about the composers
Zola Saadi-Klein
Zola Saadi-Klein (they/them) is an Iranian-American composer, vocalist, violinist and multimedia artist from Los Angeles, CA. For much of their work, they draw inspiration from their Iranian and European heritage, exploring the cross-cultural bonds of music from the West and of the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. What excites them most about creating, is the community formed through first a sense of individuality which then opens up as a sureness of becoming oneself to serve their community–and communities they reach– takes over in the process. Through embracing the she’r, learning the vocal tahrir and instrumental tasnif techniques in the traditional classical Iranian music, and formal education based on the structures which present themselves in the Western music tradition, they hope to continue cultivating a dialogue between both cultures, on the path to discovering homeland. In 2020, they received the ASCAP Foundation Irving Berlin Scholarship Award. From 2019-2021, they were a Fellow in the LA Phil Composer Fellowship Program under the mentorship of Andrew Norman, Sarah Gibson, and Thomas Kotcheff. Currently, they study composition with Professor Stephen Hartke, Jesse Jones, and Michael Frazier at Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
Max Lang
Max Lang (they/he/she) is a writer, vocalist, and composer from Columbus, Ohio. They are currently a junior working towards their B.A. in Creative Writing and Musical Studies from Oberlin College. Max's music focuses primarily on narrative, using sound to tell stories from their own life and identity, their imagination, and the world around them. Outside of composing, Max works with horses, writes poetry, sings in an acapella group, and reads all sorts of books. They are so excited to have this opportunity to share their creative work with the world and work alongside so many incredible musicians and composers!
Indigo Stephens (AKA Daniel Lasagna)
Indigo Stephens, or Daniel Lasagna (they/them), is a multifaceted composer, MC, and musician. The same way gender identity labels fail to capture the spectrum of gender vibes they express, genre labels also fail to capture the spectrum of styles and elements in their music. As a composer, Daniel has two goals: to create a shared cathartic moment that is healing, intimate, and revealing; and also to destroy limiting categories and definitions allowing for the same freedom that creates the absurd counterintuitive and hard to define reality we all live in, to be intentionally reflected in sound. Indigo received two degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory in Creative Writing (B.A.) and Jazz Composition (B.M.).
Calvin Ray Shawler
Calvin Ray Shawler (they/them) fell in love with the performing arts from an early age and has pursued it since through music, theatre, and the beautiful synthesis that is musical theatre (plus a little bit of film work too). Their passion lies in the beauty between boundaries. Growing up queer and Christian in a mixed family has influenced their focus on contradiction, nuance, and balance through their art, whether they are writing, directing, conducting, acting, singing, playing an instrument, or tap dancing. One of their proudest creations include the vignette-style musical, Wait for Me, Goodbye, Look Up, I Love You, which patches together a portrait of change, looking at its negative, positive, and unifying elements throughout time and space, grounded in a personal revelation about the impossible compatibility of queerness and spirituality. Calvin's recent meditative musical experience called Mirror, Mirror, hosted in their living room, explores society's hyperfixation with romance and the harmful consequences it has on healthy, loving relationships with others and ourselves. They plan to continue making art -- large and small, simple and complex, heavy and joyous. Currently they do so at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where they are perpetually working on too many projects, investing in lasting friendships, overanalyzing whatever piece of art they can, and learning every step of the way.
Maya Irizarry Lambright
Maya Irizarry Lambright (they/them) is an improvisor, composer, and violinist. Their artistic journey is deeply rooted in a childhood surrounded by diverse musical influences, shaping a musical style that transcends genres. Their passion for improvisation, new music, and chamber music fuels their artistic expression. Their composition practice explores themes of healing, reflection, joy, and curiosity. Maya has performed over 50 concerts as a member of the Eris Quartet, including a 2023 tour to nine cities across the East Coast, and were the Fellowship String Quartet in Residence at New Music on the Point in 2024. In January 2022, Maya spearheaded "Why We Breathe," a piece created as a result of the pandemic’s effects on collaborative music projects, uniting musicians and visual artists to create a fusion of art and music. At Oberlin College and Conservatory, they led a traditional Latin music band. Maya graduated with a B.M. at Oberlin Conservatory where they studied with Sibbi Bernhardsson, and currently attends the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California under the tutelage of Lina Bahn. With a dedication to pushing musical boundaries, they eagerly embrace the exploration of both notated and improvised music.