“Music of naked protest
and yet subtle beauty”

– Lorin Wilkerson, Oregon ArtsWatch

“A programmatic composer at heart,
stemming from their background
in an integrated arts education”

– Charles Rose, Oregon ArtsWatch

Bold, programmatic music

at the intersection of trans

experience, systems, and voice.

Featured Compositions

Drew Swatosh (they/them, pronounced “SWAH-tahsh”) is a composer, vocalist, and arts administrator whose bold yet intentionally vulnerable work centers the human voice as a site of inquiry and belonging. Shaped by a background in arts-integrated education, Swatosh creates programmatic music as a way of processing the world. As an autistic and trans artist, Swatosh approaches music-making with unusual attentiveness to systems, ethics, and accessibility, bringing rigor and emotional resonance into productive balance. Described as “music of naked protest and yet subtle beauty” (Oregon ArtsWatch), their operatic, choral, chamber, and vocal works advocate for transgender and non-binary singers, creating welcoming alternatives to historically gendered roles. Swatosh’s commissions include the Seattle Opera Creation Lab, the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Music Department, Big Mouth Society, Fear No Music Young Composers Project, and works for the Dead Fires Anthology for solo unaccompanied/self-accompanied voice. Their awards include Portland Symphonic Choir’s New Works Competition and first place in the Washington State Music Teachers Association Young Composers Project. As a vocalist, Swatosh sings with Portland Symphonic Choir, has worked under Conspirare Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson at the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium, and made their professional debut with Persisting Sound. Swatosh is also a co-founder of Raindrop New Music, and leverages extensive experience in arts administration, one-on-one mentoring, and technology-forward creative support. 

— Bio by Aligned Artistry

Current Projects