A highly-achieving pianist and composer, Kayvon Emtiaz has been studying music since the age of five. In addition to the piano, he is also proficient in playing percussion instruments and even more impressive is his vocal abilities. He has led multiple community theatre productions in various roles, both on stage and behind-the-scenes (i.e. music directing, accompanying, conducting the orchestra). Prior to his undergraduate studies, Kayvon was invited to perform with the top ensemble of the Illinois Music Educator’s Association District Jazz Band, the Western Illinois University Band Camp, and many other events both as a solo and/or as part of ensemble quite successfully.

In his successful arranging and composing career, Kayvon has created arrangements for such groups as the Illinois State University Big Red Marching Machine, Truman State University marching band, and the Illinois State University Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra in a combined arrangement of Eric Whitacre’s “Glow” for the sold-out holiday concert. In May of 2016, Emtiaz graduated from Illinois State University with his Bachelor’s degree in music composition, where he studied privately with Drs. Roy Magnuson, Carl Schimmel, and Joshua Keeling. Following his studies at Illinois State University, Emtiaz will be attending the University of California at Los Angeles to pursue his lifelong dream of film scoring. Some of his favorite film score composers include Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Thomas Newton, and Mark Isham among many others.