Elizabeth Kowalski

Elizabeth Kowalski is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist serving as a Lecturer at Central Piedmont Community College while founding and directing the Charlotte New Music Festival. Based in Charlotte, NC, she maintains strong ties to her alma maters UNC Charlotte and UNC Greensboro.

Her educational foundation includes a Master of Music in Composition from UNC Greensboro (2011) and a Bachelor of Music from UNC Charlotte (2009), where she later received the Department of Music's Distinguished Alumna award in 2018.

Kowalski's creative practice centers on contemporary classical composition with significant explorations in electronic music integration and interdisciplinary dance collaborations. She actively cultivates new music appreciation through her festival, which provides emerging composers professional performance opportunities with elite musicians like the Beo Quartet.

Her artistic achievements include:

• Third prize in the National MTNA Composition Competition (2012) for "Moon Garden"
• National award for "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" (performed at Kennedy Center, 2012)
• Distinguished Alumna recognition from UNC Charlotte (2018)

Through persistent grant writing, Kowalski secured funding from the Knight Foundation and regional Atlanta foundations to sustain her festival despite initial financial challenges. The festival has evolved into a significant composer development program with international reach, mentoring hundreds of composers across all career stages while fostering professional networks that extend beyond the workshop environment.

The Charlotte New Music Festival operates as a dynamic community hub featuring specialized tracks for traditional composition, electronic music, and dance collaboration. It has expanded to include string and saxophone quartet competitions, with the Beo Quartet serving as a core ensemble that has launched numerous professional careers through these performance opportunities.