Cartoon baby demon with gray skin, red horns, red eyes, small bat wings, and sharp teeth.

Bio

Zachary Askew Cook is a Panamanian-American composer currently at the University of South Carolina School of Music pursuing an M.M. in Music Composition studying under Dr. Fang Man. He is a recent graduate from the UTSA School of Music with a BM in Music Composition. His past composition teachers include Dr. Andrew Lloyd, Dr. Judy Bozone, Dr. Christopher Prosser, and James Syler. While in his undergrad, he studied percussion with Paul Millette and Sherry Rubbins.

He is already a prolific composer and accomplished percussionist. Most recently, his clarinet concerto, "Violent Cry for Blood" was premiered in Sofia, Bulgaria by soloist Rossen Idealov and the Sofia Philharmonic as a part of the Sofia Symphonic Summit. His most recent commissioners include Old Dominion University Wind Ensemble and the Garnet Brass Quintet. His music is heavily influenced by Panamanian folk music, glitch pop, and sad rap. His music is relentless, aggressive, and full of energy.

As a percussionist, he was awarded first prize at the Tierras Collegiate Marimba Competition in 2022 and the 2023 PASIC Collegiate Marimba Competition. In 2022, he was chosen as a winner of the UTSA Concerto Competition.

Zachary Askew Cook’s music is published with Murphy Music Press and Wildlight Publications.

Cute cartoon angel with a halo, white dress, white wings, sitting with hands in prayer, surrounded by small yellow stars, black background.
Portrait of a young man with curly hair, illuminated with red and blue lighting, against a dark background.

Boston Crusaders 2022

A young musician playing drums on an outdoor stage during a performance.
Photo Gallery
A person standing behind a marimba on a stage with dark curtains in the background and stage lighting overhead.
A young man standing outdoors holding a purple stick, with other people in the background in a park setting with trees and buildings.
A smiling man with curly hair holding a chopstick in his mouth against a black background.
A young man and woman stand outside at night under a dark sky, illuminated by blue lighting. The woman is holding a clarinet and the man is holding a pair of tambourines. They are dressed in dark clothing and look serious.
A young man and an older woman smiling and posing together in a dimly lit indoor setting, with a bulletin board in the background.
A man in a black suit sitting on a drum set with a big smile, in a dark indoor setting with drums and musical equipment around him.
Two men standing together on stage in a concert hall, smiling at the camera. The man on the left has gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a black shirt with colorful lines, while the man on the right has curly dark hair and is wearing a light gray suit
A person with curly hair holding a bottle, illuminated with red and blue lighting in a dark setting.