My name is Corey Stark – I started writing music when I was 13 and I was not very good at it. Since then, I’ve become slightly better and I hope you can enjoy what I’ve come up with.
Here’s my fancy 3rd-person bio:
Corey Stark is a NJ/NY based composer with strong experience in all disciplines of composing. Winner of the 2024 Ithaca College Orchestra Composition Competition, Stark also received an award for “Best Score” at the Ithaca College Film Festival for his work on “Blossom” (2024). Additionally, Stark has been commissioned for numerous orchestration projects to aid in programming concerts honoring Negro spiritual traditions led by Dr. Baruch Whitehead and the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers. With a firm belief in composer-performer collaboration, Stark has worked closely with distinguished ensembles such as the Alinéa Ensemble and the Talea Ensemble. His career has also involved studies alongside celebrated world-class composers including Evis Sammoutis, Jorge Grossman, Rodrigo Bussad, and Sally Lamb-McCune.
Corey Stark’s compositional philosophy strives to create modern sounds while reinterpreting traditions and conventions, intertwining classical and contemporary music. With rich roots in a jazz background of performing and arranging, Stark’s undergraduate studies in composition at Ithaca College blend that practice with classical and contemporary canon, creating poignant and robust harmony and rhythms. The composer takes pride in his inclination to adapt to various musical styles and genres, always eager to explore new territories and innovative approaches.
Beyond the compositional stage, Stark has a keen interest in engraving and publication. He currently serves as the personal braille music transcriber for renowned soprano Ju Hyeon Han. Stark is also employed at Playbook – a music education software company rethinking the way we approach music education for children. Roles include curriculum design and copyist work.