Calvin Composers Out and About
Jeff Algera
is a concert music composer, entrepreneur, and software engineer. After graduation from Calvin College, he returned back to the east coast to study independently with Daron Hagen in Manhattan. Shortly thereafter, he received his M.A. from The City University of New York where he studied, recorded and performed with Del Tredici. His compositions have been performed throughout the country. His works have been recorded in Manhattan and Queens by some of the top New York classical musicians. Algera is co-founder and co-Executive Director of the Tobenski-Algera Concert Series which ran from 2005-2010. The Tobenski-Algera Concert series regularly commissioned new works from young composers nationwide and arranged for their performance and recording in New York City. (Click here for a review of one of their concerts by New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini.)
Music samples can be found at Jeff Algera's home page.
David Baldwin
currently teaches choral, instrumental, and general music at International Christian School in Hong Kong. As a composer, he brings a unique approach, integrating composition techniques into many of the classes he teaches. David says, "Calvin's Music Theory & Composition program played a big part in equipping me with the ability to lead elementary and secondary students down creative paths to compose their own music. It's not only a great way to develop musical skill and understanding, but also an opportunity to reflect on musical value and purpose in our faith and in everyday life."
His Children's Choir had the privilege of commissioning a piece by American composer Paul Carey, which was performed at the 2nd ICS Children's Choir Festival 2011, conducted by the composer. Through his living and teaching in Hong Kong, David has gained an understanding of how comprehensive support for
school music education translates into greater creative productivity among young people. Currently a member of the Hong Kong Association for Music Educators, David actively works to foster non-competitive, hands-on, community-building approaches to music among the youth of Hong Kong and Mainland China, of which the Children's Choir Festival is a highlight. Outside of the classroom, David enjoys spending time with his wife and son, sightseeing, hiking, reading about cars, learning Chinese culture, language and martial arts.
Nat Burns
Nat Burns graduated from Calvin College with a B.A. in both computer science and music composition, currently working in Ann Arbor as a software developer in the financial industry. He has written a variety of works over his time as a student, including both choral and instrumental pieces premiered by Calvin ensembles. He has also made significant contributions to the website hymnary.org, dedicated to cataloging information about hymnals and hymn texts, tunes, authors, and composers. Most notably, he designed a system allowing website users to search hymnary.org's collection of hymn tunes by ranking the similarity of hymn melodies against one entered by the user (the search page can be found online at http://www.hymnary.org/melody/search). When not composing music or writing software, he enjoys cycling, sailing, and reading science fiction.
Scott Blasco
is a composer and sound artist currently residing with his wife and son in Pullman, Washington, where he teaches composition and music theory at Washington State University. He is a founding member of the Kansas City-area electroacoustic new music ensemble The Digital Honkbox Revival, and a board member of the Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance (KcEMA). Scott is currently a doctoral candidate in music composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and holds degrees in music from Western Michigan University and Calvin College and in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, where he studied theology and the arts.
Samples of the composer's music can be found at the following links
Queen of Heaven
Four Songs From the Caucasian Chalk Circle
Evan Dice
currently teaches violin at the Garrett Music Academy in Owings, Maryland. He has composed acoustic and electronic music for theater, dance and instrumental performances. Shortly following graduation he co-wrote "Brahms One: Historical Remix," with David Fuentes, a commission by the Calvin Orchestra. He is currently touring with a project he calls "Response," an improvisation and electronic solo work for laptop, keyboard, drum machine, electric violin and looping pedal. he plans to bring to Grand Rapids for the 2011 ArtPrize competition.
Brahms One: Historical Remix
Joel Vanderzee
Joel Vanderzee studied engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana before completing a degree in Music Theory and Composition at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Organ Performance at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. While in
Michigan, Joel served as Director of Music Ministries at Second Congregational United Church of Christ and as Organ Scholar at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, both in Grand Rapids. In 2008, Joel was awarded the AAGO Prize by the American Guild of Organists for achieving the highest score in the nation on the
Guild’s Associateship examination. He is currently Organist and Choirmaster at St. John's-Kilmarnock School.
After emigrating to Canada in the fall of 2008 to serve as Director of Music and Arts Ministry at St. Andrew’s United Church, Chatham, Ontario, Joel fell into an opportunity to follow a long-standing desire to build organs. He left St. Andrew's a year later to pursue this work full time, assisting local organ
technicians Donald Pole and Blair Batty (himself a disciple of the Fisk, Noack, and Brunzema shops), and building small instruments in his own shop (www.vanderzeeorgans.com).
Joel is a frequently commissioned composer, with compositions published by GIA and Adoro and performed under the batons of Joe Miller, Pearl Shangkuan and Donald Nally. He also remains active as a performer, giving recitals in Ontario and Michigan. In addition, he sings with the Grammy-nominated Elora Festival Singers and the Choir of St. John the Evangelist, Elora.
Joel and his wife, Robyn, currently reside in the picturesque hamlet of Paris, Ontario.
Spirit of Mercy Truth and Love
Jonathon Wiest
Jonathon Wiest is currently working as a freelance cellist and composer in the Chicago area. He has written music for two feature films: *Into the Fray,* which won the top prize in the PTEV National Student Film Competition, and *Ishmael,* a film about a small Christian community in Jericho and their activities promoting peace in the Middle East.
Jon also composes a varied pallet of concert music, from miniatures for solo piano to works that utilize computer modification of cello sounds. As a cellist, he has premiered pieces by established contemporary composers including Augusta Read Thomas, Andy Laster, Ryan Olivier, William Dougherty, David Fuentes, and Julia Alford Fowler. In addition, Jon champions the music of up-and-coming composers in both Philadelphia and Chicago.
