Drew Flieder

Bio

Drew Flieder (b. 1995) is a composer and music theorist based in Santa Barbara, CA. Drew's formal studies began at the Eastman School of Music, studying under Robert Morris, Oliver Schneller, and Matt Barber. His compositions have received performances across the United States and Europe, earning him awards such as the Bernard Rogers Memorial Prize. Currently, Drew is pursuing graduate studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, under the mentorship of JoAnn Kuchera-Morin and Curtis Roads.

In addition to composition, Drew is a music theorist. In 2020 he embarked on a project titled Tools for Worldmaking. Completed in 2022, this initiative draws from the insights of figures like Mazzola, Carnap, and Aristotle in an attempt to establish a general framework for theoretical discourse, with applications in music theory. A recent article titled Towards a mathematical foundation for music theory and composition: A theory of structure is due to appear in the Journal of Mathematics and Music.

Drew's musical vision extends beyond the confines of sound and is motivated by a spiritual devotion. He conceives music not merely as a medium for expressing emotion but as a means to engage the mental conditions that ground experience. Accordingly, he envisions music as a pathway to cultivate a purified awareness of reality in its myriad forms.