“Songs for friends" are compositions that I wrote or were written for me between February and October 2024.

2024 was a horrific year for me. Marius Gundersen, a very good friend, checked in on me everyday to see how I was doing. One day in early February we both came up with this idea to write a piece of music for each other. We set some compositional guidelines: a simple piece of approximately 3 minutes in length, and easy to play. The composition “For Marius” came out almost instantly (much harder to play than I anticipated). I sent the piece off to him and he sent me a wonderful piece “For Randall” in return.

Writing became an anchor for me, so, I continued writing. I meditated on other friends who gave me a spark at some point. I wrote pieces for them and I received beautiful, warm, reflective pieces in return.

In June, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer with possible spreading. Surgery happened in August 2024 successfully removing a part of the stomach, and no spreading. I had been living with cancer for 3 years.

During the summer of 2024, my friends at Austin Classical Guitar sent me an invitation to perform the cycle "Songs for Friends”. On February 26th, 2025, I performed for the first time the 12 songs for an audience that included two people for whom I exchanged pieces, as well as the kids of my former guitar teacher, Stephen Aron who also exchanged a piece with me.

This music represents the hardest stretch of my 50 years, and I am happy that it exists today. The writing continues now in 2026, and in 2025 I began a new cycle “Songs for Family”.

Here is moment from the premiere in Austin. “Believe Again" written by Matthew Hinsley