Composers Festival spotlight: Nina Shekhar
Resident composer Nina Shekhar is a first generation Indian American who grew up in Detroit and now lives in New Jersey, where she is pursuing her PhD in composition at Princeton University. She previously completed composition graduate studies at the University of Southern California and undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, earning dual degrees…
Composers Festival spotlight: ANTiCX
Founded in 2021, ANTiCX is an artist collective of composers and makers. The group's name is an acronym of the first letters of the first names of its members. They are (pictured clockwise from upper left): Annika Socolofsky is a composer and avant-folk vocalist who is assistant professor of composition and artistic director of Pendulum…
Composers Festival spotlight: Andrew Tholl
Andrew Tholl comes to the 2021 MICF from Los Angeles, CA, where he works as a violinist, composer, drummer, and improvisor. He holds degrees from Arizona State University, University of Michigan, and the California Institute of the Arts, and has served on the faculty at CalArts, Moorpark College, Ventura College, The Kadima Conservatory of Music,…
Composers Festival spotlight: DM R
2021 MICF resident composer DM R (Diana M. Rodriguez) was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, has lived in Miami and Boston, and currently is based in New York City, where she is a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. She previously earned a master’s degree from the Boston Conservatory and a bachelor’s degree from the…
Composers Festival spotlight: Daniel Fitzpatrick
The University of Missouri's representative among the resident composers at this year's MICF is Daniel Fitzpatrick, who currently is studying for his master’s in composition at Mizzou. Fitzpatrick also is a music technology graduate assistant and has served as the pianist of the Mizzou New Music Ensemble. A native of Wentzville, MO, he earned his…
Composers Festival spotlight: Khemia Ensemble
Khemia Ensemble in 2021 will be part of the Mizzou International Composers Festival for the the third consecutive year, performing as part of the "Mizzou New Music" online concert on Wednesday, July 28. Their performance will include the premieres of new works by Mizzou professor and MNMI artistic director Stefan Freund, MNMI's former post-doctoral fellow…
Composers Festival spotlight: Celka Ojakangas
Resident composer Celka Ojakangas comes to the 2021 Mizzou International Composers Festival from Los Angeles, CA, where she currently is pursuing her doctorate at the University of Southern California, while also serving as a part-time professor of music at Occidental College. The festival also will be a homecoming of sorts for Ojakangas, a Missouri native…
Composers Festival spotlight: Karim Sulayman
The Mizzou New Music Initiative will welcome tenor Karim Sulayman as a guest performer for the 2021 Mizzou International Composers Festival. Sulayman (pictured) will appear with resident ensemble Alarm Will Sound when they premiere the first part of distinguished guest composer David T. Little’s monodrama "What Belongs to You" as part of the "World Premieres…