A passionate composer, arranger, and teacher, with experience in percussion, piano, songwriting, and classical composition
Gray Campbell is a composer known for his beautiful, lyrical style, that engages audiences emotionally while maintaining accessibility. His compositional repertoire includes instrumentations such as solo keyboard percussion, percussion ensemble, brass ensemble, woodwind quintet, cello choir, orchestra, and voice. The diverse instrumentation results from a passion for exploring new sonic territory and continual learning.
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During his undergraduate time at Baylor, he composed for several new music projects, including a collaboration with the Baylor Percussion Group on Path, a programmatic piece depicting the struggle of an individual forced to carry his cross to the destination of their execution. Similarly, he composed a piece for unconventional brass octet depicting the pain of the Roman execution of crucifixion. Additionally at Baylor, he was selected to participate in the reformation of the New Music Ensemble, a program pairing composers with small chamber ensembles of forces with no repertoire, where they were challenged to write 15 continuous minutes of music for their ensemble, meeting regularly to collaborate and prepare for a performance.
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Campbell was bitten by the proverbial composition bug in high school when a music theory teacher assigned the class a small composition project to apply the information they had learned. Though the requirements were small, Campbell was deeply inspired by the possibilities that lay in the realm of composition, from the satisfaction of putting music theory rules to work, to the thrill of breaking them in order to create something exciting.
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While completing his master's studies with Dr. Scott McAllister and Dr. Ben Johansen, Campbell worked on an original musical exploring the challenges of different anxiety disorders within the context of interpersonal relationships, adapted from a song cycle he began composing in his undergraduate studies. He has had the privilege of receiving mentorship and collaboration from composers such as Emma O'Halloran, Zhou Tian, Guilherme Almeida Feitosa de Almeida, and Chris Sies.
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Growing up in Houston, TX, Gray spent much of his time in school theatre, falling in love with the combination of the multitude of artistic disciplines required and the community it builds between the members of the production. This experience fostered a dream of creating musicals that could house the same experience for others. When not in school he could often be found within the local community at the West Houston Outreach Center, volunteer teaching for the Family Point Resources, and SCENES theatre camps, at both of which students were taught an entire Junior musical and gave a performance for the community all in a week’s time. Today, Gray can be found at his local coffee shop making friends with the baristas, composing, and trying to enjoy the Houston weather.
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