Jordan Chase, D.M.A.

Biography

Composer Jordan Chase writes music that is innovative and appealing to diverse audiences and performers alike. His music is described as “lyrical, rhythmically jagged and stark in majesty” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), drawing upon his life experiences to forge a freedom of expression and depth of meaning. 

The 2023-2024 season will see several premieres including under the aspect of eternity, for percussion quartet, and when I arrive, for solo cello, as well as performances of In Realms of Passing Dreams, for guitar and tape, and The Earth Holds Ghosts, for chamber ensemble. A music video of Celestial Air, for 12 trumpets, will be released and featured on Brandon Dicks' upcoming album of new compositions for trumpet. Other new works to round out the season include a piano solo, electric guitar solo, and a new electric guitar quartet for the New York City Guitar Quartet.  

In the summer of 2022, Chase was featured as the resident composer and judge at the James Stroud International Youth Guitar Competition. Toward a Copper Sea, for solo guitar, was premiered by the semi-finalists. Additional new pieces in 2021-2022 included In realms of passing dreams, for solo guitar and five pre-recorded guitars, which was released as a music video featuring John Marcel Williams on guitar, and produced by Andrew Bohman. The piece was later premiered by David Ross in Keene, NH at the Keene State College Prism Concert. Chase’s guitar quartet, Between Earth and Sky, was the opening work at Manuel Barrueco’s solo recital. The piece was commissioned by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society. 

In 2020 Chase was commissioned by the TU New Music Ensemble for his string quartet, Drift Into Light, which received performances by the Bergamot Quartet in NYC, Baltimore, and Towson, MD. As the resident composer for the Rhode Island Recording Ensemble, Chase's wind ensemble work, Emanations, was performed and recorded. Emanations is featured on the Rhode Island Recording Ensemble’s album, Radiant Dances.

Past composition instructors include Heather Gilligan, Paul Brust, Felipe Lara, and Michael Hersch, and he has studied classical guitar with William Riley and José Lezcano. Chase currently resides in Baltimore County, while teaching at Towson University and Levine Music.