Biography
Carl Holmquist is a composer, conductor, and music educator. He is the Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Chair at the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, VA, where he teaches concert bands, jazz band, and music theory. He earned a BM in Music Education from St. Olaf College, where he studied conducting and composition with Timothy Mahr and Steven Amundson. He also earned a MM in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University, where he studied with Mark Camphouse and Anthony Maiello.
As a composer, he has written numerous works for concert band, orchestra, chamber ensembles and vocal ensembles, and has been commissioned by middle school, high school, university, and community ensembles across the country. His works for band and string orchestra have been published by Alfred Publishing, C. Alan Publications , Bandworks Publications and Grand Mesa Music Publishers. Holmquist contributed a chapter to Volume 4 of the Composers on Composing for Band series, edited by Mark Camphouse and published by GIA Publications. He was one of three composers to participate in the 2008 Young Composer Mentor Project, sponsored by the National Band Association. Holmquist also received first prize in the 2006 Claude T. Smith Memorial Composition Contest for his work, Play!
In addition to his work at H-B Woodlawn, he maintains an active schedule serving as guest composer, conductor and clinician for school, community and honor ensembles and has presented at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. Carl lives in Annandale, VA with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, William and Nathan.