JiB 2026 Senior Composer Introduction Series: David Dzubay

This is the first of a series of posts which will be introducing our five senior composers for the 2026 June in Buffalo festival. We at Edge of the Center have sent a few questions to each of the senior composers to help introduce themselves to you, our readers.

We begin with David Dzubay.

EofC Describe the moment when you discovered your calling to music.

Dzubay A moment? That is hard. I was lucky in my high school years to play trumpet in one of the best and oldest youth orchestras - the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Highlights that I'm sure tilted me toward a lasting love for music were playing Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, Holst Planets, and one year, both Rite of Spring and Daphnis et Chloe on tour to the Spoleto Festival. At the same time, my high school had an incredible arts program, with an hour of trumpet class and an hour or two of jazz ensemble every day. Many fantastic experiences.

EofC This is the JiB year of the composer/conductor. How do composing and conducting relate to each other in your practice?

Dzubay After years as a fairly serious trumpeter, sort of wrapping up playing in the National Repertory Orchestra for two years, composing and conducting took over, and I have always been doing both. My early model was Harvey Sollberger, who was a frequent JIB guest, and I played under his direction for years as a student at IU. Conducting has certainly informed my approach to many aspects of composing, but particularly choice of meters, use (or not) of fermatas, score organization and clarity of intent, strategies for more complex textures, rhythms, balances, etc.

EofC What place does the audience have in your compositional process and what place do they have while conducting?

Dzubay I do want my music to be heard by an audience, so that is important! But, my first audience is myself....I try to write music that is personally compelling, and have to trust that if I'm excited about hearing a piece, at least some others might be. I do think a conductor helps the audience understand the music, not unlike how the conductor leads the way for the musicians. Gestures and expressions at least partly lead an audience through the expressive experience.

EofC How do you approach giving masterclasses?

Dzubay In masterclasses, usually we are reviewing existing work, so it is a bit different than in a lesson focusing on a work in progress. It would be more of a conversation about the piece, identifying aspects that worked well and perhaps some that didn't quite hit the mark, identifying things to keep in mind for the next project, or potentially adjustments that might yet be made to the piece being presented.

EofC How do you approach giving public lectures?

Dzubay I usually try to offer some general information about my process of composition and go through a few specific examples. In a talk for music specialists, I enjoy getting into the nuts and bolts, answering questions, having a discussion. If you mean for a general audience, it would of course be less technical

If you would like to discover some of David Dzubay's music, see the video below!

Solstsice Reed Quintet plays UB composers at Hallwalls

We are quickly approaching the culmination of yet another collaboration between the UB graduate composers and a professional ensemble! The Solstice Reed Quintet will be in Buffalo on Monday, April 6th as part of the Music Department concert series at Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. The concert will take place at Hallwalls on Monday, April 6th at 7:30 PM.

Reed quintets are a rather new ensemble in the chamber music scene, and one that is growing in popularity. Distinct from a wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon), the reed quintet consists solely of instruments which have reeds, as the name would suggest, while the wind quintet includes other instrument types. The reed quintet was first developed by the Dutch ensemble, Calefax Reed Quintet as recently as 1985! They did this by bringing together oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, and bass clarinet. As with the birth of any new ensemble, the group is obliged to seek composers and arrangers to create a repertoire of pieces for the ensemble to play. It is impressive how quickly a repertoire has come into being, and likewise how quickly the reed ensemble has become an established ensemble within chamber music more broadly. The Solstice Reed Quintet hails from the University of Southern Mississippi, first coming together in 2022. They are firm champions of the unique ensemble, and in their words, their “mission is to present music that challenges, inspires, and offers fresh perspectives on the unique possibilities of this distinct ensemble.” The ensemble has a strong belief in the power of music to build community, and wish to leave a lasting impression on their diverse audiences. They have won a number of competitions, including first prize at the Mississippi Music Teachers Association competition, and were finalists at the North American Saxophone Alliance Flex Competition. Solstice is building a name for themselves, and has a robust schedule of performances at colleges, universities, festivals, and various music venues. This concert will feature new works by Mark Bogacki, Garrison Bouchard-Ferdon, Andres Bonilla Garcia, Sohwa Lee, Thomas Little, Giovanni Maraboli and Jackson Roush. This group of composers comprises both PhD and Master’s students. It is sure to be a memorable night at Hallwalls, again on Monday, April 6th at 7:30, and it is an exciting opportunity to hear a distinct and recent addition to chamber music ensembles!