Smart, transcendent, and immersive, Kirsten Volness’ emotive soundscapes integrate electronics and modern composition techniques with jazz and pop influences. “Irresistible” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “nothing short of gorgeous.” (New York Arts), each of her compositions reveals “an exquisite sound world” (New Classic LA) inspired by nature, myth, spirituality, and environmental and sociopolitical issues. With commissions from the World
Future Council Foundation, ASCAP/SEAMUS, BMI Foundation, and The American Opera Project, Volness received MacColl Johnson and RISCA Fellowships. She holds composition degrees from the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota, and has taught at Reed College and the University of Rhode Island.

Contact me at bret.bohman@gmail.com

Bret Bohman is a composer, producer, guitarist and artistic director of the chamber classical group Khemia Ensemble. With a background in electronic music production and jazz guitar, his concert works draw from these influences as well as modernist and post-modernist traditions. Recent works have explored memory loss, art as healing, acoustics of ancient sites and travel.

Mr. Bohman's compositions have been heard throughout the United States at various venues and festivals including New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University, Strange Beautiful Music X in Detroit, New Music Gathering 3, the Aspen Music Festival, the New York City Electronic Music Festival at Abrons Playhouse, the 73rd Wellesley Composers Conference, Trinosophes, Toronto International Electronic Symposium, SCI National Conference, SEAMUS National Conference, Electronic Music Midwest, Atlantic Music Festival, Society for New Music, 3rd Annual TUTTI Festival and more. His music has received awards or recognition from the Society of New Music (Brian Israel Award), the National Federations of Musics Club, ASCAP and the Michigan Music Teachers Association.

In 2015 he co-founded the Khemia Ensemble, a chamber music group dedicated to commissioning and presenting diverse selections of contemporary voices in innovative ways. The ensemble will perform at Strange Beautiful Music X in Detroit in September while recent performances were at New Music Gathering at Bowling Green State University and the Latin IS America Festival at Michigan State University. The ensemble has held residencies at the University of Michigan, the National University of Bogota, Colombia and the National University of Cordoba, Argentina. In the summer of 2017 they were in residence at Avaloch Farms for the second year in a row.

Daniel Morel is a Kansas City-based composer who energizes his music with spectral lyricism. His works are permeated with the Western sensibilities of his Colorado upbringing, drawing on influences ranging from prairie thunderstorms to classic American poetry. As an advocate of new music, Mr. Morel has previously served as director of the much acclaimed Women Composers Festival of Hartford and Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra.

Composer Ingrid Stölzel has been described as having “a gift for melody” (San Francisco Classical Voice) and “evoking a sense of longing” that creates “a reflective and serene soundscape that makes you want to curl up on your windowsill to re-listen on a rainy day.” (I Care If You Listen)  

Stölzel’s compositions have been commissioned by leading soloists and ensembles, and performed in concert halls and festivals worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, Seoul Arts Center, Thailand International Composition Festival, Festival Osmose (Belgium), Vox Feminae Festival (Israel), Dot the Line Festival (South Korea), Ritornello Chamber Music Festival (Canada), Festival of New Music at Florida State (USA), Beijing Modern Music Festival (China), Festival of New American Music (USA), and SoundOn Festival of Modern Music (USA). Her music has been recognized in numerous competitions, among them recently the Suzanne and Lee Ettelson Composer's Award, Red Note Composition Competition, the Robert Avalon International Competition for Composers, and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra Competition. Recordings can be found on various commercial releases including her portrait album “The Gorgeous Nothings” which features her chamber and vocal chamber music. Stölzel teaches composition at the University of Kansas School of Music.

AJ Harbison is a composer and singer/songwriter currently living and working in Kansas City. His compositions include choral, instrumental, pop/rock, theatre and film music.

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