Haley Woodrow believes in the artist’s responsibility to meet audiences. She loves to partner with performers in crafting musical experiences that offer listeners an active role. Her compositions have received awards from the National Band Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the International VLAMO Composition Contest. Her music has been widely performed in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Joseph Sowa embraces diverse influences — including cartooning, gestalt theory, linguistics, and pop culture — to create music that revels in intricate textures and vivid colors and that resonates with the body’s intrinsically rhythmic nature. His music has been performed by Collage New Music, Ensemble Dal Niente, the Genesis Chamber Singers, the Ludovico Ensemble, and the PRISM Quartet, among others. He has received awards from ASCAP, the American Prize, and the Barlow Endowment.

Alex Shapiro (b. New York City, 1962) composes acoustic and electroacoustic pieces known for their lyricism and drama. Published by Activist Music LLC, her works are heard daily in concerts and broadcasts across the U.S. and internationally, and can be found on nearly thirty commercially released recordings from around the world. Alex lives on Washington State's remote San Juan Island, and when she's not composing she can be found communing with the sea life, as seen on her music and photo-filled blog, www.notesfromthekelp.com.

Cait Nishimura is a Canadian composer, songwriter, and music educator based in Toronto. Known for writing melody-driven, programmatic music, Cait has quickly established herself as a prominent voice in the concert band community. With influences from minimalism and pop music, her work is full of simple yet lush harmonies, and themes that linger in listeners’ minds. A lifelong nature-lover, she draws inspiration from the beauty of the natural world and aims to transport listeners to the landscapes she writes about.

Brian Balmages is an award-winning composer and conductor whose music has been performed throughout the world with commissions ranging from elementary schools to professional orchestras. World premieres have included prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. His music was also performed as part of the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, which was attended by both President Obama and Vice President Biden.

Called “alluring” and “wildly inventive” by The New York Times, the music of American composer Viet Cuong has been performed on six continents by musicians and ensembles such as Sō Percussion, Eighth Blackbird, Alarm Will Sound, PRISM Quartet, Albany Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and Minnesota Orchestra, among many others. Viet’s music has been featured in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center, and his works for wind ensemble have amassed hundreds of performances worldwide.

Steven Bryant trained for one summer in the mid-1980s as a break-dancer (i.e. forced into lessons by his mother), was the 1987 1/10 scale radio-controlled car racing Arkansas state champion, has a Bacon Number of 1, and has played saxophone with Branford Marsalis on Sleigh Ride. Steven studied composition with John Corigliano at The Juilliard School, Cindy McTee at the University of North Texas, and Francis McBeth at Ouachita University, He resides in Durham, NC with his wife, conductor Verena Moesenbichler-Bryant.

Dr. Garrett Hope’s purpose is to help others see opportunities so they can take courageous action. He loves to use his God-given creativity and communication skills to entertain and enlighten, draw people together for a common cause, and to creatives to become unstoppable. An award-winning composer of film and concert music, Garrett engages with performers and audiences to tell stories and create life-changing experiences. He loves working with educational ensembles, and especially values his work with students.

Tyler S. Grant (b. June 23, 1995) is an Atlanta-based composer of music for concert bands, marching bands and chamber groups; many of which have been performed around the world and by musicians of all levels. His works for wind band have been found on Editor’s Choice lists from various international music distributors in addition to being performed by many region and state-wide honor bands.

Founding Advisory Board

Brian Balmages

Anthony Boldt

Steven Bryant

Viet Cuong

David Faires

Tyler Grant

Chris Grifa

David Kjar