Jeremy Van Buskirk (b. 1973) is a composer and educator living in Massachusetts. His music focuses on personal reflection and journeys of discovery. It invites audiences to contemplate shared experiences, exploring both the joy, sadness, and wonder of the human condition.
His piece, The World Was A Secret for wind ensemble, delves into the wonder and danger of unchecked creativity. The electronic work, The Root of All Evil, peers into the frustration created by financial instability, and pieces such as I am you will be. . . and Closer to Home question the inevitability of life’s path. Exuberance and aggression sit side-by-side with peace and tranquility in Jeremy’s music, as they do in our daily lives.
Jeremy’s work as an educator focuses on peeling back layers of complexity to share the splendor of complex musical ideas while holding firm to the belief that music should never be reduced to a set of memorized rules. Over the last 25 years, Jeremy has taught composition and music theory at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where he also serves as Special Advisor to Academic Affairs.
Organizations such as SEAMUS, ICMC, Alea III, Longy Chamber Orchestra, Lorelei Ensemble, saxophonist Ken Radnofsky, pianist Donald Berman, Wayman Chin, The Fourth Wall Ensemble, Redline Brass Quintet, Vento Chiaro, Electronic Music Midwest, and 60×60 have performed Jeremy’s music.
Additionally, he’s received commissions from The Rivers School Conservatory Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young and festivals organized by World Projects Inc. with performances at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and the Chicago Symphony Center.
Recordings of Jeremy’s electroacoustic music can be found on labels such as SEAMUS, Ablaze Records, and Tell-Tale Music Media. His acoustic music is published by World Projects Publishing.
Jeremy holds a B.M. from Berklee College of Music, M.M. degrees in Composition and Modern American Music from Longy School of Music, and a D.M.A. in Composition from Boston University. He has studied under esteemed teachers such as Lukas Foss, Richard Cornell, John Fitz Rogers, and Paul Brust.