Timothy Kramer

Timothy Kramer’s music reflects his fascination with motivic patterns, cyclical relationships, and musical gestures that unfold in a variety of changing speeds and textures. Originally from Washington State, Kramer (b. 1959) began playing the piano at an early age, and, although trained as a pianist, organist, and harpsichordist, he spent many years as a youth playing bass guitar in jazz and rock ensembles. His music reflects this influence, and he sometimes integrates various aspects of American popular music into his pieces. 

His works have been performed widely throughout the United States and Canada — from Carnegie Hall to college campuses, and in Europe, South America, and Asia — with performances by major symphony orchestras (Indianapolis, Detroit, Tacoma, San Antonio), chamber groups (North/South Consonance, SOLI Ensemble, ONIX Ensemble, Luna Nova, Detroit Chamber Winds, Mise-en Ensemble, ~Nois, Hub New Music), and university ensembles (Michigan State, Arizona State, Indiana University, Florida State). 

He has received grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the MacDowell Colony, Meet the Composer, Broadcast Music, Inc., ASCAP, the American Guild of Organists, and the American Music Center, and commissions from the San Antonio International Piano Competition, the Midwest Clinic, the Utah Arts Festival, and the Detroit Chamber Winds, among many others. He also served as the Composer-not-in-Residence with the San Francisco Choral Artists for the 2019-2022 seasons. His degrees are from Pacific Lutheran University (B.M.), where he studied composition with David Robbins and organ with David Dahl, and the University of Michigan (D.M.A.), where he studied composition with William Albright, William Bolcom, Leslie Bassett, and George Wilson. He was also a Fulbright Scholar to Germany in 1988-89 studying with composer Martin Redel. 

He then taught at Trinity University in San Antonio for 19 years, where he also founded CASA (the Composers Alliance of San Antonio). In 2010, he accepted a post as Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Illinois College, where he was named the Edward Capps Professor of Humanities in 2013 and Professor Emeritus in 2020. His works are commercially published by Southern Music, Earnestly Music, Hinshaw, and Selah and are recorded on Calcante, North/South, Capstone, and PARMA Recordings.