Tim Corpus
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The Honor of a Lifetime

I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out on a humid summer evening and supporting my Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut last Friday evening. It was such a thrill to watch my teachers Ed Harrison & Vadim Karpinos from nearly 20 years ago rock out on my music I wrote at Ravinia Festival with the CSO under the baton of Chief Conductor Marin Alsop.

Conductor Marin Alsop with composer Tim Corpus
Conductor Marin Alsop with composer Tim Corpus
Vadim Karpinos performing the "Great Lake Concerto"
Vadim Karpinos
Ed Harrison performing the "Great Lake Concerto"
Ed Harrison

Watching the audience engage with the music, laughing, and cheering mid-piece was absolutely wild.

As the Chicago Tribune put it: ”Corpus’s writing is consistently inventive: It’s never quite clear whether the soloists are teasing one another or casually trying to one-up each other, and you’ll never hear a xylophone sound more mournful than it does at the middle of the movement. I’s always a high endorsement, to both performer and composer, when people start hooting in the middle of a classical music piece like they’re at a stadium show.”

And honestly I can’t say how honored I am that so many folks came out on a humid night at Ravinia Festival to support this show and hear my music. Thank you all so much!

In 6th grade, my elementary band teacher broke Illinois state rules to let me join band late. She and another teacher simply said, “He wants to be in band, so let him be in band.” She faced pushback from her peers in the district, but she was right—they were wrong. Give kids a chance to participate in the arts. It can change their lives.

Photographer: Tong Hao Courtesy of Ravinia Festival

”Corpus’s writing is consistently inventive: It’s never quite clear whether the soloists are teasing one another or casually trying to one-up each other, and you’ll never hear a xylophone sound more mournful than it does at the middle of the movement. I’s always a high endorsement, to both performer and composer, when people start hooting in the middle of a classical music piece like they’re at a stadium show.”

Hannah Edgar Chicago Tribune

Tim Corpus is a composer with a genuine lyric impulse. He writes music that is at the same time challenging and appealing - which should be the ideal of any composer. He has a wonderful ear for sound and for shape. This is a composer with a real and important voice.

Henry Fogel Retired Dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts and CEO/President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

...`{`Three Pieces for Five Timpani`}` is an outstanding addition to the literature for timpani and great for advanced recital programs.

George Frock Professor Emeritus, The University of Texas

Tim Corpus is a wonderfully skilled composer who has important things to say with his music. His debut album, Breath, is extremely impressive. Beautiful and exciting music to be sure!

Larry Alan Smith Composer

Tim Corpus' music is complex, original and steeped in tradition. His Three Pieces for Five Timpani is clearly an extension of the composers, such as Elliott Carter, that came before him. The pieces are challenging but fulfilling to learn and perform. Possibly the most important thing about Tim's timpani writing is that audiences will enjoy listening to his compositions. He is taking solo timpani writing to the next level.

Ed Harrison Timpanist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago

The melodic gestures in Tim Corpus' masterful piece for strings, ``Breath``, are paced so that a listener’s respiration pattern aligns itself instinctively with the slow and even pulse of the piece. Breath creates a powerful performer/listener symbiosis, a remarkable accomplishment on the part of the composer.

Steven Gryc Composer

Tim Corpus’s music is beautifully lyrical, nicely voiced and technically well-realized. In person, he is a pleasure to work with. We very much enjoyed recording his first two string quartets and hope to see more from him in the future.

Jen Leckie Violinist, Grant Street String Quartet

I recently had the pleasure of conducting the premiere of First Flight. It is artfully written, fresh, unique, and best of all – a beautiful piece of music! Tim is a major talent with big things in store for his future. It clearly deserves a permanent place in the repertoire of any serious wind ensemble. I can't wait to program it again!

Stephen Squires Conductor, Chicago College of Performing Arts Wind Ensemble

I have worked with Tim Corpus as a performer, composer and teacher. He brings passion and energy to his craft. He is a young lion who is making his mark on the Chicago music scene.

Kevin Miller Retired Band Director, Schaumburg High School

I've had the pleasure of knowing Tim for years now, and I learned very quickly that his passion and talent as a performer and composer are unquestioned. Everything he does is handled with a rare combination of intensity and care, and his works display such attributes. His lyricism in particular, along with his rich, beautiful harmonies and intricate polyphony set him apart from many of his colleagues. In a world littered with simple, non-intellectual music, Tim is breaking through and creating a new, exciting, accessible, and, most importantly, intelligent style of music that is imperative to the future of our art form.

Matt Bronstein Axiom Brass Quintet

Breath is very professionally produced, and the overall impression is of a lyrical and rhapsodic voice. I think Breath is a great starter, very ample and serene, even ecstatic. The second quartet is lively and engaging throughout.

Dr. Robert Carl Composer

© 2026 Tim Corpus.