stars, once

Logan M. R. Szyjkowski, native of Goose Creek, SC, is a freelance composer, classically trained clarinetist, and certified teacher.

Logan started to compose and arrange music in late 2019 as a band student in high school. While in high school, they became fascinated with the soundtracks of their favorite video games and films and started to write arrangements of various soundtracks. Shortly after Logan started pursuing their Bachelor’s of Music Education at Winthrop University, they started studying composition with Dr. Leonard Mark Lewis. They also studied electronic composition with Dr. Ron Parks and studied different compositional styles & techniques with Dr. Nathan Hudson. Logan’s earliest work, “shades of red,” was premiered by the Winthrop University Clarinet Studio in March, 2024, to which Logan was a principal clarinetist of. Their latest release is “stars, once” - an original piece for solo piano. It is their first release since graduating from Winthrop University.

At Winthrop, Logan served as principal clarinetist in Dr. Deborah Loomer’s clarinet studio and Dr. Lorrie Crochet’s Wind Symphony for seven semesters, and also served as a principal clarinetist for Dr. Elisa Koehler’s Symphony Orchestra twice. Logan was a clarinetist of the Carolinas Wind Orchestra in 2024, directed by Dr. Crochet. They have also been a member of the SCMEA Intercollegiate Honor Band. Logan’s most recent performance was in a pit orchestra at Northwestern High School (Rock Hill, SC) for a production of “Hello, Dolly!”

Logan developed an interest in teaching in mid to late 2019, joining the Teacher Cadets and working alongside Ronnie Ward at Westview Middle School. Since then, they have worked with multiple schools in the Rock Hill School District and the Fort Mill School District in South Carolina. Between 2023 and 2024, Logan worked as a marching band tech with Rock Hill High School. They also held an internship at Orchard Park Elementary School & worked with Kristi Cutler in the fall of 2024 and an internship at Fort Mill High School & worked with Hiren Patel in the spring of 2025.

On May 10th, 2025, Logan received their bachelor's degree, cum laude, in music education with an instrumental focus from Winthrop University. They graduated as a brother of Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ Epsilon Eta, ODH!). Logan is a certified teacher in the state of South Carolina. Their professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Music Educator’s Association, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, the American Orff Schulwerk Association, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and the International Clarinet Association.