Michael Early

Michael Early is a Core Faculty member in the MFA in Music Composition program at Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA), where he explores the intersections of classical, popular, traditional, and avant-garde music. His work integrates Western concert music with Rock and acoustic-electronic instrumentation, tailored to the physicality of performers and instruments.

• Collaborated with ensembles and performers like NOW Ensemble, CATCH electric guitar quartet, and Princeton Laptop Orchestra
• Compositions performed globally at venues such as Le Poisson Rouge (New York City), OUTPUT Guitar Festival (Amsterdam), and UC Berkeley’s Center for New Music and Audio Technologies

His research and creative work focus on bridging diverse musical traditions and technologies, emphasizing performer-instrument synergy. Awards include a 2007 Aspen Music Festival fellowship, ASCAP, and grants from MIT Council for the Arts and USC Thornton School of Music. He holds a PhD in Music from Princeton University, MFA and MM in Composition from Princeton and USC, and a BA in Biochemistry/Music from Yale University.

• PhD - Music | Princeton University
• MFA - Composition | Princeton University
• MM - Composition | University of Southern California
• BA - Biochemistry/Music | Yale University