Daijana Wallace

My name is Daijana Wallace (day-on-a, like “spending a day on a beach”) and I’m a composer. My writing is inspired by my own thoughts and feelings, getting to write for friends and colleagues, or a combination of the two. I like to think of some of my compositions as a journal--with “entries” ranging from playful thoughts about my upstairs neighbor to thoughts on grief concerning the death of my father--allowing the audience to step into my shoes for a period of time. An aspect of the compositional process that I thoroughly enjoy (and feel gives that extra umph, nuance, personality, or pizzazz to my music) is getting the opportunity to work with and receive feedback from performers. A performer’s expertise, knowledge, and presence is a way my work can live, breathe, and have the ability to tell stories. I’ve always valued the idea of community and even though composition can be thought of as a solitary activity (and I treat it as such sometimes), working with and learning from musicians satisfies that need to be a part of something bigger than myself.

I’ll be starting the second year of my Masters in Music Composition at Michigan State University this fall (Go Green!) under Dr. David Biedenbender. After my time in Michigan I look forward to settling back into and being based in Wichita, KS.