Speech made music. Written in fall 2025 for solo cellist Dorukhan Doruk,
Once Told takes its inspiration from imagined face-to-face conversations that are direct, improvisational, and emotive. The suite comprises four movements:
“From the Humorist,” “A Special Pleading,” “Friendly Banter,” and “Swift Verdict.”

“From the Humorist” starts with a coy melody that grows in confidence and theatricality, that reaches flourishing peaks before landing an elegant punchline. “A Special Pleading” (which is an English term for an argument that twists the case to win sympathy) turns expressions of pain and sadness into a call for empathy and action. Opening and closing in despair, the movement’s center surges with urgency, more directly grabbing the listener by the shirt collar. “Friendly Banter” (an English term for light, quick exchange between people who enjoy sparring) takes a lean, rangy idea through mounting exchanges, retorts, and sharp comebacks. As the parties cool, and their differences come into focus, the work comes to rest in compromise. “Swift Verdict,” a phrase for a rapid, final judgment, is a decisive, focused outburst that bangs the judge’s gavel at the end. Marked sempre furioso (always furious), the music speeds forward in a motoric rush.