ALUMNI composers

Sammy Strent is a composer from Bethesda, Maryland. Inspired by philosophical texts, Strent seeks to leave an impact on audiences and performers alike through his music that features frequent harmonic changes and intricate rhythmic ostinatos. Although his main compositional passion is choral music, Strent also composes music for film, and recently worked on the short film "Waltz of Memories" by Gwyneth Johnson. Strent currently studies music composition at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Strent's music has been performed by numerous high-level ensembles including the Worcester Chamber Music Society's String Quartet, Transient Canvas, and the Frost Chamber Singers. Strent is the founder of The CCCC and has a passion for bringing new choral music to life.

Riley Ferretti is a Japanese-American composer and vocalist whose music explores the idea of human connection through choral, instrumental, and electronic music. Her inspiration spans numerous sources, from poetry to nature to personal experiences. She recently graduated from the University Of Louisville with a B.M. in Music Composition, where she won the 2021-2022 KMEA Collegiate Composition Competition for her choral piece, The Oak, and received the Sixty-Second Annual Alumni Award. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Music Composition at the University of Florida, where she is concentrating on the connection between the voice and live electronics as well as the creation of unique textures in instrumental and vocal music.

Joanna McDonald (age 21) is a senior at Rice University, majoring in music composition. She first began composing lyrics to songs at age six, which eventually developed into complete works by age 12. She wrote her first instrumental piece for solo guitar at age 15, winning several awards at the University of Tulsa's annual Béla Rózsa composition competition. Since then, she has written numerous chamber and solo works performed by ensembles such as International Contemporary Ensemble. Throughout high school she has presented her music at places such as The University of Oklahoma's collegiate Composer's Workshop and Curtis Summerfest. Most recently, Joanna has just finished a choral work commissioned by The May Festival called, “Untamed.” In the piece, she collaborated with an ASL interpreter/dancer, who acted out and translated the text sung by the choir for a non-hearing audience in attendance at the concert. Her goal was to create an inclusive and meaningful concert experience for both hearing and deaf individuals. In the future, she is interested in pursuing further these types of collaborations with communities and topics outside of music, especially the deaf community.

Qianni Lin (born in 1993 Oct 13th) is a rising Chinese young composer pursuing a Doctor Degree in composition at Hartt School of Music University of Hartford. She earned Master Degrees of both composition and music theory at the Manne School of Music. Qianni began studying piano at the age of 4 and began studying composition at the age of 13. Currently, she studies with Dr. Robert Carl. Her electronic piece Ripple has been performed on the National Student Electronic Music Event at University of North Texas in 2018; and performed on Electronic Music Midwest Festival at Kansas City Community College on September 2019. Her string quartet Rebound, commissioned by the Beo String Quartet, has been performed at the Charlotte New Music Festival in 2018. Her choral piece Epitafio para un Poeta has been performed by the C4 choir in The Church of St. Luke in the Fields in New York City in same year. Her chamber music piece Diamond Unicorn Horn which commissioned by coMUSICation program performed at Mannes School of Music on June 2019. Her violin solo Sobremesa performed on PRISM 20/20 concert for University of Hartford 100 years anniversary; and Tomorrow Will Be Better Charity Concert for Wuhan China at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in 2020. Her aria Latisha’s Lament has been performed on Really Spicy Opera The Art Institute online showcase in 2020. Her aria I Will Taste Salt to See You Again commissioned by Boston Singer Resources has performed at First Parish Dorchester at Boston in 2021. Her string quartet Backsplash which commissioned by New Britain Museum of American Art and has performed in the museum on April 2022. Her flute solo Asymmetric and viola solo Mangata have been performed on Asian Classical Music Initiative International Conference in both 2022 and 2023. Her opera The Demon Princess performed by the Four Corners Ensemble on June 2022 at Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, Spokane, WA. Her song trio Passing East of Hartford which commissioned by the 2023 Feldman/Geoffroy project, has performed by HAVEN trio at University of Hartford on April 2023

Tristino Ali is a young composer currently studying Music Education at the University of North Texas. He graduated from Samuel Clemens high school, where he participated in the National Performance Series at Carnegie Hall and was a member of the TMEA All-State Tenor-Bass Choir in 2020. Tristino previously sang with UNT’s Men’s Chorus and currently sings as a Tenor with UNT University Singers, and hopes to graduate from UNT and become a high-school choir director in order to foster future generations of musicians.

Sam Scheibe is an up and coming composer/arranger, conductor, and performer of contemporary and traditional choral music. His music has been performed and commissioned by ensembles across the United States and the United Kingdom by ensembles including the Frost Chorale, the Westminster Williamson Voices, Anchorae, the West Jersey Chamber Music Society, and the University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir. He received his Undergraduate degree from Westminster Choir College, his first Master's degree from the University of Aberdeen, and is now pursuing a Master's in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami, under the direction of Dr. Amanda Quist. His music is published by GIA publications and recorded by the GRAMMY-nominated Westminster Williamson Voices. Sam has also sung professionally as a bass-baritone with professional ensembles including the Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative, the Same Stream Choir, and Choir Next Door.

Cory Brodack (b.1997, St. Louis) is a composer whose music ranges from deeply personal and reflective to explosively bombastic, often within the same piece. He has been awarded the Rudolf Nissim Prize, ECU's Orchestra Composition Competition, and first prize in the NFMC Young Composer Competition. Cory has worked with performers and ensembles including JACK, Hub New Music, Unheard-of//Ensemble, icarus Quartet, Hypercube, and Rhythm Method Quartet. He has also received commissions from artists and groups such as Andrew Pelletier, BGSU, the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, and the Steven Gerber Trust. His music has been featured at concerts and festivals including the SCI National Conference, Hot Air Music Festival, Bowling Green New Music Festival, and New Music on the Bayou. He received his MM from Bowling Green State University, his BM from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and is currently pursuing his PhD at the Eastman School of Music.

Tyler DeTulleo is a producer, arranger, conductor, music director, orchestrator and composer across a multitude of genres and mediums from Philadelphia. He is most known for his strong sense of leadership and ability to work on a team with recording artists, film makers or session musicians. Tyler has experience producing and music directing for artists such as America’s Got Talent contestant Kieran Rhodes, orchestrating and copying for Film and TV projects such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Family Guy, Disney Plus’s The Santa Clauses, and Justin Hurwitz’s Oscar Nominated score for Babylon. He is working on music directing shows for the 2023 music festival “Sound on Sound” featuring headline artist John Mayer, and “Faster Horses,” featuring headline artists Luke Bryan, Zac Brown Band and Shania Twain.