Christopher Dietz

From Wind Repertory Project
Christopher Dietz

Biography

Christopher Dietz (b. 1977) is an American composer and educator.

Dr. Dietz holds a Ph.D. in composition and theory from the University of Michigan where he studied with William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, Michael Daugherty, Betsy Jolas, and Andrew Mead. In addition, he holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music where he worked with Nils Vigeland and Giampaolo Bracali and the University of Wisconsin where his teachers included Stephen Dembski and Joel Naumann.

Dietz composes music inspired by a wide variety of sources, both real and conceptual. Poetry, sound as sculpture and color, how toddlers play, deep time and the cosmos, rhythm as geometry, religion and politics, animal behavior, and the music of others are a few of the subjects that have informed his musical imagination. A similarly diverse approach to the creation of each new piece has resulted in a collection of works distinct in their surface features yet bound together by a common vitality, nuanced palette, and a commitment to engaging with others.

In recent years, Christopher’s works have been premiered in Ghent (Belgium), London, Auvillar (France), Montreal, Ottawa, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Houston, Phoenix and Salt Lake City, among others. His music has been performed by numerous contemporary ensembles including Alarm Will Sound, Decoda, Ensemble Échappé, NODUS, as well as traditional ensembles such as L’Orchestre de la Francophonie, The San Jose Chamber Orchestra, the University of Michigan Symphonic Band and additional university ensembles across the United States.

Residencies at MacDowell, Copland House, Canada’s Banff Centre, The Camargo Foundation (Cassis, France) and the Blue Mountain Center have been important milestones in the development of Dre. Dietz's compositional voice. Recognition of his work has come from honors and awards including ASCAP’s Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, The Minnesota Orchestra Reading Sessions and Composer Institute, The Riverside Symphony Composer Reading Project (NYC), The Yvar Mikhashoff Trust for New Music, Random Access Music, The Utah Arts Festival’s Orchestral Commission Prize as well as several academic awards, grants and scholarships.

He has been on the faculty at Hillsdale College and the Oberlin Conservatory. Christopher is [2022] an associate professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio where he teaches composition and directs the new music ensemble.


Works for Winds


Resources