05/08/2026
Please join us in welcoming David Kirkland Garner, our new Professor of Composition!
A composer, teacher, performer, producer and researcher, Garner’s work is rooted in listening, transcription and collaboration. His music spans acoustic and electronic media, including solo, chamber, orchestral, vocal and film works.
Recent projects include Mr. Baptiste, a collaboration with poet Ishion Hutchinson and Imani Winds; Chronodrift & Nocturne, a 55‑minute work for piano and electronics; and Eight Songs for Steffen Thomas, composed for the Georgia PBS documentary Steffen Thomas: Rock & Chisel (2023). His music has been performed by ensembles including Imani Winds, Kronos Quartet, yMusic, the Atlanta Chamber Players, and others.
Garner’s debut album, Dark Holler (New Focus Recordings), was praised for its “visceral, almost hypnotic energy.” In 2023, he founded Sourwood Records, a digital label dedicated to new music. His research explores microtiming, performance and musical hybridity, with projects ranging from Philip Glass and Cape Breton fiddling to Afro-diasporic music and digital humanities.
We are thrilled to welcome Professor Garner and look forward to the creativity, scholarship, and mentorship he brings to our community.
