I was born in Maryville, MO, into a family of music-lovers. My father and one sister were music teachers; another sister (who wrote the theme for the March Miniature) was a songwriter (see AndiOtness.com). I studied piano, cornet, and cello, and began composing in high school.

My musical style is strictly 19th century, and I have a particular fondness for Tchaikovsky, Chopin, and Schumann. Although I am fascinated by musical form, I consider melody the essential element of music, and I follow the principle that form should be in the service of melody.

A music score for the five piano sonatas is available on request as a pdf file; program notes are included. The Suites are orchestrations of the piano sonatas. My orchestral works are written for a Yahama DGP1XG. Because MIDI systems vary tremendously in the tone and relative volume of instruments, I have also supplied mp3 files for the Suites.

Robert R. McCrae (jmbn@verizon.net)