Sounding Ground
Zeitgeist is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 SOUNDING GROUND Composers in Residence! Congratulations to Yan Pang, astrid hubbard flynn, and Isaac Mayhew on being selected for this residency program.
The SOUNDING GROUND composer residency program provides commissioning, development, and production support for three Minnesota composers in the early stages of their careers. SOUNDING GROUND awardees work closely with Zeitgeist on the development and production of a significant new work created for Zeitgeist.
Interested in being considered for a future opportunity? Reach out to Zeitgeist executive director Heather Barringer at [email protected].
The SOUNDING GROUND composer residency program provides commissioning, development, and production support for three Minnesota composers in the early stages of their careers. SOUNDING GROUND awardees work closely with Zeitgeist on the development and production of a significant new work created for Zeitgeist.
Interested in being considered for a future opportunity? Reach out to Zeitgeist executive director Heather Barringer at [email protected].
yan pang
Yan Pang Yan Pang (she/they) is a composer, performer, and scholar whose work centers on intercultural music creation. As a composer, her creative practice blends Chinese folk traditions with Western operatic and music-theater forms to explore themes of resilience, solidarity, and immigration. Her compositions have been featured in international collections and competitions, including For Archie, Nowhere Home, and The Others (Contemporary Music Score Collection, UCLA). She is also the songwriter and music director of the album Glory Times (China Science & Cultural Audio-Video Publishing House).As a performer, Pang frequently realizes her compositional work through performance-based and collaborative contexts. Since 2019, she has been composing and performing original music for MIXTAPE Dance in collaboration with choreographer Jason “J-Sun” Noer and music director Stefon “Bionik” Taylor.
As a scholar, Pang holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition with a minor in Theater Arts & Dance from the University of Minnesota and an Ed.D. in Leadership and Administration from Point Park University. Her publications include the peer-reviewed article “Scene of Sichuan Opera” (with Mingzhu Song) and co-authored textbooks such as Cool Math for Hot Music, All About Music, and The Future of Music (Springer). More at www.yanpangcreate.com.
Photo credit: Alice Gebura
As a scholar, Pang holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition with a minor in Theater Arts & Dance from the University of Minnesota and an Ed.D. in Leadership and Administration from Point Park University. Her publications include the peer-reviewed article “Scene of Sichuan Opera” (with Mingzhu Song) and co-authored textbooks such as Cool Math for Hot Music, All About Music, and The Future of Music (Springer). More at www.yanpangcreate.com.
Photo credit: Alice Gebura
astrid hubbard flynn
astrid hubbard flynn b. 1999, they/them) is an autistic living on Dakota land in so-called Minneapolis. Originally trained as a classical musician, astrid studied composition at Brown University with Wang Lu, Kristina Warren and Eric Nathan, and their notated work has been performed by Bent Frequency, the Kukuruz Quartet and YarnWire. They now make solo harsh noise music as Asteroid, ambient music with Aros E-V and NYMPHS, and synth-punk with Musicians for Birds and Related Animals, with past and upcoming releases on Bumpy Recordings. astrid also co-facilitates Handmade Noise Fun Club with Winona Vetsch at Seward Cafe, and works at a public library. They have been referred to as “the sonic destroyer of souls themself” (Xochi de la Luna) and their music has been likened to “a cough that never stops” (Ivan Cunningham).
Photo credit: Jess Morgan
Photo credit: Jess Morgan
Isaac Mayhew
Isaac Mayhew is a composer and trumpet player based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He has collaborated with performers across the country including Zeitgeist, the Rochester New Music Ensemble, the Lawrence University Symphonic Band, the Beltline Bones, The _____ Experiment, Sputter Box, Front Porch, and the Zenith Saxophone Quartet, and more. In addition to his work as a composer, Isaac is an active performer and advocate for new music. He performs with Lemonbrass, a Twin Cities-based brass quintet dedicated to music by living Minnesota composers. As a trumpet player, he has commissioned, premiered, or recorded works by Anat Spiegel, Daniel Whitworth, Nebal Maysaud, Evan Williams, Jonathan Posthuma, Emily Boyajian, Thomas Myrmel, and Conner Leigh Shaw. Isaac holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Lawrence University, where he studied with Asha Srinivasan, Joanne Metcalf, and Benjamin Klein. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Millennium Composers Initiative and is on the boards of RenegadeEnsemble and the Minneapolis Choir Collective.
Previous Sounding Ground Participants
Jay Afrisando • Jarrelle Barton • Ivan Cunningham • Queen Drea • Eric M.C. Gonzalez • Soomin Kim • Sara Pajunen • Jonathan Posthuma • AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa • Sarah Greer • May Klug • Layna Marika Papach
Jay Afrisando • Jarrelle Barton • Ivan Cunningham • Queen Drea • Eric M.C. Gonzalez • Soomin Kim • Sara Pajunen • Jonathan Posthuma • AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa • Sarah Greer • May Klug • Layna Marika Papach
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SOUNDING GROUND is made possible by the Jerome Foundation.
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