Biography
Saul Tobin is a concert composer, currently in his fifth and final year at the University of Southern California. He is on a full scholarship pursuing degrees in both composition and philosophy. Saul studies under John Daversa, Frank Ticheli, Erica Muhl, Rick Lesemann and Stephen Hartke.
Saul's music takes after Paul Hindemith, Elliott Carter, Gustav Mahler, and Arvo Pärt. He also draws heavily on the sounds of modern jazz — Maria Schneider, Michael Brecker, and Mats Holmquist — and traditional Jewish music. One musician, after playing Saul's music, remarked that, "It's unlike anything I've seen or heard before." Saul's latest major work is Piano Sonata "HaTzmichah", recipient of a second prize in the 2010 USC Undergraduate Symposium. His other works include a woodwind quartet Fundamental Structure, charts for jazz big band, numerous small chamber pieces. He is currently working on a big band album.
In addition to composition, Saul has a passion for intellectual discourse. His studies include the philosophies of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Immanuel Kant, as well as interests in politics, music criticism and theory, and the Jewish philosophy of Rav Isaac Kook. Saul periodically posts essays on subjects of interest on his blog at SaulTobin.com. Saul also plays jazz/funk trumpet and synthesizer and writes poetry.