03/04/2023
Speaker #10: Adam Griffiths
Adam Griffiths is a performer, educator, composer, and arts administrator. With a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance, both from the University of Utah, Adam is a well-rounded musician who actively seeks unique career opportunities. Some favorite performance roles include Anatoly Sergievsky in Chess, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Bob Cratchit in the world premiere opera A Christmas Carol, and the title role in Bernstein’s Candide. He has soloed in many large choral works including Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass, Saint-Säens’ Christmas Oratorio, and the premiere of Neely Bruce’s oratorio Circular 14: The Apotheosis of Aristides. Other performing highlights include winning the U of U Concerto Competition, performing in six productions with the Ohio Light Opera company, and being a quarter-finalist American Traditions Vocal Competition. He has participated as a tenor in various choirs and has travelled through Eastern Europe, Spain, Israel, Hawaii, and several other states performing at competitions and festivals. Adam is also a composer and in 2020 had his choral composition Remember the Songs premiered by the Florida State University Chamber Choir.
In addition to music, video games is one of Adam’s greatest passions. He spends his spare time playing games, listening to video game soundtracks, and reading up on the latest video game news. He sang in the choir for the fully orchestrated Chrono Cross game cover soundtrack Cross Symphonic and in the choir for the original soundtrack to the game Chained Echoes released in December 2022. He dreams of being hired as a composer for a new game someday. Koji Kondo (composer for the Mario and Zelda franchises) and John Williams are Adam’s biggest composer influences.
Adam prides himself on being a “multi-potentialite” (see Emilie Wapnick’s TED Talk Why some of us don’t have one true calling). He has had a diverse array of jobs, including being a high school choir director, private voice instructor, arts administrator, music salesman, and a trainer and coordinator (assistant manager) at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. He spent two years as a missionary in the Philippines and is fluent in the Tagalog (Filipino) language. He is an avid reader of psychology/self-improvement books, especially admiring the works of Adam Grant, Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, David Epstein, and Daniel Pink. He loves distance running and has many half marathons and one full marathon under his belt. He seeks new adventures and always looks forward to his next trip to Disney World with his wife, Wendi.
In his TEDxUNCPembroke talk, Adam Griffiths argues that individuals from the 80s have experienced the full lifespan of an art form (video games) from its origins to its neoclassical return. This cycle proves that video games should be considered an official art form and should potentially be taught in higher education classrooms as such.
Thank you for sharing such an interesting topic and moving through all the bumps and curves with us. You are fantastic!
In his TEDxUNCPembroke talk, Adam Griffiths argues that individuals from the 80s have experienced the full lifespan of an art form (video games) from its ori...
