AUSTIN ENGELHARDT
CV last updated October 6, 2024
Artist Statement:
I prioritize the aesthetic nature of sound and continuously endeavor to redefine how I communicate musical expression. As a composer, I integrate multimedia components and improvisational elements into my compositions, aiming to elicit perceptual shifts in the musicians who interpret them. Within my musical compositions the score assumes the role of a living entity, functioning as an additional collaborator with whom one engages and comprehends differently with each performance. Consequently, my compositions draw extensively from the visual realm and the abstract. I wholeheartedly embrace the ideas of experimentation and imperfection, with the goal of imbuing each work with the distinct musical identity of its performer. Composition is a dynamic art form that requires a commitment to representing our evolving humanity through each musical experience.
Hidemi Akaiwa & Austin Engelhardt premiering their collaborative work Gutai
TV-MA, a graphic duet, being performed by Honor Hickmanand Corinne Foley
Dead Trees being premiered by The Shimmer Quartet
Biography:
Austin Engelhardt is a composer and improviser whose work is dedicated to challenging and reshaping communication through music. Raised in rural Kansas, Austin came to the musical world later in life, only learning to read music at the age of 20. This late start did not hinder his passion; instead, it fueled a relentless ambition to redefine and expand musical notation. His artistic vision, deeply influenced by the aesthetic nature of sound, draws inspiration from the abstract. He is always aiming to enhance the performer’s connection with the piece during performance. Austin constantly strives to challenge himself and redefine his perception of the sonic world with each new composition.
In recent years, Austin has collaborated with an impressive array of musicians and ensembles, including The Shimmer Quartet, The LoadBang Ensemble, saxophonist Don-Paul Kahn, suona virtuoso Yazhi Guo, and pianist Aron Kallay. As an improviser and electronics operator, he has been involved in numerous notable performances. These include the premiere of DESMANDRE, a 6-hour improvisational epic by Lautaro Mantilla; a series of concerts with pianist Hidemi Akaiwa featuring their collaborative work Gutai; performances with The Callithumpian Consort at the TENOR International Conference on Technologies for Music Notation and Representation; and a series of concerts featuring the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen.
Austin’s recent works showcase his innovative approach to music. Book I & II, a collection of 48 graphic scores, explores the concept of conversation and personal perception in practice. The vocal quintet Megalith, for five voices of any type, illuminates the idea of ensemble communication. His cello solo A Turning Point has been premiered in both Europe and America, and Introspection Canon, designed for any instrument with strings and live electronics, further exemplifies his creative versatility. His work has been featured in IM-OS, a journal focused on improvised music and open scores in various forms, including prose, graphic, and action notations. Several of his scores are published through Turnsōl Editions.
Austin’s commitment to his craft is also evident in his active participation in summer festivals, such as the SoundSCAPE Composition and Performance Exchange, the Longy Divergent Studio, Impulse New Music, and the UMKC Summer Composition Festival. He has served as a Teaching Assistant at the New England Conservatory, contributing to the Composition and Theory department and the Avant-Garde Ensemble. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and a master’s degree from The New England Conservatory. He has studied under esteemed teachers including John Mallia, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Paul Rudy, Yotam Haber, and Michael Miller. Currently, he is pursuing his DMA at the University of South Carolina, studying under composer Fang Man.