Dr. Zach Gulaboff Davis, DMA in Music Composition | Co-Founder at The Consonance Collective

In this episode, we discuss Zach’s academic and professional journey in music composition and how collaboration has been a source of support and inspiration in his role as a freelance composer.

Hosted by Brooklyn Arroyo

To connect with Zach and to learn more about his story, visit his page on the PHutures #100AlumniVoices Project website.

Transcript

Brooklyn Arroyo

Hello I'm Co-host Brooklyn Arroyo and this is 100 Alumni Voices podcast stories that inspire where we explore the personal and professional journeys of our diverse group of 100 doctoral alumni from Johns Hopkins University. Today we're joined by Zach Gulaboff Davis, PhD in music composition. How are you, Zach?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I'm doing great thanks so much for having me. It's a real pleasure.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Thank you for coming. To the PHutures Podcast, we're really excited to have you so. Soon right off the bat, I would like to ask you a little bit about. So, you know your graduate work at Hopkins and your Gulab off experience studying music composition. I think that I was personally excited when I saw your little bio. I was. Like wow, that's. That's a new one. I don't think I've had any sort of realm of a pH D like that yet. Most people have studied, you know, some form of. Bioethics and that sort of thing. So, tell us a little bit about what your graduate work looked like.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

So, my graduate work primarily focused on original composition, so writing a new music for ensembles to perform and also a bit of writing and research in topics in related to music theory. One of my primary interests since probably early undergrad, has been composing music and just thinking various patterns and various ideas, often stemming from really, really simple things like a little melody or a little progression of chords. And spinning that out. Into larger narratives, whether it's for, you, know, some sort of chamber ensemble, mixed group of various instruments, a full orchestra, a Youth Orchestra, anything in between. And that's an extremely rewarding thing for me. My doctoral project was a Piano Concerto, so it worked for solo. Piano plus a selected group of instruments. In this case, it was about a 17 or 18, I believe. For a project I was on doing in collaboration with the group up in New York City and Columbia University, so that was really, really fun. I also. Did a bit of research on the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, and some of his solo piano works. I'm a huge fan of his music, so getting to not only write music, but explore the music of composers who I've. Long admired was definitely a highlight.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Definitely I. I think music is something that's really powerful and almost transcends language, so I think that that like the work you are doing. Was I'm extremely interesting, so you briefly mentioned that you started really exploring this interest in your undergrad. What led you? To sort of dive deeper and go all the way into your music composition PhD.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

So, composition always. Felt like a really good fit once I. Sort of discovered it so. I grew up playing piano as a kid, but always wanted to play in an orchestra and they weren't say a ton of opportunities to play piano in an orchestra, unless maybe you were soloist or doing something very much in the background. So, I ended up picking up. Question as a sort of. Work around to get into the orchestra. Loved that, but also loved sitting in the back of the orchestra and justice watching the entire ensemble interact. Watching how different groups of instruments worked well together, watching how the whole group worked as a cohesive whole. It was just a transformative experience. And then. When I went to college, I really. Didn't even know that living composers existed. I always thought of composers as being like Mozart or Bach or hidden, or Puccini, or whatever. You know, people that have been long dead at this point. And I was studying piano performance and math as an undergrad. I always loved the artistic side of. Piano of music, but I love the sort of more regimented side of mathematics. Being able to sit down and say Tinker with an equation until you get it just right. And when I discovered composition that seemed like a really rewarding amalgamation of the two and then incredibly fun. Or sense to be able to do something artistic, but at the same time be able to sort of work through that process on your own and then. Come up with a final product and it's been incredibly fun.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Yeah, I feel like it's really interesting to highlight in the points that you're talking about because many people I feel would So, almost say that the two subjects are an oxymoron. You know mathematics and so, music and how did you see within your studies that they really can amplify one another? And so, and help highlight the so the good and bad and so help each other. Grow with those two sides.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Absolutely, I feel like probably more than anything else, it's kind of a mindset and say how I approach composing and I can approach it in a very sort of structured, regimented way or with a very clear sort of intended goal in mind and work backwards to achieve that. Perhaps just like you might work backwards in a. Solving a complex equation or something. Like that?

Brooklyn Arroyo

And definitely so career wise, what were your thoughts throughout your graduate work? What did you plan on doing? What did it end up working out? What did that look like for you?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

So first and foremost, I was just honored to be at Hopkins and at Peabody the You know division that I studied at and to work with my amazing mentor of Kevin puts whose opera recently premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, just a phenomenal composer. And it was a tremendous honor to work with him. So that was. Just like first and foremost, the most exciting thing about it. Secondly, just being around so many musicians and scholars, whether it be other performers, researchers, faculty at the institution, everything, it was phenomenal. Pretty much. Before I even enrolled, I knew that a. A kind of traditional academic route probably wasn't something that appealed to me personally. I know a lot of my colleagues absolutely love that, and I have, you know, the utmost admiration for that, but for me, I very much enjoy being a freelance composer, getting to do various projects, sort of on my own terms, projects. We really, really care about and also have additional time to teach and mentor younger students as well. So, in terms of that, I wouldn't say that my career trajectory has changed more than it's just sort of evolved and become more cemented.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Definitely that that constant evolution is something that I think many people strive for. So, approaching the sort of decision and you So, mentioned a little bit about how you thought that that linear academia path wasn't necessarily something that you were wanting to go down. Was there a point when you decided that or did it? Like you were talking about just kind of snowball into you not taking that path.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Right, I think it was just a very kind of gradual path, and again, I think the primary reason why I decided to pursue, you know, graduate training was. To learn more about. The subject I was extremely passionate about and you get to work with musicians and scholars at that level and this. You know one of my greatest joys ever and. I went back on. Those years very fondly and they've. Very much informed everything I do today as a composer.

Brooklyn Arroyo

I would like to dive more into that just because I can see like I, I feel the passion that you have for that and as something as someone who was a musician for a long time as well, I. I'm really interested to know about your experience and the things that you learned from the other composers you were with and the mentorship you were talking about. I would be really interested to hear more about your experience there.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

So, what instrument did you play? Just First off out of?

Brooklyn Arroyo

Curiosity so I started off with the violin and then from there because this is what I've been told and I feel like it's totally true from my experience I sort of self-taught after I was taught professionally in school. Right guitar? The upright base, the electric base, and the piano.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

That's phenomenal. I do a piano and percussion and that's about it. Violin is a dream of mine. I've written a lot of pieces for the instruments or just one that are not easy to play.

Brooklyn Arroyo

It's a beautiful.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Well, so the utmost respect in. That regard in terms of your question.

Speaker

One of the.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I'll give you a little story that kind of encapsulates all. Of this something that. I'm still enjoying and reaping the benefits of today. I think it was my second year. In the program I went to the incoming graduate student reception that's in free pizzas and whatever, just a great time to meet the incoming class. That type of thing, and I remember having a conversation. Right after that where? We're eating pizza with an incoming composer. Named Bobby G. He was talking about. Just maybe starting a little group where we few composers could sit around and listen to music. Compare notes, talk about life, whatever. Just you know, do sort of compose really activities and. A few months were up. Uh, we started doing that pretty regularly. It was a group of five of us started meeting just going over music that was really special to us, sharing it with the. Group just talking. We thought, what if we, uh, put on a concert to do something, uh? You know, aside from just meeting in a random empty classroom, we put on a. Those are in Baltimore that led. To another one and another one. And now we decided to form a composer collective. A group of composers. All five of us met at the school, so it's myself Bobby Gee, who I mentioned. Dan Despins, Yuna, Kim and Guay, all a doctoral or a graduate students at the school. Once we graduated, we said why don't we just keep this going? And to this day we've been collaborating, putting on multiple projects a year. We just recently worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center to create music videos highlighting undersea exploration. Before that, we worked with Stsci, the NASA affiliated. Group in Baltimore that we partnered with them and the Hubble Space Telescope to work on music videos. We're now working on a solo piano album, so it's just been incredibly fun to take what almost seems as like a mundane interaction at school and just let that sort of. Move along and see where it progresses. Also, just being around so many performers, I think composers learn the most from fellow musicians to getting to hand a work in progress to. A trusted friend or colleague that plays the instrument and then getting their feedback. Because, you know, writing a piece is never A1 way St. It's a collaboration between you and the performer, so interactions like that, whether it's that composer collective via consonance collective or just random interactions with. Students, faculty and everyone in between at the schools. You know, been indispensable to my career.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Definitely, definitely, and sort of letting that creativity and just bouncing off one another. And now you've had this big thing that's come from what some may call a mundane interaction, like you said, so I think that's extremely exciting and truly highlights how music is in everything. You know, and things that we wouldn't even necessarily think about. So, have you felt that there was any surprises or things that you didn't necessarily prepare for within your career within? Your pH D.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Surprises, that's a question that caught me by surprise, but. It's a very good one. I can't actually think of anything offhand, just being sort of in the Conservatory and in the school environment for so long, I think. Prepares you really well for the music world, kind of interacting with these. Elements and dispositions and people that you deal with. So, I don't know I. Can't really think of a specific one offhand. I'm sure it'll come to me in a couple of minutes, but.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Well in a couple of minutes you can always jump back into it and so, I'm sure we're excited to. Know but

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I mean pick you up on that.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Let's see if I could lead you into it. Has there been any challenges that you that you've experienced within your career or within doing freelance work that you weren't necessarily aware that were going to exist? Or even if you were aware and what were they and how? Did you go about? Taking them on.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I'm sure at this point it's quite cliche to say this, but the pandemic first and foremost you know music is not exactly a thing that one. Wants to experience or share in solitude so that impacted. The profession greatly, and I'm really, really relieved and glad that we're back to. Sort of some semblance of. Normality really, really, really happy for that. It was a good bit of time where I think none of us really knew where we would end up. That's been one of the biggest things. Aside from that? I'm a very kind of. Detail oriented type person but having to manage sort of your entire schedule on your own can always present you know its own challenges. Whether it's making sure say. You have all your students, your entire studio of students you're working with on days when you're not traveling and making sure you have enough time just to actually compose. For me, I can't really. Say just sit down and write something you know in 15 minutes or in 15-minute intervals really requires. Want to sit down and sort of be with your music? Really let it burn inside you and just kind of explode out so you can't. You can't do that in short intervals, so just. Having to take ownership of your schedule and really make sure that it's. Best suited to what you want to be accomplishing? Probably the most difficult thing. Nothing you actually think about and nothing like you don't take a class on, you know. Scheduling your life as a freelance musician or something.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Yes, that's very experienced based knowledge.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Indeed yes, yes.

Brooklyn Arroyo

So uhm, a question. I wanted to follow up on is your work within the pandemic. And as you said it is a little cliche, but. It 15-minute was a. A big time for everyone, so I think it's come up in almost every podcast, but it is interesting to hear about the different experiences we've had. So, what did your work look like through that time with being quarantined and working as a composer?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I think one of the biggest things was actually. A shift that was still. Enjoying but also contending with today, which is like with my composer collective consonants, we decided. To move a lot of our stuff online, which actually ended up being a great thing to be able to reach a. Lot more people collaborate with many more organizations and I really work on, say, producing a polished final product where we go to recording. Studio record the music and then take time to edit that together into compelling footage. So that's been a you know.

Speaker

Kind of.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Almost exciting side. Effect of that. Aside from that, I did get slightly lucky in that my go to or my default for composing is chamber music or sort of groups of smaller instrumental configurations. So maybe one to six for example. I think everything I'm working on right now. The largest piece has. Southern musicians, so that did help somewhat because you know those types of groups were able to play a bit more with like appropriate safety measures in place and whatnot. So that was a definite plus on my end and. Honestly, having. A bit of solitude to just compose and work and focus on my music. Wasn't the worst thing either. I was talking earlier about how nice it is to have just that space and time to work on music so. One of the biggest projects I worked on was a 15- or 16-minute-long string quartet for the fantastic. I guess they were New York based bergamot string quartet who also came from Peabody Hopkins and that was that was fun and I don't think I could have done that had it. As strange as it sounds, not. Been for the pandemic.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Definitely there was a lot of empty time during those days.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Yes, yes. Little hard to contend with for sure, but you know, I guess one has to look for Silver Linings when they can.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Definitely so would you think that the work that you do in and out of the pandemic has any sort of misconceptions or myths to exactly what it is that you do you know, have you ever mentioned to somebody that you were a freelance composer and they had a certain idea of the work that you do which is different than what you actually?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I think the biggest one and one I can personally relate to is people not really knowing that living composers exist, especially living composers in say, the contemporary classical tradition, right? You might think living composers OK. Well, John Adams, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, you know film composer or something like that. But just. Letting people become acquainted with kind of the vast array of music being produced these days. Whether it's you know a. More sort of accessible film score or an extremely esoteric piece that maybe appeals to the tiniest of tiny subsets of the. You know music world or anything in between. There's a. So much going on and I really think there's. Something for everyone.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Mm-hmm definitely so alongside that I think that you're mentioning and you're talking about really important points, that even lessons that go outside of the music industry or the. Music world so. What has been the biggest lesson that the work that you do has taught you?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

This lesson I think more than anything. To collaborate and to ask questions, and to never assume that you know the answers. Just always be willing to. Work with people and to also derive joy and excitement from that definitely.

Brooklyn Arroyo

So, what does the next phase? If you have an idea of what the next phase looks for it look like for you career wise?

Zach Gulaboff Davis

So more than anything, I kind of. View my path. What I'm doing as say maybe someone starting a uh, small, but like good restaurant, something that you know someone want to come back to. And then maybe tell their friends about and tell their friends about and hopefully just keep building up those connections and positive interactions and going back to what I was saying. Love collaboration. Anytime I'm able to work with a musician of the caliber I've been honored to work with is a. Real pleasure and no, I just see myself continuing to write pieces. Work with composers. Work with composers, work with performers, whatever. The case may be in now. Go from there. It's always exciting to see where life leads you.

Brooklyn Arroyo

So, alongside the idea of just kind of taking little things, making them bigger collaboration mentorship. What other advice would you have for somebody who's pursuing and currently pursuing a pH D in music composition or anything related to. To this area that you work in.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I'd say go into it with an open mind. Don't go into it with the mindset that say oh this degree only prepares you for one very narrow career path. Go into it with the mindset that. There's you know so much more you can do beyond just not just but beyond teaching in academia.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Mm-hmm definitely this has been a reoccurring point throughout the future podcast that I think that it's really important to highlight, especially because everyone seems to think it, but it's not a linear thing. Going into academics and I think there's still a misconception that it's once you get your PhD. There's only one route you can go, but really. There's a wide variety of things that we can do so.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Exactly exactly, and I think the more we can open our eyes to that, the more. The more I think satisfied people in you know terminal degree paths will be because it's definitely a finite number of, say, tenure track positions in music theory or composition, and personally I doubt that everyone in those positions is enjoying. Every moment of it, but that could. Just be me.

Brooklyn Arroyo

OK, so our final question today, which before we jump right into it, I just want to say I really enjoyed our discussion today and I'm. Really excited. Yeah, we were able to get you. On the PHutures Podcast, but. For our big finale, we're asking all of our podcast interviewees this question, and that is what inspires you right now.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

I think I've already alluded to this, but I'll say it alright again, I'll collaboration first and foremost collaboration whether it's working with other composers or absolutely most importantly working with. Musicians that I still have to pinch myself every day to, you know, realize that I'm lucky enough to be a collaborating with and that type of back-and-forth dialogue is. It's just amazing and one of the reasons I compose every day so collaboration it is.

Brooklyn Arroyo

It's definitely definitely inspiring. I think for all sort of types of work it's motivational to sort of look up and realize wow all my hard work has gotten me here and you kind of have to pat yourself on the back every so often.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Exactly exactly, no. It's really fun.

Brooklyn Arroyo

Well, thank you. Again, for coming on to the PHutures Podcast and I hope to. Speak with you soon.

Zach Gulaboff Davis

Thanks again for having me. It's been a real pleasure.