COLIN DEJONG

Colin DeJong is currently pursuing his MM in Music Theory at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where he is an Associate Instructor. He earned a BM in Composition (with a concentration in piano) from the Jacobs School in 2010. A diverse artist who thrives in several facets of musicianship, he is as comfortable at the composer’s desk as at the pianist’s bench, and as capable on the podium as he is singing onstage or teaching in the classroom.

After his unwitting conscription into the ranks of the church choir as a youngster, Colin soon learned to enjoy singing. He currently performs with Indiana University’s Pro Arte Singers—a chamber choir specializing in early music—but also served as a section leader in the university’s Contemporary Vocal Ensemble for the premiere presentation of Gabriela Ortiz’s videopera “Únicamente la verdad,” as well as in the Columbus, Indiana Philharmonic’s recent performance of Bach’s B minor mass. He is a regular chorus member in performances of new student and faculty compositions, and portrayed Benvolio in the staged premiere of Don Freund’s Romeo and Juliet: A Shakespearean Music Drama.

As a pedagogue, Colin continues to expand his activities. In 2008, he worked as the Intern / Assistant Instructor in a 3-week cognitive science course called “Quick and Dirty Mental Operations” as part of Indiana University’s Intensive Freshman Seminars program. Through his appointment as Associate Instructor of Music Theory, he will work in conjunction with Jacobs School faculty toward the teaching of a thorough curriculum to undergraduate students in the school.

Colin frequently performs as a pianist in collaboration with instrumentalists, vocalists, conductors, and other artists. Recent highlights include joining the Indiana University Singers in a concert featuring N. Lincoln Hanks’ “Dixit Dominus” for SATB choir, 2 pianos, and 2 percussionists; a recital featuring Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire; and participation in a masterclass given by Anita Pontremoli . He served as the rehearsal accompanist for the Indiana University Symphonic Choir, and is a summer ballet class accompanist at the Interlochen Arts Camp.  Additionally, he was the worship pianist at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Macomb, IL, and is currently the service pianist at Unity of Bloomington in Bloomington, IN.

His principal teachers have been:

Don Freund , P.Q. Phan , Michael Gandolfi , Claude Baker - Composition

David Dzubay - Orchestration

Jean-Louis Haguenauer , Andrea Molina, Ann Schein - Piano