Team Members
Sammy Strent
Sammy Strent is a composer, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist from Bethesda, Maryland. Strent is most well-known for his choral compositions, though he composes for a variety of instrumentations and mediums. Strent’s compositions have been performed by professional new-music ensembles throughout the country including the Worcester Chamber Music Society’s string quartet (2019), Transient Canvas (2021), and the Contemporary Ensemble at the Atlantic Music Festival (2021). Strent's choral piece, "Continuities", for SATB with Piano and Cello, was selected as a winner from a call for scores at the Frost School of Music; it was premiered on April 27th, 2021 in Miami, Florida. In addition to composing for classical ensembles, Strent has scored the music to 3 youtube tv series by Stein Films, 2 theatrical plays, 3 films, and is currently working on a musical. Strent's interest in electronic music and music production has inspired him to compose with unique textures. In addition to composing, Strent works as an arranger and recently worked on an arrangement of the Super Mario Brothers Main Theme for the Frost Band of the Hour at the University of Miami. As a curious and explorative composer, Strent’s musical voice is constantly adapting as he seeks to leave an impact on those who listen to his music.
David Caldarella
David Caldarella is an undergraduate composer and vocalist currently studying music composition at the Frost School of Music in Miami, FL. Caldarella began his study of music at the ACES Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, CT, along with private composition lessons with composer Polina Nazaykinskaya. His studies continued with pianist-composer Michael Brown, and later conductor Alasdair Neale, as a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra's Youth Composer Project and as an intern for the orchestra. Presently, Caldarella is a member of the world-renowned Frost Chorale under Dr. Amanda Quist. His works have seen premieres by the Frost Chamber Singers and the Greater Connecticut Youth Symphony Orchestra. His piece, Domine Deus, is currently published in the Amanda Quist Choral Series under Walton Music, and is programmed for the 2023 Virginia All-State Choir concert.
Tyler DeTulleo
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.
Victor Cui
Composer Victor Cui’s music is rooted in motion and physicality of sound. As a singer, Victor derives a great joy from improvising/writing melodies, and always seeks to transfer the musicality in song to all aspects of his music-making. As a result, Victor Cui constantly finds himself negotiating between spontaneity, poetics, and control. Victor is also deeply interested in literatures, cultures, histories, linguistics, and the sounds of nature. Victor is an incoming Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) student at the Shepherd School of Music of Rice University. He holds a Master of Music (MM) in composition from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and a BA/MA joint degree in Music and the Humanities from University of Chicago. Victor has studied composition with Ashkan Behzadi, Augusta Read Thomas, Hans Thomalla, Courtney Bryan, Felipe Lara, and Sky Macklay, and he has taken courses in computer music with Sam Pluta and Bryan Jacobs.
Kevin Lubin
Kevin Lubin (he/him) is a composer and instrumentalist based in New York. He with a degree in harpsichord performance and composition from Adelphi University. As a performer, he is open to playing whatever music is put in front of him, whether on piano, percussion, or kazoo. Additionally, Kevin composers for a variety of instrumentation and has premiered multiple operas both silly and serious. Arrangements of his have been used at several notable events, such as the Adelphi University 2022 Commencement at Nassau Coliseum. Kevin is the harpsichordist and viola da gamba player of Long-Island based baroque ensemble "Four and Twenty Strings." In this role, he has curated riveting and educational concerts such as those highlighting Jewish composers of the 17th century. As a teacher, Kevin gives private lessons on piano, guitar, ukulele, and voice to students of all ages and levels. He has also tutored extensively in subjects such music theory, ear training, music history, and general essay writing.
Chris Dorner
Chris Dorner (b. 2004), is a composer who proudly represents the intersection of being a first-generation college student, the LGBTQ community, and Panamanian-Americans. Chris is currently a student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, pursuing degrees in Music Education and Music Composition—studying under Robert K. Mueller, Jeremy Lynn Allen, and Rick Salonen. During High School, Chris was a well-accomplished musician, being part of four music ensembles, being an all-region and all-state musician, as well as having the opportunity to perform with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). At the U of A, Chris is involved in the Razorback Marching Band, Razorback Chorus, Wind Symphony, and Community Horn Choir, and a member of the Horn Studio under Katey J. Halbert. Chris is also a member of the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP), the International Horn Society (IHS), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the Young Composers Community (YCC). Around the age of 12, Chris explored composition by initially transcribing his favorite metal songs. Within five years, Chris has self-published numerous pieces, all in various styles of music from classical, jazz, world music, to contemporary classical. Chris has been a selected composer for the 2019 Aspiring Artists of Texas (AATX) Call for Scores, the 2021 Evan Erickson Call for Scores, an awarded winner of the 2022 Penn State Ballora-Wang Young Composers Competition, as well as being a virtual presenter for his music at the 6th-annual Research On Contemporary Composition (ROCC) Music Festival, at the University of North Georgia.
Carter Crosby
Carter Crosby (b. 2001) is a composer and multimedia artist currently based in East Lansing, Michigan. Much of their work explores the mystery of the natural world or the spirit of human nature. They are fascinated by old technology and the preservation of personal histories, frequently incorporating found objects into the sound and aesthetic of their music. They enjoy integrating their music into other media as well, including scoring for video games or incorporating photography and multimedia into their electronic works, as well as merging different mediums within the scores themselves. They received their Bachelors of Music in Theory and Composition from the University of Kansas in Spring 2023 and is currently pursuing their Masters of Music Composition at Michigan State University.
Gabe Gekoskie
Gabe Gekoskie (he/him) is a composer and sound artist based in State College, PA. After receiving his Bachelor of Music in Composition and Music Theory from the University of Florida, Gabriel accepted a graduate assistantship at Penn State. He is currently studying to complete a Masters of Music with Dr. Baljinder Sekhon and Dr. Sarah Genevieve Burghart Rice. Gabriel’s works are largely based on the human condition and philosophy.
R. Winfield Stabler
I was born. I started to write at 6, I never stopped,
Rachel Somers
Rachel Somers (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Ithaca College studying Vocal Music Education. She was a guest conductor at William Floyd High School’s 2021 Winter Concert, William Floyd High School’s 2022 “Music Signing Day”, and William Floyd High School’s 2022 graduation ceremony. Since then, she has participated in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM) 2023 Choral Conducting Workshop, where she studied conducting with Dr. Joe Miller and Dr. Brett Scott. Rachel was also selected to be a participant in the NYACDA 2023 conference masterclass at Ithaca College as well as the ACDA Eastern Region 2024 conference undergraduate gesture masterclass in Providence, RI. Rachel was a part of the world premiere for the work “Don’t Look Away (Requiem for A World That Never Was)” at Ithaca College and continues to spend time participating in concerts. Despite having no formal compositional training, Rachel has composed several choral works and has workshopped two of her pieces for SSAA choir. She currently sings in the Ithaca College Treble Chorale, Ithaca College Madrigal Singers, and Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers. She also plays percussion for the Ithaca College Concert Band, Campus Band, and Percussion Ensemble. Rachel strives to become a choral conductor and composer, consistently practicing and researching to develop and nurture her musical abilities.
Winnie Louise Sjoquist
Winnie Louise Sjoquist is a 19 year old aspiring composer and singer, who was born and raised in Minnesota. She developed a passion for singing and writing lyrics from a young age, but started composing very recently in life. After graduating from Princeton High School in 2023 where she participated in various performance-oriented activities such as multiple choirs, musicals, one-act plays, and competitive dancing, she moved to New York to attend Long Island University Post, where she is currently working towards a bachelor’s in Vocal Performance.
Daniel Cui
Daniel (Jingyang) Cui, a Chinese-born composer, draws inspiration from his rich Chinese heritage, encompassing culture, history, and contemporary social issues. Having spent considerable time abroad, he passionately shares his unique perspectives on China through his musical compositions. His creativity is not confined to grand themes alone, as he finds inspiration in the subtleties of daily life, be it the charm of animals or a whimsical anecdote. Cui's diverse body of work spans from chamber pieces to orchestral compositions, reflecting the breadth of his artistic expression. Cui is currently pursusing his PhD in composition at University of California San Diego. Prior to his current pursuits, Cui completed his master’s degree at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music, under the mentorship of David Dzubay and Aaron Travers, Cui has been honored with the JSOM Supplemental Fellowship and the Irving & Leno Lo Scholarship Fund. Cui completed his bachelor's degree in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Australia, studying under the esteemed Australian composer Carl Vine. Cui's compositions have been embraced by renowned ensembles globally, including Tacet(i) Ensemble, Hub New Music, Prism Quartet, ~Nois Saxophone Quartet, Project Fusion Saxophone Quartet, Wild Up, Texas New Music Ensemble, IMPULSE Festival Trio, Vinola Trio, NOTUS Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, and Sydney Conservatorium Clarinet Ensemble. These ensembles have commissioned and premiered his works. His collaborative reach extends to international orchestras such as the American Composers Orchestra, and the Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra.
Isaac Pagano
Isaac Pagano is a cellist, composer, and improviser based in the NY/Boston area. He is currently pursuing his master’s at New England Conservatory with Paul Katz. Before that, he studied at the Eastman School of Music with David Ying and at the Chamber Music Center of New York with Sibylle Johner in high school. He has spent his summers at Meadowmount School of Music, Bowdoin International Music Festival and Castleman Quartet Program. Isaac has played in masterclasses with Arnaud Sussman, John Manasse, Clive Greensmith, Natasha Brofsky, and Claudio Bohórquez and played in venues such as Carnegie Hall and Kodak Hall. In 2022, Isaac won the Eastman School of Music cello concerto competition and performed with the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra. Also in 2022, Isaac received a spot on the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra sub list, where he played regularly for over a year. Isaac has won competitions for his compositions including the 2024 Intercultural Institute Competition at NEC and the Make Music Alliance’s 2021 Young Composers Contest. Isaac has amassed a large body of works including chamber music, choral music, film scores and orchestral works and has had works played by the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra and the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra as well as other professionals like baritone Christopher Herbert and the CMC Chamber Music Players.
Asher Lurie
Asher Lurie (b. 2003) is an internationally programmed composer, percussionist, and guitarist born and raised in Dallas, Texas. His orchestral work Precisely was recently recognized as a finalist in the Brevard Music Center Composition Competition. Currently a senior at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, he is studying Music Theory and Composition with Donald Scott Stinson and resident composers Matthias Pintscher and Chen Yi. His recent projects include compositions for Sandbox Percussion, arx duo, Unheard-of//Ensemble, KHAOS Wind Quintet, and the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Beta Tau Chapter. As the 2025 All-Stamps Composer at the University of Miami, he is currently writing a piece for the combined Stamps woodwind quintet, brass quintet, string quartet, and jazz quintet.
Sam Scheibe
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.
Jason Fieler
Jason Fieler is an undergraduate sophomore at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music studying media scoring and production with a minor in composition. He got into music playing classical piano at the age of 9, but began branching out very soon after that, with jazz and contemporary piano, and with learning guitar and bass as well. He’s very participatory at the University of Miami, being a member of numerous vocal ensembles, both contemporary and classical, and playing keyboard and bass in various other musical groups. Jason has attended multiple summer programs throughout his life so far for composition, including the Frost Summer program and the Boston Conservatory High School Composition Intensive.
Zachary Bell
Zachary Bell (b. 2000) is a composer from San Antonio, TX, who strives to create potently expressive, beautiful, and intellectually-stimulating music. His works have been performed and recorded across the United States at venues such as the Peabody Conservatory, Rice University, Baylor University, and Appalachian State University, and at festivals including the Collaborative Composition Initiative, Divergent Studio, the Del Mar International Composer Symposium, the Atlantic Music Festival, and multiple International Trombone Festivals. Zachary’s work has been performed and/or recorded by ensembles including Unheard-Of//Ensemble, Hub New Music, loadbang, the Ohio Trombone Quartet, the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, and the Baylor Wind Ensemble, and has been commissioned by bass trombonist Shane Stewart. In 2019, Zachary was named co-winner of the Baylor Composition Competition, and has won the Best Audio award for his score at the Chillenium Game Jam in 2018. He has also done film score work for directors Tristan Sparks-McMahon, Nic Diaz, and Sarah Allen, including Tristan Sparks-McMahon’s adaptation of “Cain Rose Up,” as part of Stephen King’s Dollar Baby program, and Tristan Sparks-McMahon’s full-length film “breadcrumbs.” Zachary is currently earning his Master’s degree in Composition and Music Theory Pedagogy at the Peabody Conservatory, where he studies with Michael Hersch. He previously studied with Scott McAllister and Ben Johansen at Baylor University, and has been fortunate to work with many composers, including Georg Friedrich Haas, Martin Bresnick, Pierre Jalbert, Reiko Fueting, David Ludwig, Melinda Wagner, Lei Liang, Oscar Bettison, Matthew Evan Taylor, Sky Macklay, George Tsontakis, Kevin Puts, Nina Young, Zhou Long, Liliya Ugay, Robert Honstein, Arthur Gottschalk, Januibe Tejera, Joel Puckett, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Matthew Ricketts, and many others.
Cory Brodack
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.
Trenton Rhodes
Trenton Rhodes (b. 2002) is an award-winning composer and musician working in the state of Arkansas. Throughout his life, he’s been dedicated to music creation and has consistently worked hard to share his love of music to those around him. He started piano at 6, and by 8 he was studying under Dr. Luis Sanchez at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He started composition at 9 and singing at 12, and has since been awarded multiple times over for his musical achievements. Currently, Rhodes is/was a member of the UCA Concert Choir, UCA Natural Statesman Tenor/Bass choir, Cathedral of St. Andrew choir, UCA Wind Ensemble, and the Conway Symphony Orchestra. His works have been played/rehearsed/performed by various ensembles including the UCA Concert Choir, UCA Wind Ensemble, Conway Symphony Orchestra, OBU Wind Ensemble, and lots of various chamber ensembles. In 2017, his work The Light was a finalist in the 2017 MakeMusic Young Composers contest. In 2023, Rhodes has won multiple awards/opportunities, including the 2nd prize winner of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Trombone Day Call for Scores, and was chosen to have a piece premiered at the International Trumpet Guild conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Currently, Rhodes is pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in music education and music composition at the University of Central Arkansas, where he studies trumpet with Dr. Ross Ahlhorn and composition with Dr. Paul Dickinson.
Ryan Piggott
Ryan Piggott (he/him) is from Mobile, AL and currently attends Auburn for a Music Education degree. He started writing with small instrumental arrangements to play for his friends, but transitioned to writing for larger ensembles and choirs during high school.
Riley Ferretti
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
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.
Bethany Sullivan Lambert
Bethany Lambert is a composer, musician, attorney, and mother. Bethany received her Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2007 where she was fortunate to study under David Heuser, James Balentine, and James Syler. Shortly after receiving her degree, Bethany took a hiatus from composing to raise her young family. Inspired by her differently-abled children, Bethany chose to pursue a law degree to better support her family and the disabled community. Bethany attended Mitchell Hamline School of Law where the study of copyright law reignited her passion for music composition. Bethany received her JD in 2018 and now practices law and arpeggios and is currently working towards her Master of Music in Music Composition at the University of Georgia under the tutelage of Adrien Childs, Emily Koh, and Tom Hiel. Bethany is the third-place winner of the 2023 American Prize Pop/Lite Composition.
Sean Barnette
Sean Barnette (b. 2003) is a Florida-based composer and arranger, and is currently in his undergraduate studies at the Florida State University College of Music, where he is majoring in Choral Music Education. Sean is an emerging talent, and his compositions are influenced by his love for contemporary musical genres, like rock and musical theatre, combined with his choral experiences to create an invigorating and fresh musical experience for a new generation. Sean is also the founder of the Harmonies for Health project, a series of charity concerts to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. Inspired by his own battle with cancer, Sean believes in the transformative nature of music, and hopes to inspire audiences through his compositions, as well as entertain and spread the joy of singing.
Trenton Rhodes
Trenton Rhodes (b. 2002) is an award-winning composer and musician working in Arkansas. His music has been performed all across the United States, with recent performances at the 2023 International Trumpet Guild Conference (New Works Recital), 2023 USM Trombone Day (2nd Place in Call for Scores), and the 2024 College Music Society South Central Chapter conference (1st Place for Student Awards). He currently studies Music Education and Composition at the University of Central Arkansas, where he studies trumpet with Dr. Ross Ahlhorn and composition with Dr. Paul Dickinson.
Julian Rios
Julian "Jules" Rios is a Sophomore Music Composition student at East Tennessee State University, where he is a member of the ETSU Chorale and Greyscale ensembles. He has had one piece debuted by Chorale (in collaboration with the Sing Me a Story Foundation) and plans to debut another piece with Chorale by the end of the school year. He specializes in SATB pieces but often composes for other ensembles as well.
Corbin Montenegro
Corbin Montenegro (b. 2004) is a choral composer and arranger currently based in St. George, Kansas. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education from Kansas State University, where he studies voice under Jesus de Hoyos and has studied music theory and composition under David Pickering and Ben Worcester. In addition, he is a member of the flagship choral ensemble, Concert Choir, as well as the school's premier contemporary a cappella ensemble, In-A-Chord. He holds membership in the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. While he cannot pinpoint exactly one artist as a main influence, Corbin's compositions have drawn influence from Ola Gjeilo, Uģis Prauliņš, Gian Carlo Menotti, Jacob Collier, Igor Stravinsky, Roberto Carlos Braga, and more.
Mason McCool
Mason McCool is an American composer, pianist, and aspiring choral music educator and conductor. Mason’s choral works have been performed internationally, and they are regularly performed by academic choirs and churches across the United States. He is currently pursuing a B.M. in Music Composition and B.A. in French at the University of Alabama, and he is planning to pursue a Master in Music Education after graduating. You can contact Mason via email at mrmccool1@crimson.ua.edu or on his website www.masonmccoolmusic.com.
Ethan Soledad
Bold, dramatic, with an exquisite attention to detail, Ethan Soledad (b. 1999) is a Filipino-American composer whose work aims to express emotions in their most raw form. His musical style is marked by unapologetic expression, dynamic extremes, and the ability to do more with less but never shying away from doing more with more. His music has been performed and recognized by ensembles such as New York Youth Symphony (First Music Commission Honorable Mention), Fifth House Ensemble, Bent Frequency, the East Coast Contemporary Ensemble (ECCE), and Fear No Music among others. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Florida State University 2021 and is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Composition at Rice University studying under Karim Al-Zand and Shih-Hui Chen.
Tristino Ali
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.
Lux Ezra Onigman
Lux Ezra Onigman is an undergraduate studying music and neuroscience at Smith College. They have been singing in choirs since age seven, and can usually be found in several at once. Lux began composing in March of 2020, and a solo vocal piece they wrote that summer was purchased by the National Youth Rights Association to display on their website. In 2021 and 2022, they won prizes in the Harmonium Choral Society High School Composition Contest with their pieces “Invictus” and “Arise!” respectively. Lux was commissioned to write “A Welcome Thought” by the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing. They also play guitar, lead song sessions, and teach music classes. In addition to music, they enjoy studying brains, fencing, learning new languages (and dead languages), writing poetry, reading, and riding their bike.
Evan Blaché
Evan Blaché is a choral composer and choral singer based out of San Marcos, Texas. Never known to mince words, Evan has composed a lot of work combining the classical style with topics of social justice. Evan studied music at Austin Community College. While there, they were a part of the Austin Community College Chamber choir and was a part of the Texas Two Year All-State Choir for three years as the bass two section leader. They are currently in their undergraduate program at Texas State University for their B.M in Music Studies and Composition while singing in the Texas State University Chorale under the direction of Joey Martin and studying composition with Dr. Jack Wilds. While at Texas State, Evan has been commissioned by various groups, including Conspirare, led by Craig Hella Johnson and Vocem Cordis, led by Texas State Graduates, Nathan Thompson & Christian Clow. Evan currently sings in the groups, Tinsel Singers, Inversion Ensemble, and is an Insight Fellow in Conspirare.
Soren Stavnicky
Soren Stavnicky is a 20-year-old student composer from Cleveland, Ohio. For the first two years of his undergraduate, he pursued a Bachelor of Music in Composition at Cleveland State University. However, starting Fall 2023, he will be expanding his education and musical versatility in other fields of musical creation, and will be attending the DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, Washington. There, Soren will pursue the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Sound Design, studying with seasoned veterans of the video game industry, and professionally collaborate with student artists, game designers, and developers.
Carol Lim
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
Tyler Mazone
Tyler Mazone is a deaf and neurodivergent bass clarinetist and composer from Michigan. He is working towards a Doctorate in Composition at Michigan State University and is a graduate of there and the Crane School of Music. Tyler advocates for accessibility in music in small and large ensembles alike by molding his work for the performers and educators he composes for. Something Tyler enjoys is actively being a part of new clarinet consortiums. His commissions and performances have included The _____ Experiment, Diversify the Stand, The Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Crane Bands, Michigan State University Bands and Orchestras, Christopher Keach, Major Fifth Music, and Jen Oliverio. Tyler is also published on his website and with various publishers such as CAMCo and Randall Standridge Music. Outside of composition, you'll find Tyler hiking, reading a book, listening to music, or playing video games!
Erick Odiweric
Erick Odiweric (b.1996) is a Kenyan composer from Nairobi who is a music enthusiast. He is driven by passion to create music related to Chemistry. Erick has participated in BCMC 3.0 and will participate in JACK Studio Reading for his string quartet piece 'Carefree Kikanyagi'. The composer holds a Bachelors degree in Industrial Chemistry from the Technical University of Mombasa. Currently, he is doing an online course at Alison; Diploma in Music Theory with Prof. Craig M. Right of Yale University.
Tobias Deggans
Tobias Jordaan Eric Deggans (b. 2004) is a composer, artist, poet, activist, and educator based in the state of Florida. Influenced by his choral contemporaries and obscure indie esoterica alike, Tobias strives to bring a fresh new angle to every peice he writes-- whether it be the introduction of slow, phasing formal sections to choral works or his music-school perspectives in more electronic fare. Currently persuing his bachelor's in Music Education with a Choral Focus at Florida State University, his love of experimentation, improvisation, and boundary-pushing comes hand in hand with his strong drive to keep his work accessible: in his view, some of the most impactful and capitvating works in any genre are those that are deceptively simple and unfailingly earnest. Throughout his journey as a transgender man in music education, he strives to use his many artistic interests to facilitate in others the healing, community, and catharsis that choir music has always brought him.
Aidan Vass
Aidan Vass (b. 2003) is an American composer. He is a three-time YoungArts winner for classical composition, a finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Award, and a first place winner in the MTAC Composers Today competition. He was one of the Nancy and Barry Sanders’ Composer Fellows with the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2018-2021. Composition mentors include with Andrew Norman, Ted Hearne, Sir James MacMillan, Brett Banducci, Sarah Gibson, and David Lefkowitz. Vass has written music for ensembles such as the American Youth Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, USC Thornton Edge ensemble, USC’s Apollo Chorus, Seraphour, Nu Deco Ensemble, Sandbox Percussion, USC Thornton Symphony, and Tallgrass Chamber Choir, and he has independently released a catalog of music including a full length debut solo piano album (8 Sketches for Piano, 2021). He is currently published with Hal Leonard and Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and his music has also been featured on magazines and publications such as The Violin Channel, VoyageLA, LA Opus, Planet Hugill, and others.
McCabe Pythaea Grove
Just recently started my composition journey, and am loving every second of it! I am a sophomore in my undergrad for music ed and music comp, so very busy. Ivr still got a long ways to go, but ive made progress!
Jonathan Mitchell
As both a composer and a performer, Jonathan Mitchell aims to provide listeners and performers with the most joyous, full-bodied experiences possible. Pulling from vibrant imagery, heartfelt memories, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love for what he does, Jonathan's music is an auditory representation of the awe-inspiring power of music. The composer started his musical journey studying piano at the age of three and composing at twelve. Over time, talent and curiosity led him to pursue both the cello and the flute in addition to composition. Jonathan earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree at The Ohio State University in 2024.