Troy Armstrong
Biography
Troy Armstrong (b.1990, Tulsa, Okla.) is a composer, arranger, and conductor.
Beginning composition at the age of 11 as a rebel piano student who irritated his teachers by frequently rewriting the endings to pieces, Troy has since made a living out of this creative spirit and won numerous awards for his original compositions, including the KMEA Young Composers Composition Competition, the UMKC Composers in the Schools Contest, and, most recently, the MENC Collegiate Composition Competition.
He holds music composition degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (M.M.) and the University of Southern California (B.M.). His teachers have included Dan Welcher, Donald Grantham, Yevgeniy Sharlat, Frank Ticheli, Morten Lauridsen, Stephen Hartke, and Donald Crockett.
Troy’s music has best been described as “sophisticated yet accessible at the same time.” He constantly strives to merge his love of traditional harmonies with his fascination over contemporary techniques and textures.
Troy's oratorio, The River of Light, was premiered on April 23, 2017, by a group of over 200 musicians. The 16-movement piece was written to dedicate the unveiling of the Resurrection Window at the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Designed and fabricated by Judson Studios in California, the Resurrection Window is currently the largest single stained glass window in the world, measuring approximately 37 feet tall and almost 100 feet wide.
Troy also enjoys collaborating with all manner of ensembles and organizations. He has had the privilege of composing music for groups such as the Blue Valley School District, the A.I.M Ensemble in Los Angeles, HEAR NO EVIL, the Music for Special Occasions trio in Kansas City, and the Church of the Resurrection Choirs and Orchestra. His works have been performed in the USA, Central America, and Europe in venues including the Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. and Cadogan Hall in London, England.
Works for Winds
- Blue Valley Southwest High School Fight Song and Alma Mater (2011)
- Circles (2002)
- Dense Wood, The (2009)
- How the Old Mountains Drip with Sunset (2012)
- Indistinct Awakenings (2009)
- Life Is But a Dream (2014)
- Myst (2008)
- Ozark Folk Song Suite (2015)
- The Rusted Heart (2017)
Resources
- Troy Armstrong website Accessed 18 October 2018