Zachary Askew Cook

     Zachary Askew Cook is a Panamanian-American composer and graduate student at the University of South Carolina School of Music pursuing an M.M. in Music Composition studying under Dr. David Garner. 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia Wind Ensemble. His music is heavily influenced by Hyperpop, Punk Rock, and Math Rock. 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.