Abstração by Pedro Lopes Baptista
Pedro Lopes Baptista is a Portuguese composer, classical guitarist and teacher. Pedro Baptista’s musical studies started with Régine Campagnac at the Sintra Music Conservatory and, later, at the Music School of the Lisbon National Conservatory, with Júlio Guerreiro. Pedro then studied at the University of Évora, obtaining degrees in composition with Christopher Bochmann and Pedro Amaral and in guitar with Dejan Ivanović. Pedro Baptista concluded a Master’s degree at the University of Aveiro in music teaching under Pedro Rodrigues and Paulo Vaz de Carvalho.
As a composer, highlights include the premiere of “Abstração” by the Lisbon’s Youth Symphony Orchestra, broadcasted by Antena 2, the Prize for Best Portuguese Work in the 2nd Portugal International Guitar Composition Competition, 1st Prize in Jean Sibelius Festival International Composition Competition (Finland) and 2nd Prize in Premio Internazionale di Composizione Città di Barletta (Italy). Currently, Pedro Lopes Baptista teaches at the Music School of the Lisbon National Conservatory and at Montijo’s Regional Conservatory of Arts and is attending Ph.D. studies in Music at the University of Aveiro, under guidance of Pedro Rodrigues and Evgueni Zoudilkine.
Program Notes
Abstração was commissioned and premiered by the Lisbon’s Youth Symphony Orchestra. At first glance, this work appears to have two main themes, although an abstraction process developed throughout the piece reveals that these themes are actually one and the same. The composition is based on a limited set of intervals, which are individually presented and thoroughly overlaid in a musical discourse that reflects hidden autobiographical narratives.
Magenta Sunset by Dinah Bianchi
Award-winning Michigan composer, Dinah Bianchi, seeks to create vibrantly exciting music; music that is sublime, beautiful and with the communicative power that drives the creative spirit of all artists. She is well versed in a variety of musical genres with a portfolio that includes music for orchestra, concert band, string ensemble, chamber ensemble, solo works, as well as electronic music. Well received both nationally and internationally, Bianchi’s music has been performed in concert halls located in Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States. Recently, she completed a recording session for “Chasse Noir” with the Janáček Philharmonic Orstrava in the Czech Republic. The recording was released in August of 2022 and is anticipating an album release with PARMA in the Spring of 2024.
Program Notes
Magenta Sunset is an electroacoustic work commissioned and recorded by the ever-talented Unheard-Of//Ensemble. Bursting with pixilated shimmers of energy and hints of solar flares, the music engulfs the listener with sounds of clarinet, violin, cello, piano. With the fixed media recording specifically designed with this sonic palate in mind, the work consists of a multitude of sounds and elements originally recorded by use of the chosen ensemble. Throughout the work, the listener will be mesmerized by the ways in which pitch, rhythm, timbre, extended techniques, sonic layering, motifs and the overall use of sound editing compliments one another. Along with a semi-aleatoric live score, these elements harmoniously present themselves between the performers and the fixed media recording, interacting with one another to construct a captivating and ever-changing soundscape.
Herbstlied by Benjamin Damann
Benjamin Damann is a composer, percussionist, and music technologist. His works — inspired by probability, indeterminacy, improvisation, and the timbral manipulation of acoustic instruments through physical preparation and electroacoustic augmentation — have been performed throughout the United States and Europe.
He is devoted to realizing electronic, experimental, and graphical works for percussion as well as programming software to aid in the performance of such works. Benjamin holds a BM in percussion performance with a concentration in composition from Eastern Illinois University, an MM in Composition from Bowling Green State University, and is currently pursuing his PhD from the University of North Texas.
Chacchoben Ruminations by Eric Davis
Eric Burton Davis has had a relatively unconventional entrance into the field of composition, beginning his studies as an engineer and horn player and eventually finding his way into the world of music writing. As both a composer and performer, Eric finds great joy in variety, discovery, and collaboration, and has played in and written for ensembles and instruments across a diverse range of genres, idioms and locales. In addition to his contemporary concert music (both electronic and acoustic), Eric maintains an interest in conducting, production, and administration, as well as in educational music and scoring for film and other media.
Much of Eric’s recent and upcoming concert work explores the relationship between music and memory, in both programmatic and abstract terms. Additionally, Eric delights in the challenge of working in small motivic spaces, generating intricate and interconnected pieces from limited source material or strict programmatic guidelines. Originally hailing from Austin, Texas, Eric completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma and is now completing his Master of Music degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Program Notes
I was inspired to write this piece following a trip to the Chacchoben Mayan ruins in Mexico. Although much of the rubble has been reconstructed, there remain many structures which lie buried in mounds of jungle flora. The flute captures a journey through the ruins, beginning with sparse, airy passages which rise and fall, giving only a hint of the crumbled structures within. As the piece progresses, the music becomes more dense and regimented, and larger musical phrases emerge in imitation of reconstructed buildings. The piece ends as it began, returning the veiled shapes hidden in the undergrowth.
Magic of Snow for Orchestra by Xinyuan Deng
Xinyuan Deng, a versatile artist from Henan, China, excels as a composer, pianist, conductor, and educator, seamlessly blending Eastern and Western influences in her music. Renowned ensembles like PHACE Contemporary Ensemble, Zhejiang Symphonic Orchestra, and Harbin Symphonic Orchestra have performed her acclaimed works, including “Huai Xu,” lauded by Austria’s PHACE ensemble. Her musical achievements include a honor prize at the 12th Yanhuang Cup Chinese Style Piano Work Competition for “The Rhyme of Yu Opera,” a captivating premiere of “Magic of Snow” with the Harbin Symphony Orchestra, and recognition for “Time Meditation” at the 1st Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival. Serving as a composer fellow at the Lake George Music Festival, her piece “Notturno” was performed by The Rhythm Method Quartet in 2023.
With a Bachelor of Arts from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and a Master of Music from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Xinyuan is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University. She is a dedicated composition faculty member at the Jacobs Composition Academy, shaping the next generation of musical talents. Beyond music, Xinyuan’s interests span fine art, electronic music, architecture, film, and literature, enriching her creative pursuits with diverse influences.
Program Notes
“Magic of Snow” is an orchestral composition that seeks to animate the essence of snow by evoking emotions associated with its diverse stages. The music draws parallels between its varying expressions and the ever-changing physical manifestations of snow and ice. Rooted in a profound and ethereal artistic conception, the composition unfolds against a backdrop of magnificent scenes following a snowfall. Through melody, rhythm, and sound, the audience is enveloped in a sensory experience that conveys a profound love and appreciation for nature’s gift. The music serves as a conduit for the listeners to immerse themselves in a vivid portrayal of a winter wonderland, adorned in pristine white.
Reflexiones de la Naturaleza Op. 1, No. 2 Ocean by Jeremy Esquer
Jeremy Esquer is a composer, guitarist, and educator based in Ann Arbor. His compositions, spanning from solo piano works to orchestral pieces, demonstrate exceptional versatility and a profound understanding of music. Notably, his work has been performed by esteemed ensembles like The University of Michigan Philharmonia Orchestra. Jeremy’s compositional ideology emphasizes thorough research and authenticity, evident in his meticulous approach to each piece. His recent triumph includes a commissioned composition slated for broadcast on PBS as part of “Songs About Building and Moods.” Beyond composition, Jeremy’s diverse experiences include touring Europe performing on classical guitar, performing with a mariachi ensemble, and performing in a metal band for most of his childhood. Committed to education, he imparts wisdom as a graduate student instructor at the University of Michigan while pursuing a doctorate. Guided by a unique blend of spectralism and polytempic polymictronality, his compositions transcend conventions, resonating deeply with audiences and exemplifying the transformative power of music.
Program Notes
The genesis of this composition was sparked by a personal philosophy I crafted: the pursuit of living authentically by uncovering the ultimate truth or, at the very least, striving to approach truth as closely as conceivable. This ideology blossomed from an unforeseen encounter with a philosophical concept. Consequently, my approach to composition underwent a transformative shift, emphasizing the inherent qualities of objects rather than relying solely on internal imaginings. Each composition morphed into a quasi-research paper, with the object serving as a wellspring of objective information. In the case of this piece, aptly titled “Reflexiones de la Naturaleza Op.1, No. 2 Oceans,” my exploration centered around the vast aquatic realm. To encapsulate the essence of the oceans, I engaged in a multifaceted process. To capture the essence of the oceans, I delved into established research on the ambient-activity frequencies resonating from the ocean floor. Additionally, marine life also played a role in the piece, particularly those exhibiting bioluminescence. Furthermore, my investigation extended to mapping the five levels of the ocean and absorbing data on the specific frequencies emitted by blue whales. Employing a spectral attitude, I meticulously crafted a soundscape that would permeate the entirety of the composition. The objective was clear: to personify the ocean and its myriad qualities as faithfully as possible, aligning the composition with the authentic nature of the subject matter. This piece is not merely a creative endeavor; it is an earnest attempt to bridge the gap between artistic expression and the empirical truths embedded within the oceanic depths.
Until I Came Home by Will Judd
Will Judd is a 19-year-old multimedia artist and composer from Los Angeles, California. He is currently attending Oberlin Conservatory of music, where he studies Technology in Music and related arts. His work ranges from “plunderphonic” collage fixed media, to contemporary choral and string chamber works. His compositional aesthetics often incorporate sampling / quotational practices, and are largely influenced by the constantly evolving presence of technology and media consumption in our modern world.
Program Notes
The idea of “Home,” for myself and many others, brings about mixed emotions. There is often warm nostalgia, sure, but when I think of home I am also compelled to think of loud abrasive soundscapes, painful memories, and life’s bizarre imperfections. In composing this piece, I wanted to reflect the soundscapes of my upbringing, and create a sense of “liminal familiarity” that represented the spectrum of emotion I feel toward my home. To achieve this, I composed the piece using entirely sampled material, sounds and songs that reminded me of home and the formative experiences there that have shaped me. In embracing the discordant feelings towards “Home”, this composition serves not only as a reflection but as a celebration of the repository of experiences and memories that have made me into who I am now.”
from:/to: home by Pak Hei Leung
Born and raised in Hong Kong, the compositions of Pak Hei (Alvin) Leung have been performed and presented in the U.S., U.K., Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Serbia, Brazil, Ecuador, Thailand and Hong Kong by music groups including Mivos Quartet, Transient Canvas, Hippocrene Saxophone Quartet, Rosetta Contemporary Ensemble, Duo Zonda, Trio Mythos, Ensemble Fioritura, Resonance, Duo Antwerp, Stellar Trio, Music-Joint Association, Hong Kong Wind Kamerata, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Saxophone Ensemble and Romer String Quartet. His works have recently been featured at the International Symposium of New Music, International Review of Composers, ICMC, MUSLAB, CMS National Conference, SCI National Conference, NSEME, Electric LaTex Festival, VIPA Festival, June in Buffalo, CMS Great Lakes Conference, EMM, Hong Kong Contemporary Music Festival, SCI Summer Student Mixtape, SPLICE Institute, Longy’s Divergent Studio and Charlotte New Music Festival.
Alvin is currently a PhD student in Music Composition at the University of North Texas. He received a Master of Music degree at Bowling Green State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). His principal teachers include Joseph Klein, Panayiotis Kokoras, Kirsten Soriano, Marilyn Shrude, Christopher Dietz, Mikel Kuehn and Wendy Wan-ki Lee. https://www.alvinleung.com/
Program Notes
from:/to: home portrays the sense of nostalgia and adolescence, time of transition between childhood and adulthood. To visualize the dreamlike and playful quality of pure childhood, colorful and childlike imagery with vibrant colors were used, along with bell-like sounds tinkling on top of a harmonious musical texture. These images were shown in different perspectives at various speeds to mimic how children learn through everyday experience, highlighting the magical feeling of imagination and curiosity. Simple and recognizable forms were incorporated to reflect an image of a child chasing joy.
Change is hard but we perpetually ready ourselves for life’s next challenge. The second part shows the idea of navigating and coping at unexpected times. Everything in this transitional stage gradually becomes complex to refer to how we meet new people and old relationships fade out. To accentuate emotional and physical stages of moving and living in another place, shattered and glitched images were repeatedly incorporated with an unsettling musical texture constructed by highly distorted and granularized sounds. Settling into a new change requires all types of adjustments and even causes identity blues.
The last part depicts a drowning of deep thoughts and memories. The pacing of blinking and blowing underwater bubbles, accompanied by a hopeless underwater soundscape, contextualizes and situates the viewer in the spatial location the video is referring to. The viewer is now at the bottom of somewhere dark and unidentifiable looking upward. Adulthood is not only about loneliness but is also an acceptance stage to cope with those emotions. Different values of blue were used to indirectly imply multiple layers in the mind just like the deep sea. Slowly descending into the unknown, one rekindles old relationships through flashbacks.
Galactic Playground by Wenbin Lyu
Wenbin Lyu is a Chinese composer based in Cincinnati. His compositions blend contemporary Western techniques with ancient Oriental culture, drawing inspiration from nature, science, and video games. His works have been featured at over 70 music festivals, such as Cabrillo, Tanglewood, MATA, NYCEMF, IRCAM, SEAMUS, and ICMC. He has collaborated with acclaimed ensembles, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Beijing Symphony, Eighth Blackbird, Akropolis Quintet, and Sandbox Percussion. Lyu has received one ASCAP Young Composer Award and five The American Prize awards. He holds degrees from the China Conservatory, NEC, and CCM.
Program Notes
Welcome to the Galactic Playground, a magical universe of whimsy and wonder, where anything is possible and adventure awaits around every corner. This piece is a sonic exploration of a child’s playful imagination, taking us on a journey through the vast expanse of the cosmos.
The first movement, “Celestial Groove,” invites us to dance and play among the stars. The music is lively and jumpy, evoking the energy and excitement of a child’s playful universe. The ensemble weaves together a playful melody that sparkles like the stars themselves, with each instrument of the Pierrot ensemble contributing to the cosmic groove. The second movement, “Battle for the Milky Way,” is a dramatic and intense piece that pits us against the forces of darkness and chaos. The music is aggressive and dynamic, as the ensemble engages in a cosmic battle for the fate of the universe. The ensemble demonstrates their virtuosity in this piece, with the instruments building on each other to create a sense of tension and conict that culminates in a powerful climax. The third movement, “Into Metaverse,” propels us into a realm beyond our wildest dreams. As we venture deeper into the cosmic playground, the music takes on a mesmerizing and ethereal quality, transporting us into a new dimension of existence.
Speak a kind word by Daniel Swartz
Daniel Swartz is a student at Ohio University studying music composition and conducting. Their works explore the emotional function of music while balancing accessibility and conceptual depth. They’ve been programmed by the Unheard-of//Ensemble, Kenari Quartet, and Jazzie Pigott. Performances at conferences include Brushstrokes/Neon in the NAfME Student Composer Competition in 2021 and Speak A Kind Word at the International Saxophone Symposium in 2024. When he’s not playing, composing, or listening to music, he also enjoys hiking, listening to audiobooks, and watching documentaries on Netflix. His music and other stuff can be found on Instagram, Spotify, Youtube, and Soundcloud.
Program Notes
In the summer of 2022, I met Robert selling t-shirts on the main road through Yellow Springs, Ohio. I was struck by his off-beat and strong sense of humor and his beautiful hand-drawn illustrations on all of the shirts. For example, an image of a human figure with a potato for a head sitting in a meditative pose in a field – “Meadow-Tater” and “STOCK MARKET REPORT After The End Of The World: the Tao is unchanged”. As I perused his inventory, he approached and said, “Can I offer you a poem?” This piece is the result.
…
And a light goes on in another’s heart They part the undergrowth and see the sun When you let the light shine through you
Others see there are no boundaries
They stop clamping down water-tight doors of self
And the Ocean rushes in.
Instinctual by Shahrzad Talebi
Shahrzad Talebi is a composer, sound artist, and educator from Tehran, Iran. In her work, timbre is the main focus as a means for exploring new soundscapes, color, time, space, and concepts. Her work has been recognized and performed at the Electronic Music Midwest Festival, Splice Festival, Taproot New Music Festival, Toledo Symphony Orchestra reading session, BGSU MicroOpera, Fifteen Minutes-of-Fame (Drew Hosler), the electroacoustic music competition “Reza Korourian Awards”; and has been performed by Unheard-of//Ensemble as part of the Klingler ElectroAcoustic Residency, and The _____ Experiment Ensemble.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from Tehran University of Art and a master of music from Bowling Green State University, where she studied with Dr. Elainie Lillios, Dr. Mikel Kuehn, and Dr. Christopher Dietz. Currently, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in composition at the University of North Texas as a teaching fellow, and studying with Dr. Panayiotis Kokoras.
Producer and Mastering Engineer
Anruo Cheng
Anruo Cheng, born in China, is a New York-based composer, educator, music producer, and electronic musician. Cheng is a two-year adjudicator for SEAMUS Conference 2023 and 2024, music technology specialist for VoxNovus’ COMPOSER’S VOICE Concert Series. She is also a composer featured in the “MUTED” project by pianist Eunmi Ko and New Music USA. Cheng was a former composition adjunct professor at Frost School of Music, University of Miami, where she taught music theory, music analysis, and electronic music ensemble.
Cheng’s music fields range from contemporary acoustic music, electroacoustic music, electronic instruments/installations design, popular music, and film music. She is a prize-winning composer whose music and research works have been performed and presented worldwide, including Aural Compass Projects Competition, Aspen Composers’ Conference, NYC Electroacoustic Music Festival, N_SEME Festival, NYC Contemporary Music Symposium, Research on Contemporary Composition Conference, Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame concert, Stelvio Cipriani Competition for Film Music, and Chinese National Popular Music Competition. Additionally, many other works of hers were released by RMN Records, UK, and EMII Enterprise, US. Cheng holds a Doctoral degree in Music Composition and a Master’s degree in Media Writing and production from the University of Miami.
Links
www.anruocheng.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UZK0DVMGeM3UL3DDrNVsK
Adjudicators
Cory Brodack
Cory Brodack (b.1997, St. Louis) is a composer whose music is “at times ethereal, with masterful weaving of timbre and tone; and at times energetic, almost brutal, with unrelenting drive,” (Donovan Seidle, Calgary Philharmonic). His music ranges from deeply personal and reflective to explosively bombastic, often within the same piece. He has been awarded the Rudolf Nissim Prize, ECU’s Orchestra Composition Competition Prize, and first prize in the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Composer Competition, among other honors. Cory has worked with performers and ensembles including JACK Quartet, Hub New Music, Unheard-of//Ensemble, icarus Quartet, Hypercube, and Rhythm Method String Quartet. He has also received commissions from artists and groups such as Andrew Pelletier, Bowling Green State University, the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, and the Steven Gerber Trust.
His music has been featured at concerts and festivals including the SCI National Conference, Hot Air Music Festival, Bowling Green New Music Festival, UNG’s Research on Contemporary Composition Conference, and New Music on the Bayou. He received his MM in Composition from Bowling Green State University, his Bachelor of Music from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Composition at the Eastman School of Music.
Eric Delgado
Eric Delgado is a composer residing in Madison, Wisconsin. Eric recently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the guidance of Les Thimmig. His dissertation composition project is titled Border Crossing and tracks the story of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border through one of the militarized land crossings, or port of entry, between California and Baja California. Originally from San Diego, California, Eric has a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in composition from the University of Miami in Florida. His previous mentors include Cindy Cox, Dorothy Hindman, Charles Mason, Lansing McLoskey, Laura Schwendinger, and Ken Ueno. He previously served as band director at the Children’s Creative and Performing Arts Academy of San Diego and as lecturer in the Department of Music Theory and Composition at the University of Miami.
Arjan Dogra
Arjan Singh is a composer and performer currently based in NYC. He recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music, having studied composition, conducting, and film scoring, and is now pursuing a Masters in Composition at the Mannes School of Music. He’s studied composition with Alla Cohen, Marti Epstein, and Chris Cerrone, and grew up studying Indian Classical music with Dr. Sisirkana Dhar Choudhury. Arjan specializes in creating multidisciplinary works of art and collaborates with filmmakers, game developers, dancers, and more, including partnerships with Juggernaut Entertainment, BoCo Dance, and UNICEF. His concert music has been performed by various ensembles including the Jack Quartet, the SEV ensemble, the PHACE ensemble, PubliQuartet, and the Mannes Symphony Orchestra.
Arjan creates art to understand and contextualize his relationship with time, nature, and his culture. He invites audiences experiencing his art to challenge their own perception of time, and reflect on their connection to the natural and unnatural environments that surround them.
Indigo Knecht
Indigo Knecht is a composer fascinated with the challenges people face as they navigate this world. Their music explores themes related to emotional turmoil, mental illness, and self-realization. Indigo’s pitch material focuses strongly on the use of set theoretical methods, employing chromaticism and dissonance to convey musical ideas. Indigo has a BM in Music Composition from Bowling Green State University and a MM in Composition from University of Michigan. Indigo is currently pursuing a DMA in Composition from University of Miami. They have studied with Mikel Kuehn, Marilyn Shrude, Elainie Lillios, Kristin Kuster, Roshanne Etezady, Lansing McLoskey, and Dorothy Hindman.
Yi-Ning Lo
Yi-Ning Lo, currently based in Rochester New York, is a composer, pianist, and educator from Taiwan. Over the course of her artistic journey, she has drawn abundant inspiration for both vocal and instrumental compositions from a rich tapestry of literature, encompassing Western poems, ancient Chinese poetry, and Japanese haikus. Among her notable vocal works are captivating pieces such as “Into a Woman’s Lunacy,” “About Solitude,” “Blackmud,” and “The Tune of Ru Meng Ling.” In addition to vocal music, Lo has extensive experience writing for instrumental and electronic music. Her ensemble work “Woven Veins” received the Christine Clark/Theodore Front Prize in 2019, gaining further recognition through broadcast on the radio show “Music of our Mothers” and an honorable mention in the fall journal issued by the International Alliance for Women in Music. In her compositional journey, Lo takes particular joy in exploring themes related to womanhood, dreams, and memory, infusing her compositions with a profound sense of emotion and storytelling. Currently, her focus is on an opera project that blends acoustic instruments, electronic sounds, literature, and theater. This opera delves into the contemporary struggles of young women, offering a compelling narrative that reflects the complexities of modern life.
Hanee Park
Hanee Park, a composer, pianist and music educator originally from South Korea, has been exploring how music engages with culture, history, literature, philosophy, and other arts to pursue her belief that music must go beyond music. With her educational belief that music is one of the greatest tools that people can teach passion, humanism, and cultures, she has taught composition, music theory and piano for years.
As a composer, her double bass solo work, Stagger, staggered, had staggered has received an honorable mention for PatsyLu Prize from IAWM in 2022. Also, Eo Doog Shi Ni for alto saxophone has premiered at CIA symposium concert in 2023. In addition, her compositions have received many performances, including CAMPGROUND22, the Bent Frequency at CNMF, Composers Who Brunch series, and The Rocking Chair series. Park currently has earned a DMA in music composition at Florida State University where she studied under Clifton Callender as well as she was the recipient of the Ellen Taffe Zwilich Fellowship in 2019 – 2020. She has earned the Bachelor of Music at Ewha Womans University in South Korea, and the Master of Music at Roosevelt University in Chicago, USA.
Sepehr Pirasteh
Sepehr Pirasteh is a composer, conductor, and activist born in Shiraz, Iran. His compositions draw on Persian classical and folk as well as contemporary classical music vocabularies to express his concerns and fears about the political and social realities of the world we are living in. Sepehr’s works have been performed by ensembles such as Argus String Quartet, PRISM saxophone quartet, Pushback Ensemble, Unheard-of Ensemble, Orquestra Criança Cidadã, Hole in the floor, fivebyfive, and members of the Fifth House Ensemble. He has been commissioned by Susan Horvath Chamber Music, ENA chamber opera ensemble, Philadelphia Student Composers Project, Detroit Composers’ Project, YInMn project, Pushback Collective, Fresh Inc. Festival. His music has been performed in Argentina, Brazil, Iran and the United States. Sepehr has also been a fellow in festivals and residencies such as Harvard University’s Fromm Foundation Fellowship (Composers Conference), CCI Initiative, and Fresh Inc Festival. Sepehr is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition at Temple University. They reside in Philadelphia and play Persian Kamancheh, Tanbour, and Dotar.
Leah Tracy
Leah Tracy (b. 1999) is an emerging composer and vocalist based in Denver. Leah draws inspiration from the people and places around her, basing her compositions on current events, childhood recollections, powerful stories, being in nature, and her most meaningful friendships and experiences. Leah was a 2023 Composer Fellow for the Choral Arts Initiative PREMIERE|Project Festival, and her choral music has recently been chosen for honors such as the San Francisco Choral Artists New Voices Project and Chicago A Cappella HerVoice Competition. Her music has been performed by ensembles such as Kansas City Chorale, BGSU Collegiate Chorale, and by church, school, and community choirs throughout the United States. She is also an active performer and sings soprano with the Denver-based choir, Kantorei. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition at Bowling Green State University in 2021 where she studied with Drs. Elainie Lillios, Christopher Dietz, Mikel Kuehn, and Prof. Myra Merritt-Grant.
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