Justin Weiss is a composer and conductor whose music has been described as “lush, colorful” (Cleveland Classical) and full of “rustling energy” (Hyde Park Herald). His music explores the perception of time, energy, and transformation through textural play and melodically driven lyricism. Much of Justin’s recent work has been focused on relationships between visual arts and sound. Justin’s work has been recognized with a Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the League of Composers/ISCM Prize, the Prix Langage Musical from Les Écoles d’Art Américaines de Fontainebleau, the Walter E. Aschaffenburg Prize, awards and recognitions from institutions such as ASCAP, Society of Composers, Inc., The American Prize, Tribeca New Music, and he was a Composition Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Justin’s music has been performed internationally by ensembles including Quatuor Diotima, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Grossman Ensemble, members of the Albany Symphony, Akropolis Reed Quintet, TAK Ensemble, ~Nois Saxophone Quartet, Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble, and Sandbox Percussion Quartet. Justin is the co-executive/artistic director and conductor of new Chicago-based contemporary music ensemble, Mycelium New Music, and was previously the co-director of the University of Chicago and Montclair State University New Music Ensembles. As a conductor, Justin has premiered dozens of pieces internationally. Justin studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and holds a PhD from the University of Chicago. Justin is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
