Carl Holmquist composer

Carl Holmquist is a composer, conductor, and music teacher living in Annandale, Virginia. He is the director of bands 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, chamber ensembles, and vocal ensembles, and has been commissioned by middle school, high school, and community ensembles across the country. His works for band have been published by Alfred Publishing, C. Alan Publications and Bandworks Publications. 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 also named a finalist in the 2009 Frank Ticheli Composition Contest for his piece, Salaam. 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!


Carl lives in Annandale, VA with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, William and Nathan.