THE RESONANCE ATLAS
Theo Chandler
Biography
Theo Chandler (born 1992) is an American composer whose music combines vivid instrumental effects with expressive melodic writing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory, the Juilliard School and Rice University, completing a doctorate in 2021. His teachers have included Pierre Jalbert, Shih-Hui Chen, Karim Al-Zand, Samuel Adler and Melinda Wagner.
Chandler's works encompass chamber, vocal and orchestral music, with solo compositions including Moods in the Waning Hours, Beyond the Sanctuary Walls and an Oboe Concerto. He has received honours from the Barlow Endowment, Copland House, the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund. A continuing collaboration with interdisciplinary artist Lydia Hwang has produced works combining composition, storytelling and animation, including the chamber opera So You May Breathe In Light, premiered in 2025.
Why this music interests us
Chandler's music combines expressive instrumental colour with dramatic and narrative ambition. Moods in the Waning Hours provides an entry into his chamber writing, while So You May Breathe In Light (2025) shows how his work extends into opera and interdisciplinary storytelling. The relationship between concentrated instrumental writing and larger dramatic forms is especially interesting for Resonance.
Selected works & listening
Moods in the Waning Hours; Beyond the Sanctuary Walls; Oboe Concerto; So You May Breathe In Light
Further information