Katahj Copley

From Wind Repertory Project
Katahj Copley

Biography

Katahj Copley (b. 15 January 1998, Carrollton, Ga.) is an American saxophonist, composer and educator.

Copley holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and composition from the University of West Georgia. Currently [2022], he is pursing a master's in music composition at the University of Texas at Austin. He plans to attend Michigan State University for his DMA.

Copley’s first work, Spectra, was premiered in 2017 by the University of West Georgia’s Saxophone Ensemble. Since then, Copley has written over sixty pieces, including over twenty-five for wind band, which have been performed by many local high schools. At the University of West Georgia, Copley has written pieces for UWG’s brass ensemble, concert choir, saxophone ensemble, symphonic band, jazz ensemble and wind ensemble. His compositions have been performed and commissioned by colleges, organizations, universities and professional ensembles, including the 1st Infantry Brass Choir, Rhode Island Recording Ensemble, Axos Saxophone Quartet, the Admiral Launch Duo and the Nu Alpha chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at Georgia State University. In February of 2020, Copley’s Sunshine was featured at the Georgia Music Educators Association’s District XIII’s performance, and Nova was premiered by the University of West Georgia’s Wind Ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association Southeast Division Conference.

Aside from composing, Copley is an educator who teaches young musicians the joy of discovering music and why music is a phenomenal language.

Music for Copley has always been this impactful thing in his life. It can soothe, it can enrage, it can quiet and it can evoke emotions that are beyond him and this world we live in. He believes that music is the ultimate source of freedom and imagination, and the most freedom he has had as a musician was through composing. Composition is like opening one's heart and showing the world his spirit, drive, and passion.


Works for Winds

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • The Horizon Leans Forward…, compiled and edited by Erik Kar Jun Leung, GIA Publications, 2021, p. 300.
  • Katahj Copley, personal correspondence, June 2021
  • Katahj Copley website Accessed 7 February 2020