BIO

Luke Waddell is a current doctoral student in composition at Florida State University, studying under Eren Gumrukcuoglu. He previously earned an MM in composition from Florida State University, studying under Clifton Callender, and a BM from the University of Virginia, where he studied under Leah Reid. His approach to composition aims to marry head and heart, rigor with intuition, intellect with expression, Modernism with Romanticism, and atonality with tonality. He has written works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments including piano—the composer’s own instrument—and had works performed by numerous ensembles, including the Nief Norf Festival, Texas New Music Ensemble, VICE Ensemble, the Julius Quartet, the icarus quartet, Polymorphia, the McLean Symphony, and the Fairfax Symphony. He is currently working on his dissertation, a three-movement symphony for orchestra.