2026.04.10 The Muse

Zack Browning is an Associate Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois and founder and former director of the Salvatore Martirano Memorial Composition Award. Besides being a composer, he is an accomplished trumpet player, having played in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and an enthusiastic jazz/funk piano player, having played in several jazz trios. Browning also played, coached, and officiated soccer for over 20 years. His original compositions can be found on several albums, including five portrait albums.

Released this past February, Zack's recent album, Rock Galaxy has earned international acclaim, with reviews highlighting its surreal, genre-defying nature. The recording features collaborations with 20 musicians from Central Illinois, including the Millikin University Percussion Ensemble, the Eastern Illinois University Woodwind Quintet, and the Jupiter String Quartet. Publications like Amplified and the Recording Artists Guild Digital Magazine praise Browning's ability to blend sophisticated art music with accessible energy.

Since the 1980's, Zack has used planetary magic squares as a source of musical material and organization. Browning explains. "In 2008, I discovered the Flying Star System of feng shui, which uses the rotations of the 3x3 Lo Shu Square to predict and represent the flow of energy. This discovery allowed me to personalize commissions based on the energy from birth dates and significant events. I also incorporate the magic square of the ruling planet for those dates. The compositions on Rock Galaxy adhere to these feng shui principles. Thanks to the Illinois Arts Council's Creative Accelerator Grant, I was able to document and distribute this album on Neuma Records, showcasing the talents of Central Illinois musicians."