Ethan Isaac (b.1996) is a "Post-revolutionary" (New York Classical Review) composer praised for their sweeping melodies. Unafraid of disciplinary boundaries, Ethan frequently utilizes text from living poets, theatrics, film, and abundant electronic transformations to create a new musical world exploring themes such as urban planning, mental health, and Russian literature. Their recent orchestral work, Tohu Va-Vohu explored the kabbalistic view of the creation story, utilizing Hebrew cyphers to create the content of the piece.

Ethan earned their MA at Rutgers University under Scott Ordway and Robert Aldridge, and will be attending University of Pittsburgh as a PhD student this fall.

Joshua Muetzel (b. 1994) is a composer of groove-based, textural explorations of sonic space that blur genre boundaries. His music has been performed, read, and recorded by artists including arx duo, Calefax Reed Quintet, NOW Ensemble, and numerous university orchestras and chamber ensembles. His music deals with topics such as nature, environmentalism, and mysticism. His music draws influence from minimalism, spectralism, Caribbean music, and jazz, as well as from the disciplines of visual art and literature. He is a published steel pan composer and has played and taught steel pan and directed steel bands for 10 years.

Josh earned his M.M. from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver and is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Composition from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. His principal teachers have been Sean Friar, Peter Lieuwen, Lansing McLoskey, Tom Miller, and David Wilborn.

Hannah Moore is a performer, composer, and educator, originally from Tulsa Oklahoma. She received her bachelor and master’s degree from the Ohio State University. As a performer, Hannah has performed with the Ohio Wesleyan Symphonic Band, Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, Zuva Zimbabwean marimba ensemble, Westerville Symphony, and the Heisey Wind Ensemble. She has also performed at the VIVO Music Festival and Bang on a Can Loud Weekend. As a composer, she is looking to honor past women in the field while also creating works that incorporate current topics she is passionate about. Hannah has been commissioned by the Pickerington North High School Percussion ensemble, Summit Ridge Duo, and various Columbus-based musicians. As an educator, Hannah has experience as a summer school music teacher working with at-risk youth through the Tulsa Boys Home, a marching band instructor with the Delaware Hayes Marching Band, and has been teaching private lessons for five years. Currently, Hannah is currently pursuing a DMA in percussion at the Hartt School.

My favorite part about being a musician (which I believe encapsulates performing, composing, educating, and other areas of music) is the collaborative aspect. Getting together with others, sharing ideas, making compromises, and creating something neither individual could make on their own is magical! I am so excited that this idea from a late evening at SōSI is coming to fruition. Ethan and Josh are amazing individuals and composers. Their contrasting musical vernaculars will undoubtedly help to create two works that can complement the other when performed together or can confidently stand alone. I cannot wait to perform this work to be completed and to perform it with McKenzie!

McKenzie Squires is a Brooklyn based percussionist with a passion for world music, research, social commentary, and most importantly performing with fellow musicians. She recently graduated with her Masters Degree in Percussion Studies from New York University. She is an experienced educator who has taught at WCU, NYU, online, and with steel organizations throughout NYC. She is a proud member of Pan in Motion steel orchestra, an intern for the Network for Diversity in Concert Percussion and assistant to Emily Motherwell at Colbert Artists Management/OtherArts. She is also an intern and social media generator for Sō Percussion. In her free time she obsessively practices solo glockenspiel pieces, researches minimalist music, and produces content for Instagram. Occasionally she can be found composing electronic music from sound bites and pre-recorded materials. She is a founding member of folx Percussion- a percussion group dedicated to creating a safe space for femme and non-binary percussionists to be creative and explore new ideas.

Ethan, Hannah, Josh, and I (McKenzie) met last summer at Sō Percussion’s Summer Institute 2022. But this commission, and friendship, blossomed at SōSI23! The best activity by far, in my opinion, at SōSI is the late night conversations that happen. It was great to share stories of our lives and talk about our experiences. You know what they say: a Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, and Jew walk into a bar… With the four of us coming from different religious backgrounds it was natural that we would talk about our individual experiences. We also had conversations about our experiences within the music world. One topic that always comes up when you talk to myself or Hannah is representation and what it is like to be women in percussion. These conversations inspired the theme of our pieces while the instrumentation was inspired by a piece that Hannah and I put together the second week of SōSI: Emma O’Halloran’s music for the small hours. O’Halloran’s piece calls for specifically tuned pipes and wood blocks with glockenspiel. I am OBSESSED with playing glockenspiel so when asked to join the consortium for O’Halloran’s newest piece was a must. Hannah also joined this commission, so it was natural that we would play this piece together during SōSI. O’Halloran’s and these new pieces can easily be programmed together!