Biography

Short Bio:

Born in Bellingham, Washington, Austin Schlichting is a young composer and music educator living in Lacey, WA. 

Schlichting earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition at Washington State University where he studied composition with Charles Argersinger, Ryan Hare, and Gregory Yasinitsky. Schlichting was the first composer to win the Washington-Idaho Symphony Young Artist’s Composition Competition for his symphonic work, Scene from Titus Andronicus.

At Washington State University Schlichting also earned a secondary degree, Bachelor of Arts, with an emphasis in Violin and Viola performance under the tutelage of Meredith Arksey. During Schlichting’s time at WSU, Schlichting won first place in the statewide ASTA competition in 2007 for collegiate string performance.

Schlichting continued in composition at Ithaca College where he earned his Masters in Music Composition studying with Dana Wilson. While at Ithaca College, Schlichting won the Richard K. Joseph Composition Prize for his solo piano work, A Hero of Our Time.

His music has been premiered at the California Summer Music Festival, Icicle Creek Music Festival, and the Interlochen Music Festival. Schlichting’s compositions have been performed by the Washington-Idaho Symphony, Northwestern University Symphonic Band, Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Yakima Youth Symphony, and string faculty members at Central Washington University.

Long Bio:

Born in Bellingham, Washington, Austin Schlichting is a young composer and music educator living in Lacey, WA.  

Before undergrad, Schlichting studied violin privately with Walter Schwede, Western Washington University.  

During Schlichting’s high school years he was able to play with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra at the beginning of their 2001-2002, 50th Anniversary Season. The concert featured the Overture to Don Giovanni in memory of his grandfather, Fred Schlichting, who programmed the work to premiere the Olympia Symphonic Strings, the ensemble that would eventually become the Olympia Symphony.  

Schlichting earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition at Washington State University where he studied composition with Charles Argersinger, Ryan Hare, and Gregory Yasinitsky.  

At Washington State University Schlichting also earned a secondary degree, Bachelor of Arts, with an emphasis in Violin and Viola performance under the tutelage of Meredith Arksey.  

During Schlichting’s time at WSU, Schlichting won first place in the statewide ASTA competition in 2006 for collegiate string performance, maintained the position of principal violist for the Washington-Idaho Symphony, and also was a part of Washington State University’s Visual, Performing, Literary Arts Committee; the group responsible for funding many of the visiting cultural events at the university. 

Schlichting was the first composer to win the Washington-Idaho Symphony Young Artist’s Composition Competition for his symphonic work, Scene from Titus Andronicus. His honors thesis, Examining “Scenes from Titus Andronicus, a music theory paper based his symphonic work, earned a pass with distinction award from Washington State University’s Honors College. At the end of his time at Washington State University he graduated Magna Cum Laude. 

Schlichting continued in composition at Ithaca College where he earned his Masters in Music Composition studying with Dana Wilson. While at Ithaca College, Schlichting won the Richard K. Joseph Composition Prize for his solo piano work, A Hero of Our Time, based on the Russian novel by Mikhail Lermontov.  

His music has been premiered at the California Summer Music Festival, Icicle Creek Music Festival, and the Interlochen Music Festival. Schlichting’s compositions have been performed by the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Washington-Idaho Symphony, the Washington State University Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers, the Anasazi String Quartet, the Spring Mountain Brass Quintet, Northwestern University Symphonic Band, Yakima Youth Symphony, and string faculty members at Central Washington University. 

Schlichting freelances as a composer and arranger as well as teaches in the North Thurston Public Schools as an orchestra and choir director. He and his wife Janelle, a Spanish teacher in the Tumwater School District, are the proud parents of a small, feisty, wirehaired cockapoo dog named Rocky.