Biography

Chinny Ohia received his B.A. from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Theory, Composition, and Computer/Electronic Music from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he studied with A. Wayne Slawson, a noted researcher and author of books and articles on Sound Color, and John Peel. He has held teaching positions at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Ohia has composed numerous chamber works. His compositional techniques are based on theoretical abstractions of West African music principles, which he combines with western pitch structural methods. His works have been performed by the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Phoenix Chamber Players, and the>Sunrise String Quartet. Others have been performed under the auspices of the Baltimore Composers series concerts, and Capital Composers Alliance in Washington DC. He has several entries in the African-American Encyclopedia, Edited by Michael W. William, Salem Press, Pasadena, California, Published by Marshall Cavendish Corp., New York.