about
Zachery S. Meier holds a BM in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Minnesota Duluth, an MA from Washington State University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of Iowa. Meier currently serves as Visiting Instructor at Denison University in Granville, OH teaching courses in composition, theory, computer music, and queer studies.
Zachery's music has been commissioned and performed by musicians and ensembles from around the United States. His commissions have come from a large variety of solo musicians to large ensemble works, including his most recent commission Meraki for a consortium of ensembles. Other commissions include Transfuse for French Horn and Electronics for Anna Marshall, Azure Roads for Tuba and Piano for Chris Dickey, and Carbon White for Solo Marimba for Christopher Whyte. Many thanks also go to the ensembles that have given him the opportunity to work with and perform his music; The Ho Chi Minh Ballet Orchestra, Washington State University Wind Ensemble, University of Iowa's Symphony Band, University of Iowa's Center for New Music Ensemble, George Mason University Wind Symphony, Cincinnati Conservatory Wind Orchestra, and many others.
Zachery credits his wonderful mentors, David Gompper, Josh Levine, Sivan Cohen Elias, Jean-François Charles, Gregory Yasinitsky, Danh Pham, Scott Blasco, Ryan Hare, and Justin Rubin for his achievements in both his music and academic work. He has also had the pleasure of learning and engaging with many respected composers such as Marcos Balter, Andrew Boysen, Mark Camphouse, Ching-chu Hu, Nathan Daughtrey, Timothy Mahr, Kevin Walczyk, and others.
Zachery has received regional and national recognition for his compositions. In 2017, Meier was selected to participate in the National Band Association's Young Composers & Conductors Mentor Project, inviting him to participate in the rehearsal and performance of his wind ensemble work, Reigniere, with the United States Air Force Band. He was also named the 2015 Washington Idaho Symphony Composition/Concerto Competition winner and provided a spotlight artists segment on Minnesota Public Radio's Spotlight Regional Artists Series in 2015.
In 2021, Zachery was awarded a Denison University research grant to pursue additional adaptations to bowed piano in collaboration with movement artist, Molly Shanahan and her company Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak to be premiered in Chicago in 2022. In 2016, Zachery was recognized as a distinguished graduate student for his achievements as a composer, performer, and academic scholarship. Meier was also inducted into the Honorary Tau Beta Sigma National Band Sorority. He is a member of ASCAP, SCI, and NACUSA. Along with writing as a freelance composer and performing in the Christine Burke Ensemble with his colleagues, Zachery also enjoys graphic and interior design with small accomplishments in both fields.