Jonah Elrod

Biography

Jonah Elrod is a composer whose works are inspired by and engage with issues surrounding our environment and human perception of the natural world. He often utilizes data collected from cycles and signals from the earth and incorporates them into his music. 

He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he teaches courses in music composition, music theory, musicianship, music history, and is the director of the new music ensemble. From 2020–2023 he served as a Visiting Professor (Lecturer) at UNC Charlotte, in 2019–2020 he worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Luther College in Decorah, IA, and in 2016–2017 he worked as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He currently serves as the Chair of the Iowa Composers Forum, and is a member of the International Alliance for Women in Music, Society of Composers, Inc., SEAMUS, The Society of Music Theory, and the College Music Society. He earned his Ph.D. in music composition from the University of Iowa in 2018, where he also served as an associate director of the electronic music studios.

Jonah’s music has been performed around the United States and internationally in the UK and Germany. His music has been featured at many new music festivals including the CAMPGround23 International New Music Festival, the Ball State University New Music Festival, the Texas New Music Festival, the Society of Composers Inc. National Conference, the John Donald Robb Composers Symposium, the ABME International Conference, the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF), the Earth Day Art Model hosted by IUPUI, the New Music on the Bayou Festival, the New Music Gathering, the Hot Air Music Festival, the TUTTI Festival, and the New Gallery Series in Cambridge, MA. During the fall semester of 2024, his music will be performed at Click Fest 2024 at Ohio University, and at the Central Washington University New Music Festival.

Jonah has studied composition privately with Christopher Shultis, Richard Hermann, Karola Obermüller, Peter Gilbert, José Luis Hurtado, Lawrence Fritts, David Gompper, and Josh Levine. He has also had one-time private lessons with David Lang, Augusta Read Tomas, Michael Harrison, Caroline Shaw, Marilyn Shrude, Elainie Lillios, Michael Fiday, Dan Welcher, Ketty Nez, and David Maslanka. He has presented his music at masterclasses with Konrad Boehmer, Julio Estrada, Barbara Rettagliati, George Tsontakis, Steven Stucky, Chinary Ung, Christopher Rouse, Ken Ueno, George Lewis, Carter Pann, and Jerod Impichchaachaahá Tate.