About

Cody’s musical journey began early, with Musikgarten from birth to age three, followed by classical piano studies at age five, including theory and composition. At age ten, he took up the clarinet, which quickly became his primary instrument.

Throughout high school, Cody was highly involved in concert and marching bands, and expanded his repertoire by learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipe. He continued his musical education at the University of Northern Colorado, studying clarinet with Lauren Jacobson and Jason Shafer, and composition with Paul Elwood. During his time at UNC, he also served as drum major for three years and served the bands under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Singleton, Dr. Richard Mayne, and Dr. Wesley Broadnax and ultimately earned a Bachelors of Music with an emphasis in Composition in 2022. Cody went on to complete his Masters of Music in Composition from the University of Delaware in 2024, where he studied under Dr. Jennifer Barker and Dr. Yoshiaki Onishi.

My Music

I love the universalism of music and the sheer infinite creative potential of what a musician can create and draw inspiration from. Everything from brow-raising extended technique timbres to historical music to cultural styles feed my musical mind. My pieces have taken inspiration and styles from the Scottish and American Western styles, the historical and stylistic sounds of the Renaissance, the number Pi, and several from my mountaineering experiences and growing up in the West.

My love for music is equal to my love for outdoor adventure. Being born and raised in Colorado, I am an avid outdoorsman who loves mountaineering, climbing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and all the infinite activities in between - and I take pride in my state’s Western history and nature. I would have started this paragraph with, “Outside of music, I like to…” however, so much of my music takes inspiration from the human intersection with nature. When engaging in these activities, my mind often fires up with ideas and inspiration for compositions. Whether I’m on a 14,000-foot peak, ascending a couloir, witnessing a forest fire, or simply hiking a trail, the music starts to flow and I suddenly - and desperately - need pencil and paper.