Composer • Pianist • Educator
“Ciach was the composer most intent upon letting his imagination run wild all over the music, but he also had the strongest sense of how to create layers of sounds…”
—Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press
“In watching his performance and hearing the way [his third piano sonata] was composed, it was obvious that [Ciach] had a deep personal connection with each note that he played.”
—Aaron Ziegler, Rising: Contemporary Music at UI
“a name you will be hearing much of in the not-too-distant future.”
—Bernard Jacobson, Seen & Heard International
Composer Brian Ciach (pronounced “SIGH-ack”) creates at the nexus of classical rigor and experimental curiosity. Holding a Doctor of Music from Indiana University, his mosaic-style compositions reflect a wide-reaching musical palette, intentionally blurring stylistic lines to achieve a modern, interdisciplinary balance.
Whether he’s completing Bach’s Art of Fugue or improvising on a Seaboard through custom Max/MSP patches, Brian approaches music as an evolving playground. His "Pandemic Sonatine" — written for piano, face masks, and a Covid card — perfectly captures his knack for turning the cultural zeitgeist into compelling art.
The Sound & The Stage
Brian’s music has echoed through some of the world’s most prestigious venues, from the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan to St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. His orchestral works, like the award-winning Collective Uncommon: Seven Orchestral Studies on Medical Oddities, have been brought to life by world-class ensembles like the Minnesota Orchestra and Alarm Will Sound.
As a pianist, he is as comfortable premiering his own "Phoenix" Sonata as he is releasing albums of high-concept piano improvisations based on musical intervals.
Innovation in the Classroom
Currently a Lecturer at San José State University, Brian is a 2023 Outstanding Lecturer Award nominee. He’s known for:
• Deconstructing the Canon: Revising curriculum to blend student musical icons with the European masters.
• Tech-Forward Pedagogy: Using Logic Pro to help students design practical projects like custom ringtones or Dorico for theory class chorale compositions.
• Community Building: Showcasing student compositions as a piano (Seaboard) improvisor in an outdoor faculty chamber concert.
Accolades
• First Prize: The American Prize in Composition (Orchestra & Vocal Chamber Music).
• First Prize: American Liszt Society International Bicentennial Composition Competition.
