Warren Gooch's music has been performed throughout North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. A native of Duluth, Minnesota, Gooch is currently coordinator of the Theory-Composition Area at Truman State University, where he as twice been a finalist for the university's "Educator of the Year" award. Warren Gooch began composing as soon as he was old enough to reach the keys on the family piano. To the initial chagrin of his parents, at first he devoted more time to "making up" pieces at the piano than he did practicing his formal music lessons. However, this interest in composition led to over a dozen awards in competitions for young composers. Since then, Gooch's work has been recognized by the National Federation of Music Clubs, Minnesota Orchestra, American Choral Directors Association, Music Teachers national Association, Percussive Arts Society, International Trumpet Guild, College Music Society, Music Educators National Conference, the Composers Guild and a number of other organizations. He has been the recipient of over thirty composition awards and paid commissions, and has approximately thirty published works from houses such as Southern, Dorn, Kjos, API/Quo Vadis, Flammer, Ensemble, Plymouth, Stars of Promise and others. CLOCKWORK for orchestra is available on CD, recorded by the Slovak Radio Orchestra under the direction of the late Robert Black (MMC Recordings).
Gooch received his Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, his Masters degree from the University of Minnesota (Duluth), and his Bachelors degree from the College of St. Scholastica. He studied with Stephen Dembski, Joel Naumann, Mary Mageau, Martina Hughes, Eric Stokes, Thomas Wegren and others, representing the varied aesthetic philosophies and stylistic positions of composers such as George Crumb, Milton Babbitt, Howard Hansen and Nadia Boulenger. This broad background has informed Gooch's own diverse and eclectic style. Gooch's work as music theorist has been recognized by the College Music Society, and Gooch has authored a manual in the Benward "Music in Theory and Practice" series, published by McGraw-Hill. Professional affiliations include BMI, Society of Composers, American Composers Forum, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, College Music Society, Macro Analysis Creative Research Organization, Music Teachers National Association, Iowa Composers Forum, Music Educators National Conference, Wisconsin Alliance for Composers and others. He is also involved with sacred music, and his composition catalog includes a number of sacred choral and instrumental works.