https://msucomp.com/minhee-lee
MINHEE LEE, a native Korean, is a classical composer and pianist. She earned her Doctorate in Composition at Michigan State University under Jere Hutcheson. She studied composition with Charles Ruggiero, Kati Agocs, Uzong choe, and Insik Lee. She earned her master’s degree in composition at New England Conservatory in Boston and her Bachelors of Music at Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea.
https://msucomp.com/justin-rito
Justin Rito (b. 1986) composes energetic and eclectic concert music that takes inspiration equally from both the classical canon and contemporary pop culture. His music explores dense, expressionist textures, rock-inspired groove, lyrical melodies, and the interesting intersections that can result from their combinations.
Justin’s recent projects and collaborations have included Groove Mantra (2015) for taiko drums, commissioned by the Strike Percussion Ensemble, Set (2015), commissioned by the Arx Duo, and What it is to Breathe (2015), commissioned by Adrienne Schroeder. He is currently working on a commission for tuba and percussion quartet for Ed Mallett, Gwen Dease, and the Tuba Bach Festival, and his future projects include a marimba duet for the Arx Duo and a work for flugel horn and wind ensemble for Josh Ganger. His compositions have been performed throughout the United States including conferences for the College Music Society, Society of Composers, inc., the North American Saxophone Alliance, and 60×60, and festivals including the Florida State New Music Festival, fresh inc, the Zeitgeist New Music Festival, and the Manchester New Music Festival. His works have also won the Van Galen Composition Prize, Michigan State University Honor’s Competition, and the Central Michigan University Composition Contest.
An active and energetic supporter of new music, Justin founded a concert series called “Unwind” in East Lansing, Michigan, which includes casual performances of contemporary concert music in bars. He also serves as the musical coordinator for the Sonic Salon series at the Broad Art Museum in East Lansing. As as student in 2010, Justin founded and directed the Central Michigan University New Music Ensemble, which remains an active student-run organization today.
Justin began his musical training as a classical pianist, and remains an active collaborative performer. Having always enjoyed popular music, he began exploring composition as a creative outlet through song-writing, and eventually turned to concert music during his undergraduate studies in music education at Alma College. He went on to study composition with David Gillingham and Jay Batzner at Central Michigan University, and has recently earned a doctorate with Ricardo Lorenz at Michigan State University. Justin also studied privately with David Maslanka in 2013, and attended the fresh inc festival run by the Fifth House Ensemble in 2015. In addition to his formal training in composition, Justin received a Masters degree in Music Theory from the University of Western Ontario in 2013, and has recently presented research at conferences for the College Music Society and Manchester New Music Festival. Later this year, Justin will present a paper at the International Conference on Minimalism in Helsinki, Finland.
Justin has served as an adjunct instructor of music at Michigan State University and Alma College, where he has taught composition, music theory, and performance at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife Erika, where his free time generally includes running, reading, and craft beer.
https://msucomp.com/peter-felice
PETER J. FELICE (b. 1981) is a composer of instrumental music. His style includes elements of contemporary music along with neo-classical and romantic. He has a Bachelor of Art’s degree in music composition from IU Southeast where he was named the university’s Most Outstanding Student in Music and graduated with distinction. He earned his Master of Music in Composition at Michigan State University.
Peter has studied composition with Steve Rouse (University of Louisville), Erich Stem (Indiana University Southeast and New Dynamic Records), and Timothy Miller (Indiana University). He is currently studying with Mark Sullivan (Michigan State University).
A native of Lexington, Ky, Peter has been involved in various music ensembles from around the Kentuckiana Area including The University of Louisville Wind Symphony, The Derby City Brass Band, The IU Southeast Concert Band and Orchestra, and Louisville Philharmonia. He has recently served as the Solo Euphonium for the Commonwealth Brass Band before retiring the position to pursue his masters degree in Michigan. He has studied Euphonium with Brian Meixner (High Point University), John R. Jones (University of Louisville), and Christopher Bettler (United States Navy Band). He has also studied Trombone with Mildred Kemp (Indiana University Southeast) and is currently studying with Brass Band of Battle Creek member Phil Sinder (Michigan State University).
Peter received an honorable mention for his composition Stages of Tragedy in the 2009 Humboldt State University Composition Competition for Brass. In 2013, his submission of “Starfield” from Scenic Impressions (2012) was one of the selected winners of the first annual Michigan State University Large Ensemble Composition Competition. Other notable compositions include Perceptions of Strife (2012), Superhero Symphony (2013), and Divertimento for Four Saxes and Band (2013).
https://msucomp.com/philip-rice
PHILIP RICE (b. 1988) studied music composition with Stefan Young (a student of Nadia Boulanger), David Gillingham, Jere Hutcheson, and Mark Sullivan, with additional instruction from composers including Sven-David Sandström, Tom Cipullo, Cindy McTee, Roberto Sierra, and Stephen Hartke. He graduated with distinction from Westminster Choir College with a Master of Music in composition in 2012, and summa cum laude from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and theory in 2010. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition and a Master of Music in theory pedagogy at Michigan State University.
He has won numerous awards for his compositions, among them awards from Chanticleer, the Kansas University Choral Society, the Michigan Music Educators Association, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Central Michigan University, and Westminster Choir College. Recent and forthcoming creative collaborators include Craig Hella Johnson, the Michigan Recital Project, Brooklyn-based (Michigan-native) soprano Justine Aronson, musicologist/countertenor Patrick Bonczyk, and Kansas-city-based Te Deum Chamber Choir. Philip specializes in setting found texts and the works of living writers. As a Michigan native, he has particular interest in creating works expressive of the unique experiences of midwestern communities.
As a choral tenor, Philip has sung under world-class conductors including Andrew Megill (with the Westminster Kantorei), Steven Sametz (the Princeton Singers), and Joe Miller (the Westminster Symphonic Choir) along with major orchestral conductors including Simon Rattle (Berlin Philharmonic), Daniel Harding (Dresden Staatskapelle), and Jacques Lacombe (New Jersey Symphony). He studied organ under Steven Egler (a student of Robert Glasgow), piano with Alexandra Moscolo-David, and handbells with Kathleen Ebling-Shaw (whilst a member of the Westminster Concert Handbell Choir). He is currently studying carillon with Dr. Ray McLellan.
Outside of music, he is an avid poet, blogger, and designer with a keen interest in found objects as literary devices, and the exploration of esoteric and sacred documents. He collects hourglasses, glass bottles, and picture frames; in his spare time he studies typography and bakes pies.
For scores, recordings, more info, and contact, visit philiprice.net
https://msucomp.com/joe-kricia
JOE KRYCIA (b. 1993) is a composer from the metro-Detroit area, currently based in East Lansing. He earned an undergraduate degree in composition from Michigan State University, studying composition with Ricardo Lorenz and Charles Ruggiero, and euphonium with Phil Sinder.
Joe has had his music played by a multitude of award winning performers around the state of Michigan, including Yamaha Young Performing Artists winning saxophonist Connor Mikula and the Concert Artists Guild winning Donald Sinta Saxophone Quartet. While at MSU, he also co-founded the (now defunct) new music ensemble Neo- Collective, which programmed concerts that blended music of MSU composers with works by other living composers. Joe is a member of ASCAP. After completing his undergraduate degree, he plans on pursuing a graduate degree in composition.
Music at Mt. Parnassus 