Machala, a native of Poland, has enjoyed a career as performer, composer, and teacher, all centered around his instrument, the horn. He was the first horn player in the history of Juilliard to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, was named Professor Emeritus of Horn at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after 20 years of teaching, and has toured extensively as soloist and as member of several ensembles. His horn quartet, Intuitions, previously published by Phoenix Music Publications, now joins the bulk of his original compositions with Capo Tasto Music, distributed by Carl Fischer Music.