Clayton J Horath was exposed to music from an early age. He lived in a household where music was a regular thing. His father was an accomplished guitar player and singer; his mother a pianist and singer. His fondest memories from childhood are music related: his grandfather singing while cleaning up after a meal, playing “Chopsticks” on the old upright piano with his grandmother playing the accompaniment. Horath began formal piano lessons at age 10, and continued his musical studies through college, studying Music Theory, Vocal Performance, and Composition at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN and Concordia University in River Forest, IL.

Clayton’s writing tends to be text-focused. Whether writing for chorus, chamber ensemble, or orchestra, Horath finds his inspiration in words. He has written for both concert settings and incidental theatre and film scores. His work includes settings of texts by Shakespeare, Tennyson, St Gregory of Narek, Whitman, Gecic, Helgeson, and Knoblock. Incidental scores include music for “Long Day’s Journey into Night” by Eugene O’Neill, “Self Portrait,” “Sign of the Times,” and “Fall from Grace” by Jeff Helgeson, “The Exiled” by Stuart Bousel, and “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” by Christopher Hampton. He is currently working with play-wright David Owen-Bell on a musical theatre work entitled “My Childish Days.”

Additionally, Clayton has done extensive work as an orchestrator, working with such composers as Paul Bouman, Michael Wolniakowski, and Sonja Hummel. He served as Associate Director of the Lutheran Festival Chorus for fifteen years. Currently, he fills the role of Organist and Choir Director of Zion Lutheran Church in Crete, IL, as well as the founding director of the vocal chamber ensemble Voices of Peace.