Sam Pluta

Sam Pluta is Associate Professor and Chair of Music, Technology & Media at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. He is a composer, sound artist, and performer specializing in computer music and live electronics, with a focus on integrating reactive digital sound environments into instrumental and improvisational contexts.

His research and artistic work centers on the development of interactive musical systems that enable shared agency between human performers and computers. His expertise spans composition, software engineering (particularly in SuperCollider, C++, Python, and Rust), real-time neural network inference for audio, and extreme time-stretching techniques. He has developed custom software, VST plugins, and SuperCollider UGens for oversampling oscillators and live performance.

Pluta’s performances and compositions have been presented at major international venues and festivals including the Lucerne Festival, Moers Festival, Donaueschingen Festival, Bimhuis, Warsaw Autumn, and The Vortex. He has collaborated with leading figures in new music and improvisation such as George Lewis, Peter Evans, Ikue Mori, Craig Taborn, and Evan Parker, and is Technical Director and principal electronics performer for the Wet Ink Ensemble.

He has previously taught at the University of Chicago, Bennington College, Manhattan School of Music, and The Walden School. His work bridges the domains of composition, performance, software development, and audio engineering, positioning him at the forefront of contemporary computer music practice.