Drew Swatosh (they/them)
Coming from a background in arts integrated education, Drew Swatosh (they/them) creates 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’s commissioners include the Seattle Opera Creation Lab for a trans/non-binary retelling of the myth of Icarus and Daedalus; choral educator Stephanie Bivins; the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Music Department; the Fear No Music Young Composers Project; and vocalists Stephanie Lamprea, Marguerite McKean, and Carolyn Quick as part of the Dead Fires Anthology for Solo Unaccompanied/Self-Accompanied Voice. Drew holds an MMus and BMus in Contemporary Music from Western Oregon University and has studied composition with: Kevin Walczyk, James Reddan, Carlos Velez, Bill Whitley, Dave Averre, and Elizabeth Ackerman. They are a member of In Medio and Cascadia Composers, and reside in Vancouver, Washington. In addition to composing, Drew is a vocalist, pianist, ukulele player, and engraver. Drew loves women’s soccer and is a tech and slow fashion enthusiast. For more information, visit their website, www.drewswatosh.com.
