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Ben Stonaker (b.1981) earned his DMA in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin where he was the assistant director of UT's New Music Ensemble. His music has been played across the US and Canada with international performances in Europe and South America. Described as "outer space lounge music" (KMFA From the Butler School), "layered and richly textured with deceiving simplicity" (Offbeat Magazine), his work often explores sonic environments that highlight unconventional combinations of orchestral instruments within a wide variety of settings - from chamber groups, wind ensemble, and full orchestra to ambitious ensembles like the 2012 premiere of his work for forty-four contra clarinets. A native of Louisiana, he currently resides in New Orleans where he teaches private lessons and runs his business STONAKER MUSIC & MEDIA.
Dr. Ben Stonaker
Dr. Ben Stonaker
MUSICIAN | COMPOSER | ENGRAVER | EDUCATOR
1981 (July/Leo) born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
1987 Ben was teaching himself how to play the piano and noticed he could match pitch incredibly well at a young age
1992 started school band on clarinet
1994 became the church pianist at Port Vincent Baptist (unpaid, of course)
1995-2003 keyboard player and horn arranger for the cover band Typical Reasons (for the next seven years)
1998 performed in Carnegie Hall with the MidAmerica National Wind Ensemble
1998-99 made 1st chair in every honor band on clarinet (and he achieved that goal)
1999 graduated from high school and started undergraduate work at LSU
2002 selected to the Young Composers Mentor Project, first wind ensemble/band piece performed at TBA Conference in San Antonio
2004 earns the Bachelor of Music degree in music composition after writing extensively for clarinets and saxophones and leaves home to pursue a master's degree in Missouri (UMKC)
2006 starts music engraving and copy work for Chen Yi & Zhou Long
2007 first band commission (Narrow Loops)
2008 earns the Master of Music degree in music composition, heads back to Louisiana
2009-2012 works as an itinerant instructor for Lafourche Parish Schools (woodwind specialist)
2012 applies to doctoral programs and gets into UT-Austin as assistant director of the New Music Ensemble
2014 premiered a piece for 44 contra clarinets in Nebraska at ICA's ClarinetFest
2015 earns his doctorate from UT and heads back to Louisiana once again
2016-2018 gigged in New Orleans, worked at Kinkos, networked and played with free improvisors
2018 landed a job teaching talented and gifted music in Lafourche Parish
2024 releases album of electronic music for mental health awareness
2025-2026 rebranding himself as sole proprietor of Stonaker Music & Media
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