Dr. Frank Nawrot, Assistant Professor, is a composer, guitarist, and scholar. His original music is inspired by Danny Brown, Julia Wolfe, Meshuggah, Julius Eastman, and Prince. Frank's music has been performed around the world—in Chicago, New York City, Kansas City, Hong Kong, Croatia, and Canada. He has earned a reputation for writing music that is accessible, while being challenging enough to provide audiences with a fresh and exciting experience. Frank is regularly commissioned to compose music for saxophone, voice, piano, concert band, and more. He also records and produces music in a variety of styles. Armed with a doctoral degree in music composition and fifteen years performing rock, pop, and hip hop, Frank brings a unique sound to the stage, the radio, and the screen. Two of Frank’s recent major creative projects include the recording of his first opera, Don Henry, about a Kansas student who fought and died in the Spanish Civil War, is now available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and his electronic-rock album, Nostalgia Trap. Frank is also sound designer and composer for the short story podcast, Tiny Tales.

Frank’s research interests include popular music, minimalism, and composition pedagogy. He has presented his research for the Society of Music Theory, the Society of Minimalist Music, and the Society of Composers, Inc., among others.