Ayano Kataoka is a full Professor of Percussion at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Department of Music and Dance. She holds a distinguished career as a performer, educator, and advocate for contemporary percussion literature. Her affiliations include the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (since 2006) and the prestigious Bowers Program residency. She has performed globally with renowned artists like Yo-Yo Ma and institutions such as the Lincoln Center and Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall. Education: Bachelor of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts Master of Music, Peabody Conservatory Artist Diploma, Yale School of Music Research & Performance: Specializes in contemporary percussion repertoire, theatrical music, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Notable projects include Cuatro Corridos (Latin Grammy-nominated chamber opera addressing human trafficking) and world premieres of works by composers like George Crumb and Stuart Saunders Smith. Her work often integrates spoken word, movement, and multimedia elements. Awards: 2023-24 Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series (UMass Amherst) 2017 Latin Grammy Nomination (Best Contemporary Classical Composition) Teaching & Mentoring: Supervises graduate percussionists at UMass, including Ignacio Corrales and Robert Grahmann. Leads percussion ensembles and collaborates with dance programs in interdisciplinary projects. Hosts annual UMass Percussion Day and masterclasses globally. Recent Works: 2025 performances include the UMass Percussion Ensemble’s Bach Festival and collaborations with Sandbox Percussion. Current projects explore Japanese percussion traditions and avant-garde compositions.
James Cave is a Lecturer in Creativity and Culture at the School for Business and Society, University of York. His interdisciplinary work bridges performing arts, creative practice, and organizational studies, focusing on enhancing collaborative creativity through sound design and cross-cultural projects. He holds a PhD in Music Composition (AHRC-funded) from the University of York, alongside MA and MPhil degrees in English from Cambridge University. Research interests include sound design for public engagement with geology, organizational challenges in contemporary opera development, and international musical collaborations via platforms like Orchestra Daraja. He has received awards such as the 'Best Use of Sound' from ICAD (2017) and support from major cultural funders including Arts Council England and AHRC. Teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including modules on organizational continuity, research methods, and creative collaboration. His creative outputs combine academic rigor with performances at venues like Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and BBC broadcasts. Professional roles include Head of Group Operations, Strategy, and Governance at his school, alongside artistic affiliations with York Minster Choir and cross-cultural organization Manasamitra. Recent projects involve sonification for geological phenomena and online orchestral collaborations across multiple countries.
Jürgen Simpson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems and a core member of the Digital Media and Arts Research Centre at the University of Limerick. His work bridges electronic music composition, live performance, and interdisciplinary art, with a focus on minimalism, live electronics, and cultural memory. He actively engages in collaborative projects such as air india [redacted] , an opera addressing the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing, and reinterpretations of landmark works like Simeon Ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato . Research Interests: Live electronic performance, minimalist composition, screendance, and cultural heritage through digital mediums Key Projects: air india [redacted] , Canto Ostinato live electronics adaptation, and Spiral festival series His academic contributions include over 70 research outputs across performances, compositions, and exhibitions, with notable recognition including the 2002 Oberhausen International Short Film Festival Prize. Simpson frequently presents at conferences and serves on arts committees, including leadership roles at Limerick City Gallery of Art.
Elinor Armer is a Professor of Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), where she established the Composition Department in 1985 and has been affiliated for 56 years. Educated at Mills College (BA in Composition) and San Francisco State University (MA in Composition), her career spans teaching piano, theory, and composition across institutions, including masterclasses at the Shanghai Conservatory. She is renowned for blending West Coast inspiration with cosmopolitan influences, creating works ranging from solo pieces to operas. Her research interests focus on vocal and choral composition, collaborative projects with writers like Ursula K. Le Guin, and maintaining a uniquely personal compositional voice. Notable works include Uses of Music in Uttermost Parts (with Le Guin) and Leonardo’s Riddle . Her music emphasizes harmonic beauty, narrative drive, and humor, performed globally. Armer’s teaching philosophy emphasizes helping students find their individual voices. Over 50 years, she has mentored composers like Grawemeyer Award-winners Aleksandra Vrebalov and Olga Neuwirth. The Conservatory awards the Elinor Armer Scholarship in Composition in her honor. Her recent projects include a Diamond Jubilee series celebrating her 75th birthday and an opera based on Le Guin’s Lavinia . Collaborations include the San Francisco Choral Artists, Left Coast Ensemble, and Persephone Ensemble. Her works often explore themes of nature, identity, and historical narratives, reflecting her deep connection to Northern California’s cultural landscape.
William Harper is an Adjunct Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), teaching in the Art & Technology / Sound Practices department. He holds a PhD from the Eastman School of Music and is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in music composition, videography, and photography. His work spans opera productions (e.g., El Greco , Peyote Roadkill ), experimental films ( Transmigrations , Merganser Migration ), and multimedia installations. Recent film screenings include festivals like Sanctuary International, Moondance, and Beyond Earth. Education: PhD in Music, Eastman School of Music Research interests focus on interdisciplinary art forms, blending music, technology, and visual media. Notable works explore themes of migration, environmental imagery, and avant-garde soundscapes. His courses emphasize digital audio production, experimental composition techniques, and emerging imaging technologies. Awards and recognition include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, MacArthur Foundation, and residencies at Djerassi and Yaddo. Recent film accolades include Moondance and Nature without Borders awards. Teaching responsibilities include: Digital Audio Production (Fall 2025) Digital Music: Concepts, Structures, Materials (Spring 2025) Alternative Image Capture (Spring/Fall 2025) History of Opera (Spring 2025) Labs/Teams: Collaborates with artists and technologists through interdisciplinary projects at SAIC, focusing on emerging imaging technologies and sound design.
Pauliina Hulkko is a Professor of Communication Sciences at Tampere University, specializing in dramaturgy and artistic research. Her work bridges performance studies, actor training, and multidisciplinary collaborations. She has actively contributed to international platforms such as the IPPT conference and produced innovative performances like Tiikeriooppera (Tiger Opera) and Hyvästi Mansikki , exploring themes of ruralization, cultural narratives, and sound art. Her research interests include corporeal dramaturgy, collaborative performance practices, and the intersection of artistic research with pedagogy. She has been recognized with the Knight of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, First Class (2019). Recent activities include organizing workshops, serving as an opponent in doctoral defenses, and presenting at conferences on topics like continuous training methodologies and queer dramaturgy. Key Collaborations: Worked with composers, designers, and performers on coproduced art projects Grants/Support: Activities imply ongoing institutional and project-based funding for artistic research Labs/Teams: Involved in Corpus Dramaturgicum collaborative research projects
Adam Dudek is an intermedia artist, graphic designer, and lecturer at the Faculty of Media Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He holds a habilitation in fine arts and specializes in interdisciplinary projects blending video, sound, and performance. His research focuses on the human body’s expression in art, particularly within opera and multimedia installations. Key works include Apocalypse (2021), The Magic Mountain, or Pathological Opera (2018), and his long-term role designing the visual identity for the Warsaw Autumn Festival since 2013. Education: Studied visual communication at the Katowice Faculty of Graphic Arts (Kraków Academy of Fine Arts), earned his doctorate and habilitation at Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts. Research interests span intermedia synthesis, opera’s gesamtkunstwerk, and the body’s performative role in art. Collaborations include working with composers (e.g., Aleksander Nowak, Tadeusz Wielecki), choreographers, and institutions like the Fryderyk Chopin Museum and Baltic Opera. Awards: Minister of Culture Scholarship (2012), ZAiKS Fund Scholarships (2020, 2021). His works have been showcased globally at venues such as Musikverein Wien, Münchner Künstlerhaus, and festivals like Singfest Nova Civitas. Teaching: Leads workshops on spatiotemporal manipulation and visual structures at Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts and the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology. Engages in academic conferences and guest lectures at institutions like Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. Current projects emphasize experimental opera, multimedia installations, and cultural branding, reflecting his commitment to bridging artistic disciplines and public engagement.
Emily Howard is a Professor in Composition and Head of Artistic Research at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). She is a composer, curator, and founding director of PRiSM, the RNCM Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music. Her works span orchestral pieces, operas, choral works, and multimedia installations, often blending mathematics, science, and technology with musical expression. Born in Liverpool, she graduated in mathematics and computer science from Oxford University before studying composition at the RNCM and the University of Manchester. Key works include The Anvil , Torus , and Antisphere , recognized for their innovative use of mathematical structures and social commentary. Howard’s research focuses on interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly in music and mathematics. She has been funded by UKRI, AHRC, and the Leverhulme Trust. Awards include two BASCA British Composer Awards and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Arts. She supervises doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in composition and music technology, mentoring projects like Lucy Hale’s AHRC-funded work on disabled musicians. Her works explore themes of social justice, human experience, and scientific inquiry. Recent projects include DEVIANCE (2023), a multimedia piece analyzing listener brainwaves, and Ombra (2022), addressing epilepsy. PRiSM, under her leadership, fosters AI-driven creativity and music-science intersections.
Dr Gavin Wayte is a Research Fellow in Creative and Professional Practice and Contemporary Music Lead at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). He holds a PhD in Composition from the University of Manchester (2007) and has extensive experience as a composer, conductor, and pianist. His work spans opera, multimedia performance, and collaborations with artists across disciplines. Research focuses include music's engagement with nature, historical instrument performance (e.g., the 1839 Nicholson’s Flute), and interdisciplinary creative practices. Notable projects include 'How May Music Projects Enable Positive Environmental Action', supported by RNCM grants, which involved student and community workshops addressing ecological themes. Teaching roles include module leadership in Artist Development , Professional Placement , and composition mentoring at RNCM’s Junior Department. He has also taught at the University of Nottingham and Salford University, and served on juries for competitions like the BASCA British Composer Awards. Awards include shortlisting for the Henri Dutilleux Composition Competition and recognition from Sound and Music (SPNM). His compositions are performed globally, with recordings released on Prima Facie and streaming platforms.
Michèle Rohrbach is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Performing Arts of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MUK). She holds a degree in Acting from Zurich University of the Arts and is a member of theater collective makemake produktionen. Her work spans theater, film, and interdisciplinary performance, emphasizing collaborative creation and narrative innovation. Rohrbach has received prestigious awards including the Nestroy Prize and multiple STELLA Performing Arts Prizes, and her work has been featured at major festivals like Locarno and Bregenz. Education: Zurich University of the Arts (Acting) Research interests focus on blending traditional theater forms with experimental techniques, exploring themes like memory, identity, and human connection through site-specific performances, musical theater adaptations, and multimedia collaborations. Her directing debut Forget-Me-Not (2022) premiered at the Bregenz Festival, while Mother Tongue Mameloschn (2018) won the Nestroy Prize for Off-Production. She frequently collaborates with ensembles like Die Schurken and Kosmos Theater Vienna. Awards: Nestroy Prize (2018) STELLA Performing Arts Prize (4×) Berlin Theatertreffen Nomination (2020) Friedl Wald Foundation Award (Student Award) Labs/Teams: makemake produktionen, Die Schurken ensemble, Dschungel Wien, Bavarian State Opera collaborations. Her work often integrates clowning techniques from Sue Morrison workshops and emphasizes cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Peter Greenaway is a Professor of Film at The European Graduate School (EGS). Born in 1942 in Newport, Wales, he is a renowned avant-garde filmmaker, curator, and philosopher of cinema. His work explores themes like visual subversion, Renaissance aesthetics, and the limits of narrative. Trained as a painter at Walthamstow College of Art, he transitioned to filmmaking in the 1960s, creating experimental shorts like Train (1966) and Windows (1975). His major films include The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982), Prospero’s Books (1991), and Nightwatching (2007). He has curated exhibitions such as 100 Objects To Represent The World (1993) and pioneered multimedia projects like The Tulse Luper Suitcases (2003). His work critiques contemporary visual culture while engaging with historical art forms. Greenaway’s research interests span interdisciplinary art, cinematic language, and the intersection of text/image. He has lectured extensively at EGS on topics like visual history, opera-film hybrids, and multimedia temporality. His publications include books on Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and his own film theories.
Sam Lipman is a Lecturer in Film Scoring and Audio Production at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also served as Composer-in-Residence for two years. His work bridges classical rigor and contemporary innovation, with a focus on storytelling through music. He holds a Master of Music and Bachelor of Music from The University of Texas at Austin. Research interests include orchestral composition, film scoring, and the intersection of music with theater, dance, and documentary narratives. Notable works include A Thousand Cuts (Sundance-acclaimed documentary score), The Last Planet (Terrence Malick film), and MoonFall (immersive ballet). His classical works have been performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Recent artistic achievements include the 2019 Austin Critics Table Award for Matawan and an Oscar shortlist nomination for Southwest of Salem . His upcoming projects include the Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann’s The World Will Open (2025) and the trumpet concerto The Unbroken Call (premiered by Austin Symphony Orchestra). Lipman collaborates with institutions like Red Nightfall Theater, Density512, and the Miró Quartet. His compositions often explore themes of memory, resilience, and human connection, as seen in Tree of Life (dedicated to Holocaust survivors) and Crone (feminine archetypes).
Sal Trapani is a Professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at Western Connecticut State University's School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts. With over 30 years at the institution, he specializes in acting, directing, playmaking with children, devised theatre, and theatre history. His career bridges academia and professional theatre, with works showcased globally. M.F.A. from University of Southern California Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC) and SAG-AFTRA Research & Creative Interests include immersive theatre, classical adaptations, and multimedia performance. He has directed Shakespearean works like The Tempest and Romeo & Juliet , as well as experimental pieces such as Ubu – An Absurdist Immersive Gran Guignol Musical and The Covid Decameron . His collaborations with students have led to international festival appearances, including Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre and New York Theatre Workshop. Recent Projects include the 2022 production of Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses , the trans-themed one-woman show Of Pigs and Pianos (2021), and ongoing work on Milk and Blood – a hip-hop opera based on Aeschylus’ The Libation Bearers . Awards & Recognition : CSU-AAUP Grant Teaching & Production Roles span undergraduate mentorship, New York Showcase coordination, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival participation. His pedagogy integrates performance with classical and contemporary adaptations.
Geoffrey Pope is a Lecturer in Orchestration and Conducting at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) , where he conducts the orchestra and opera. He will join the faculty of Chapman University in Fall 2024 to teach private conducting students and a score analysis seminar. Pope is also Vice President of the Western Region of the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), and his career spans conducting, composition, forensic musicology, and multimedia projects. Current Lecturer at UCI in Orchestration and Conducting Future faculty member at Chapman University (starting Fall 2024) Vice President, Western Region, College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) Education: Doctoral conducting student at UCLA Studied at the University of Southern California (USC) Studied at the Eastman School of Music (awarded Walter Hagen Conducting Prize) Geoffrey Pope’s research focuses on the intersection of musicology and performance, particularly Bühnenmusik (instrumental music performed onstage) in German-language opera and its synchronization challenges. He explores how diegetic music influences sonic spatialization and has contributed to the Vienna State Opera musicians’ petition for Bühnenmusik to be declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Scientific Awards: Walter Hagen Conducting Prize (Eastman School of Music) Pope’s conducting work spans standard repertoire, contemporary music, opera, and multimedia collaborations. He has participated in the Benjamin Britten Centenary, conducted Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire , and premiered works like Corey Field’s The Trial of Benjamin Britten . His multimedia projects include Music in Light in Macau and live-to-film performances celebrating early Black cinema. He also orchestrates for Hollywood studios and games, including League of Legends and Kung Fu Panda (Emmy-winning score).
Grace Schwindt is a Reader in the Department of Art at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is an accomplished contemporary artist whose work spans film, performance, sculpture, and installation. Her practice explores social relations, historical memory, mental health, and the body's relationship to societal structures, often challenging conventional modes of communication and representation. Education: MA in Fine Art, Slade School of Fine Art, London (2006-2008) BA in Photography, University of Westminster, London (2001-2005) Schwindt's research investigates how historical events shape social relationships and how memory is constructed. She frequently begins with conversations with artists, activists, and family members, transforming these into fictional dialogues presented through interdisciplinary performances. Her work examines physical and mental fragility, proposing alternative social structures where violence and exclusion are rejected. A distinctive feature of her practice is the exploration of communication beyond language, using movement, sound, and the body as mediators for sharing traumatic experiences and memories. She has developed methodologies to translate shared movements into choreographic scores and 'movement alphabets' that can be used to write musical scores or new movement sequences. Her recent artistic output shows a consistent focus on creating spaces for sharing wounds as a possibility to imagine non-oppressive social relations. She frequently works with movement therapy techniques, translating shared experiences into artistic forms. Her sculptural work often combines materials like ceramic, bronze, and stone to explore fragility and strength, with recurring themes of historical trauma, migration, and the experience of refugees. The tension between materials—such as the fragility of ceramic against the rigidity of bronze—mirrors the tensions she explores in social relations. Awards and Recognition: Shortlisted for the 2013 Jarman Award FLAMIN Productions Award (2013 and 2011) Film and Video Umbrella Free to Air Award Boise Travel Scholarship, German Consulate Travel Award, and British Council Travel Award (all 2010) Schwindt has received significant grant funding from Arts Council England, Elephant Trust, Arts Admin Bursary, Goethe Institute Glasgow, and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation. She has held residencies at the Centre for Contemporary Arts Glasgow, Wiels-Contemporary Art Centre in Brussels, and the Gershwin Foundation in New York. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at major institutions worldwide including the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, Site Gallery in Sheffield, Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, and Kunsthal Gent. Her films have been screened at international festivals including the International Short Film Festival in Oberhausen, Musicaexmachina Festival in Spain, and Brighton Film Festival. Current projects include 'Silent Archive,' which proposes a new methodology to study historical archives by focusing on what has been left unsaid, particularly regarding Holocaust testimonies, and 'A Cold Stone,' which explores sculptural histories of representing suffering through works like 'Jesus on a Cold Stone.' These projects continue her exploration of fragility, vulnerability, and alternative social structures while engaging with historical trauma and contemporary social issues.
