiet ache of hope. Inspired by a scene from the film Cinema Paradiso in which a man stands beneath a woman’s window for one hundred nights, waiting to be seen, the piece traces his journey from devotion to disillusionment. On the ninety-ninth night, he turns away—choosing the comfort of hope over the pain of rejection. Yet, in the story’s final moment, love finds him when he least expects it. Through its unfolding melodies and suspended harmonies, 100 Days, 100 Nights explores the tension between patience and surrender, between desire and the bittersweet beauty of waiting.
You Never Know The Last Time ...
2025
Oboe and Piano
Written for my senior oboe recital at CU Boulder, premiered on November 9th, 2025
You know that old saying “You never know the last time you pick up your child.”? Well, I started thinking about other things that you never know the last time you will do. The last time you’ll step foot in your high school, the last time you drive down that road, the last time you see your friend, the last time you say goodbye. I wrote this in the last year of my undergraduate degree, when so much in my life, that used to be constant, was now in a stage of change. My older friends going off to grad school, my high school friends coming back home less and less, my future up the air with school ending, etc ... This piece captures all the feelings you go through when you’re experiencing uncertainty like this. I try and capture a range of emotions, from love and safety, to anger and despair, ending with nostalgia and that feeling that You Never Know the Last Time ...
The Mountains Over Hohenwerfen
2025
String Quartet
The Mountains Over Hohenwerfen is a String Quartet written for the Koa String Quartet, the graduate string quartet in residence at CU Boulder in 2025. The piece takes us on a journey of a day of hiking in the town of Werfen, Austria, just south of Salzburg. Werfen is home to the magnificent Eisriesenwelt (Ice caves) and the Sound of Music hike, among other attractions of course, like the stoic castle situated on a hill overlooking the town (named Hohenwerfen). I spent a day in this town, and by far the most stunning part was hiking the mountains over Hohenwerfen and experiencing first-hand the sheer beauty this world has to offer.
Under the Same Sky
2025
Accordion and Violin, Commissioned by Harumi Rhodes
Under the Same Sky was commissioned by Harumi Rhodes and performed on CU's Faculty Tuesday on September 9th, 2025
Under The Same Sky composed by Luka Vezmar, commissioned by Harumi Rhodes, is a piece about discovery, joy and intrigue. Scored for Violin and Accordion, Under the Same Sky blends music and theatrics to tell the story of two musicians discovering what their instruments can do, and what music they can make together. The Violin and Accordion are heavily used in many styles of folk music, which influenced certain sections of this piece. Through music, we can bring joy, community, a sense of togetherness, and the feeling that even despite our differences, we all live Under the Same Sky.
What's the Matter?
2024
Reed Quintet
What's the Matter is a piece for Reed Quintet (Oboe, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet and Bassoon). Each movement is about the different materials that comprises these instruments. Mvt. 1: Grenadilla Blues is about the grenadilla wood that the Oboe, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet are made of. Mvt. 2: Brass Ballad is about the brass that the saxophone is made of. The only one that's not made out of wood. And finally Mvt. 3: Maple Wood Rag is about the maple wood that the bassoon is made out of. The third movement is special because the bassoon derails the movement, because it is sick and tired of playing the downbeats.
Beautifully Me
2024
Middle School Band, Orchestra and Choir
Commissioned by the Platt Middle School Band, Orchestra and Choir in August 2024, Beautifully Me incorporates Melodies and lyrics written by the students of Platt Middle School in Boulder, CO. The commission was to write a piece for their band, orchestra and hour and to use melodies written by the students so that the piece is special to them. Premiered in November, 2024
Sad Academic Chairs
2024
Saxophone Quartet
Sad Academic Chairs is based off a Tumblr page called “Sad Chairs of Academia” where anyone and everyone can post photos of chairs at their university that look incredibly sad. I chose four of those chairs that inspired me to write the four movements. Each movement is based on a different photo of said chairs, and embodies the emotion that chair is giving off.
Premiered by the ~Nois Saxophone Quartet at CU Boulder in November 2024.
The Dance of the Harbor Seals
2024
Oboe and Clarinet Duet
Dance of the Harbor Seals was composed by Luka Vezmar in the summer of 2024 for his joint junior recital with Nikhila Narayana.
Dance of the Harbor Seals was written to be a fun duet for two friends to play, about Luka’s favorite animal, the Harbor Seal.
Throughout the piece you’ll hear distinct sections that change character very drastically, which is showcasing the fun and eclectic nature of the seal. There are many parts of the harbor seal that are represented musically in this piece.
The music opens with a section that supposed to mimic the seals barking, there is a section about how their slap their abdomens with their flippers, and there’s even a section about how they bounce and waddle on land. The piece is an ode the harbor seal, because they are the best animal to ever exist.
Premiered by Luka Vezmar and Nikhila Narayana at CU Boulder in November, 2024
Ode to the S9
2024
Solo Piano
Ode to the S9 is a solo piano piece about my personal experience with the SBahn line in Berlin, Germany. I did a summer program for about a month, and I was staying in Adlershof. There was a direct train line from Adlershof to Alexanderplatz (where we would go frequently). At first the S9 was great, supper efficient and comfortable. Then out of nowhere, the S9 just disappeared, out of the blue. Couldn't find any notices or anything on the internet about the line being down. After three weeks of no proof of life from the S9, I started to question my own sanity. Then suddenly, and without warning, it reappeared! I was exstatic, I got on the first train I could and rode it with glee. After two stops, in Schöneweide, we were idling on the tracks for a little bit too long. I started to get weary as this was not normal for the SBahn trains. Then the conductor and other security people came on board and started yelling at us in German, Everyone started to file off the train and I reluctantly went with them. I had to take 2 buses and another SBahn line to get where I wanted to go. The S9 had betrayed me. After that, I said goodbye with a heavy heart and the S9 and I parted ways, never to be reunited again.
Colors of Croatia
2024
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
Mvt 1: Zagreb, Old Town vs. The Block
This movement is based off the architecture of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. It is a fight between to the two instrument groups, brass vs. saxes. The brass represent the new part of Zagreb (Novi Zagreb) which was built during Communism and is denoted by tall grey rectangles of concrete, looming over the city. The Saxophones represent Old Zagreb which is denoted by ornate buildings, small streets, and red roofs. The two parts alternate, with their outbursts decreasing in length, until the come together with a bang! Simulating the cannon that sounds every day at noon.
Mvt. 2: Zadar, The Singing Stairs
This movement is about Zadar’s sea organ, dubbed the singing stairs. Zadar is a town on the coast, in the region of Dalmatia, which used to be a Roman city 3000 years ago. In 2005, architect Nikola Bašić designed the sea organ, which sits on the Adriatic Sea, at the edge of the town. The sea organ looks like stairs descending into the sea, but when the waves hit the stairs and push water and air into the organ, a beautiful melody plays. It is the sound of water and nature, which is emulated in this movement.
Mvt. 3: Dubrovnik, Within the Walls of Stone
This movement is about all of the different balkan cultures that are held within the walls of Old Town Dubrovnik. It begins with a very stoic and proper theme, which emulates the vastness of the stone walls. We then go inside the walls, and enter a party scene with many different cultures. This is emulated through the Balkan Bass Brand style of music that is prevalent in this movement. It takes inspiration from Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Slovenian traditional folk music. It represents the amount of diversity and unity from the former Yugoslavian countries that occurs within the walls of Old Town Dubrovnik.
Premiered by the CU Wind Symphony at the Rayback Collective in October, 2024
Shahin's Falls
2024
Wind Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, F Horn, Bassoon)
Shahin's Falls is a piece about a painting of the same name by Peter Dean. The music takes the listener through a journey of the painting, from the big dark brooding rocks to the flowing river, through the pasture of grass and jagged stones, and finally up into the clouds, shaded red by the setting sun.
Premiered by the Elevator Quintet at the CU Art Museum in March, 2024
Dreamscapes
2023
Bass Clarinet, Piano
Dreamscapes is a piece for bass clarinet and piano, and is based off of three dreams that I had. Movement one is titled The Wandering Clock and it’s a slower movement. This dream was like a Salvador Dali Painting and a Tim Burton film rolled into one, and I have a friend who was a clock and we just walked around and enjoyed life. Movement two is called The Forest Dweller and it was a nightmare of mine. It started off with me walking through the woods and then I noticed a creature following me. The movement then turns all paranoid, ending in a jumpscare! But it turns out all the creature wanted was to show me the way out of the woods, and off to safety. Movement three is entitled The Cursed Marionette, which was just based of an insane dream of mine that had no rhyme or reason to it, and you’ll hear that emulated in themovement as well.
Premiered by Gleyton Pinto and Max Randal in April, 2024
Vetheuil
2023
Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon
Vetheuil is a piece for Double Reed Trio (Oboe, English Horn, and Bassoon), by Luka Vezmar. The piece is inspired by paintings of Claude Monet, all bearing the same name. Vetheuil is a small town in France, located on the Seine, about 60 kilometers northwest of Paris. Monet painted many versions of Vetheuil, usually with different light effects, or during different times of the day. The composer chose 6 paintings that told the story of how this town looked through the course of one day, with each painting being assigned a movement. Dawn, Morning, Day, Afternoon, Evening and Sunset. Each movement is attacca, making the piece feel continuous, just like a regular day is. Enjoy!
Premiered by Lisa Read, Sophie Maeda and Madison Triplett at CU Boulder in February, 2024
Pangea
2023
Voice, Violin
Pangea is a short work written for Duo Cortona. It explores the whole range of both the violin and voice, creating wondrous colors. The meaning of this piece is up to the listener, which is why the lyrics are in no particular language. Just like Pangea brought together our continents, music brings us together. I hopeyou enjoy.
Cello Duo
2022
2 Cellos
I wrote this piece for Marti Flickinger and Everlin Roark which is about my struggle with depression. This was my first time writing for strings and Marti and Everlin were a huge help making this piece come to life. I am greatly appreciative to them for playing my piece and working so hard on it.
Fresh Produce
2022
Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, F Horn, Bassoon
Fresh Produce is a five movement work for wind quintet. Each of the movements are titled as different fruits and the character of the music embodies that fruit. We start off with Lemon, a tangy sour taste to it, but, when used in the right ways, can be a delicious addition to a dessert. Grape is the second movement, which has a more melancholy feel, it goes with the color purple. The third is Watermelon, which has a bigger, richer, more fun character to it. In the middle of the movement we have a moment of reflection, like when you were a kid and swallowed a seed, and your parents told you a watermelon would grow in your belly. Then we are right back to the fun afterwards. The penultimate movement is Peach, this movement has quite a nostalgic feeling, like a peach tree flowing in the wind, while sun rays glow through the branches. The final movement is Pineapple which is raunchy, prickly and all over the place. Together they make Fresh Produce for Wind Quintet.