Headshot courtesy of Tiffany Showalter
Brian Junttila (b. 1997)
is currently a doctoral candidate for the Doctor of Music in Composition at the Florida State University College of Music in Tallahassee, Florida where he works with Dr. Eren Gümrükçüoğlu, Dr. Clifton Callendar, and Dr. Liliya Ugay. As a composer and trombonist, his main musical goal is to hold a semblance of tradition while maintaining contemporary flair. A few ways he continues to realize this goal is by writing for unusual ensembles, picking topical texts for his vocal music, and collaborating with dancers and visual artists to create multi-disciplinary art.
He attained his Master's degree in Music Theory and Composition (M.M. '21) from Florida State University where he studied composition with Dr. Liliya Ugay, Dr. Clifton Callender, and Dr. Mark Wingate. Previously, he received his Bachelor's degree in Music Composition (B.M. '19) from James Madison University where he studied composition with Dr. Eric Guinivan and Dr. Jason Haney. Brian’s music has been performed or recorded by several institutional ensembles as well as the Polymorphia New Music Ensemble, Civitasolis Reed Quintet, Unheard-Of//Ensemble, Austin Peay State University Wind Ensemble, and James Madison University Wind Symphony. His works have also been performed at the Brevard Music Center, Atlantic Music Festival, and several conferences in the United States.
His current project is his dissertation, a large work for wind ensemble and SATB choir entitled, "Word Play," focusing on the timbral possibilities of mixing phonemes, the voice, and the wide variety of wind textures.
Since Brian returned to FSU in 2023, he has been spending serious focus on music theory and analysis, presenting recently at the Music Theory of the Mid-Atlantic and Music Theory Southeast 2025 Conferences with his paper, "Music's Role in Signifying the Progression of Difficulty in Sandbox and Roguelike Survival Games." He has also been actively conducting and recording, assisting in both roles with several new music performances, including the Polymorphia New Music Ensemble, New Music for Brass Quintet performance, and several recitals.
An active alumni at both James Madison University and Florida State University, Brian has had the privilege to attend and participate in music events at his alma mater on many occasions. Additionally, Brian was active as a trombonist in the Harrisonburg area, mainly performing with the Valley Wind Ensemble and returning to JMU to participate in alumni marching band and alumni pep band events.
While he was a student at JMU, he performed with the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Trombone Choir, and at FSU, he performed with the Wind Orchestra, Trombone Choir, and Trombone Octet. At both institutions, he was a member of several chamber groups including brass trios, quartets, and quintets. As a performer, he also champions new music, frequently performing in large ensembles created to perform student compositions. Recently, he premiered a work for trombone and fixed media by Ky Nam Nguyen entitled, "When Human Dares Not Speak" (2024).
