In an interview with The Collegian, highly acclaimed composer and Bob Jones University alumnus, Dr. Dan Forrest, reflects on his BJU education and his career. He shares his story of God’s guidance through earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at BJU to composing works for worldwide premiers, by saying, “God’s work in my life has humbled me.”

As a student

An event from Dr. Forrest’s high school years prompted his decision to attend BJU.

“A team came from BJU to my high school when I was in seventh grade and I really resonated with the students I met,” he said. “God used that to guide me where I was meant to be.”

Dr. Forrest studied at the University from 1995 to 2001, and while he was an undergraduate student, he joined the Omicron Epsilon Chi Wolverines. Through interactions with the Wolves’ sister society, the Zeta Tau Omega Seagulls, he met his would-be wife.

Like many college students, Dr. Forrest did not have one set goal for his college career. Rather, as he said, he “was always aiming at music, but it evolved from piano pedagogy to piano performance (two degrees) to teaching theory to focusing on composition.”

As students grow through their time at college, their classes open doors to further questions and shape their interests. Life goals shift. God guides through people and opportunities, taking people to careers different than expected.

Career and major works

Currently, Dr. Forrest works as a composer, publisher, and editor, while he teaches and mentors up-in-coming composers.

He won multiple awards for his choral compositions and orchestral works, including the ASCAP Mornton Gould Young Composers Award, the Raabe Prize, and the John Ness Beck Foundation competition twice – taking first place over famed British composer John Rutter during the first competition. His pieces have been performed in the BBC Proms and by groups such as VOCES8.

As Dr. Forrest brainstorms new composition ideas, he mentioned, “I don’t just flow forth with awesome ideas – most of what I come up with is derivative and dull – I have to pare all that away to only preserve really compelling ideas. Normal 4–5-minute pieces typically take a few weeks of looking for the right idea, and then a month or two of shaping it into what it should be.”

Responding to his most difficult work, his oratorio from 2023, he said, “CREATION took me two years from start to finish, so it probably matters more to me than any other piece due to the investment of time and energy required.” CREATION premiered in Philadelphia and later performed in New York City with soprano Dr. Meghan Stapleton of the BJU voice faculty.

Not only have his compositions been performed in concert halls around the United States, but they have also been featured around the world, including in Japan and Austria.

For example, his piece “Himenami” was commissioned by the Tenjo Hanabi choir as a memorial to tsunami victims in Japan.

“Being there for the premiere is still a career highlight,” he said.

The 2013 premier took place two years after the devastating tsunami which followed a magnitude-9.0 earthquake, killing more than 19,000 people.

“Japanese people felt this pain deeply still and were weeping during the concert,” he said. “They sang it twice (in) the concert, once in Japanese and once in English. We had two poets who worked together to preserve the Japanese poetic structure in both languages.”

On the other side of the world, the choral work “Don Nobis, Domine,” performed in Salzburg, Austria, was commissioned by World Choral Fest for a guest performance, he said.

“It’s still one of my favorite performances, with the history and the beauty and the acoustics. I can never get enough reverb, but Salzburg Dom has enough for me!”

Throughout his career, Dr. Forrest said he is sure of God’s sovereignty.

“God can humble people by bringing them low, or by giving them so much that they realize they could never take any credit for it, other than trying to steward well what they’ve been given,” he said. “I’ve been humbled both ways, but much of my music-career story is that second option.”

This sovereign God has patterned all of time, and he is perfectly weaving each thread into a glorious tapestry.

Advice for students

Dr. Forrest gave some advice to current students.

“My encouragement to music students is to make the most of all musical opportunities,” he said. “Musicianship is what will serve them best, regardless of how they manifest their music-making. Every music class, opportunity, experience, performance, listening, conducting, lessons, aural skills, theory, history, accompanying, collaboration, interaction, will help grow and shape musicianship.”

His advice applies to students in general as well. Hard work, dedication, and experiencing various opportunities shape students in their skills, so they can be prepared for their future.