About

Justin Rito (b. 1986) composes energetic and eclectic concert music inspired by both classical and popular culture. In his music you’ll hear dense expressionism, rock-inspired grooves, stark simplicity, and the intersections that result. 

Creatively, Justin loves the collaborative process and the constant challenges and rewards that come with it. Recent commissions have included to break your heart forever for the Jenison High School Wind Ensemble (MI), but what we make for the Mustang School Bands (OK), and and then the sun for the Harbor Springs High School Band (MI).

As a supporter of new music, Justin is committed to bringing contemporary music to new audiences in a way that promotes casual interactions with the repertory. Justin founded “Unwind” in East Lansing, Michigan, a series of casual performances of contemporary music in bars. He also served as the musical coordinator for the Sonic Salon series at the Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, and founded the Central Michigan University New Music Ensemble as a student.

Justin began his musical training as a pianist, and remains an active collaborative performer. Having always enjoyed popular music, he began exploring composition as a creative outlet through song-writing, and eventually turned to concert music during his undergraduate studies in music education at Alma College. He went on to study composition with David Gillingham, Ricardo Lorenz, and David Maslanka. In addition to his formal training in composition, Justin received a Masters degree in Music Theory from the University of Western Ontario in 2013, and has presented theoretical research on rhythmic transformations in modern music at conferences nationally and internationally.

Justin is currently Assistant Professor of Music at his alma mater, Alma College, where he teaches theory, history, and composition.