Dykstra studied composition at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California, Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, and Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He studied composition at CalArts with Michael Pisaro and Wolfgang von Schweinitz, and has met privately with Chiyoko Szlavnics, Daníel Bjarnason, and Alvin Lucier. Dykstra contributed extensively to the score of the 2017 psychological thriller/horror film It Comes At Night, which received the NYT Critic's Pick by A.O. Scott at the New York Times. He has also worked as a composer on film music for Gus Van Sant and as a session violist and string director for Dirty Projectors. Dykstra has performed on solo viola at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, at Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, and at the Syros Institute in Ano Syros, Greece.
In 2014, Dykstra received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Oregon Arts Commission to apprentice with composer Daníel Bjarnason in Reykjavík, Iceland.
While in Val Verde, CA in 2015, Jordan Dykstra founded Editions Verde, a small-run publisher of art and musical objects.
Three Horns - digital EP for air-horn and sine-tones in 3 movements (May 2015)
Like a Sun That Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth - digital LP, composed for Allie Hankins' solo dance show at Conduit Dance Studio in Portland, Ore. from October 24-26, 2014 (January 2015)
Audition - LP (Marriage Records / Shatter Your Leaves / Modern Documents, August 2014)
Phonography - digital album of 20 field recordings (March 2014)
Sundries - ongoing digital album (2013–present)
Pianodrones - digital EP card in 3 movements (December, 2012)
A Quiet Night - film score (April, 2011) for "A Quiet Night"
as DASH!
TSS REMIXES - digital download card (Self released, March 2013)
TAKES SWIFT STRIDES - digital download card (Marriage Records, August 2009)
with Beau Breather
College Hotel - CD (Editions Verde, August 2016)
with Tom Blood and Jordan Dykstra
Seems Like It Means Something Else from EXP3 (Editions Verde, March 2016)
Preludes (November 2014)*
Greatest Hits Live: Volume One (May 2012)*
A June Afternoon (June 2011)*
The Act (June 2011)*
*Digital EPs
with The Righteous and Harmonious Fists
Fangs, But No Fanks - Split 7" EP with White Fang (Marriage Records, 2008)
Credits
It Comes At Night directed by Trey Shults, assistant composer with Brian McOmber, string arranger, viola, percussion, musical collaborator, synthesizer and electronics, additional music preparation, recording engineer (A24, 2017), film soundtrack (Milan Records, 2017)
Like a Sun that Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth by Allie Hankins, composer, string quintet director, and viola, dance performance (October, 2014)
Identify by Caspar Sonnet, composer and viola, LP (Marriage Records, 2013)
Belfast Sessions by Davis Hooker, string trio director, composer, and viola, LP (self-released, 2012)
