Beyond research, I've been involved in music for a long time. As a composer, I've written works for traditional instrumentation, electronic media, and hybrid formats, drawing on both classical idioms and extended techniques. I've also worked as a producer and sound designer across electronic, dance, pop, and film/media scoring genres, and as audio engineer for projects ranging from rock albums to operas. As an undergraduate, I majored in Composition and Electronic Production & Design at the Berklee College of Music. I started out as a guitar player, but now mostly play piano, focusing mainly on jazz and improvisation.
Highlights
Composition
My work uses generative systems and diverse synthesis techniques to construct immersive electronic soundscapes. I have also written for traditional instruments like piano, strings, and voice, with and without electronics. This work is often aimed at shifting classical forms and idioms into unfamiliar territory by using extended techniques.
Autovocoding Variations
This piece is a brief experiment in composing with a generative model. Specifically, I use three pretrained variants of RAVE loaded into nn~ (VCTK, Strings, and Radio). I use the autoencoders only, and delay them so that they are temporally aligned. From there, I apply effects to the input to each one independently, to bias their response. For example, I apply reverberation to the input to the Strings model, so that it has a more legato response. Similarly, I apply gating to the Darkbouka model to keep it focused on the percussive elements (e.g. transients) of the input signal.
voicecoil
voicecoil is a fixed-media piece, partly inspired by Vladimir Ussachevsky' beautiful Wireless Fantasy (1960), but explores synthetic signals with a much colder and harsher “digital” edge. These signals are taken apart into phrases and patterns, which are recombined through motion and superposition. Despite their range of textures, densities, and shapes, the sounds in this piece share a precise and rigid character, softened only by their relation to one another. Its duration is just under four minutes.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll (AKA Microlude)
A brief exploration of granular synthesis and layering.
Songs to Joannes VII
Sets poetry by Mina Loy. Explores the words independently and in context, through electronic transformation and layering.
Fuzzy
Exploring sounds from a modular synthesizer.
Ossicles
A musique concrète piece which plays with sounds of materials and impacts with them.
Happiness is the Longing for Repetition
All sounds in this piece are processed versions of the initial statement, read by Erich Johnson.
Passacaglia for 30 Lazy Guitars
A re-rendering of the aesthetic of the electric guitar, often traditionally viewed as an instrument of substantial virtuosity and technique. Here, it is instead about texture and process.
Study Nature
A piece for (programmed) piano and electronic sounds, exploring the idea of recreating the elements within the body of a player piano.
Two Songs
A piece for voice and piano, setting poetry by William Stafford. Performed here by (and written for) Rose Hegele and Jeremiah Cossa.
Breaking News
A piece written for string quartet. Explores imitation and superposition, inspired by the sonic aesthetics of certain (highly animated) news channel programs. Performed here by the Esterhazy Quartet.
Production
I have worked extensively in electronic, dance, and pop music as a producer. Here are a few examples.
Epinephrine
Limbic
Lighthouse
Collaboration with Sarathi Garimella. You can listen to Sarathi's original version here.