Dión Morales (pronounced: dee-own) was born, raised, and lives in Chicago, Illinois, with his wife and two daughters. He began his orchestral studies as a high school student at Lane Tech College Prep High School in the Chicago Public School system. Dión received his undergraduate degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music in 2010 and returned to VanderCook for his Master’s degree, which he completed in 2021. He has taught elementary and middle school orchestra in Des Plaines District 62 since 2010. Additionally, as of 2024 he is an adjunct professor of String Arranging and String Music Education at VanderCook College of Music.
His journey as a composer and arranger started with the development of the “Composers of Color Project,” through which he arranged for school orchestra programs, music written by minority composers. The publication of the works from this project led to opportunities to add his own musical ideas to the orchestral repertoire, including original educational compositions and music for various media projects. In addition to writing for his own students, Dión has also been commissioned by multiple schools and districts to compose pieces for special events and performances.
Dión has had the honor of being a judge, guest conductor, and clinician across the United States, where he uses his experience as an educator to give students a positive and memorable experience. His full catalog, resume, and contact information can be found on his website, dionmorales.com.
