About

Coming from a background in arts integrated education, Drew Swatosh (they/them) strives to create connections within their music, whether through the inclusion of programmatic/extra musical elements; collaborating with other composers, musicians, and artists; and/or combining different musical styles and compositional techniques. They use composing as a means of processing the world around them, which includes social justice, intersectional feminism, climate change, and grief. Drew has been commissioned by the Seattle Opera Creation Lab, Stephanie Bivins (Glacier View Junior High Concert Choir/Aspire Middle School for the Performing Arts); Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Music Department; and composer/soprano/lyricist Carolyn Quick.

As a composer, Drew has participated in many different master classes with composers including Martin Bresnick, Dave Metzger, Chen Yi, Gabriel Prokofiev, and Lisa Neher. Beyond master classes, Drew has participated in the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium, and the Fear No Music Young Composers Project. For their SATB setting of the Poem In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, Drew won 1st place in the Washington State Music Teachers Association Young Composers Project.