Alyssa Wixson
is a forager of sounds, creating ecologically-minded compositions and improvisations out of found objects, field recordings, DIY electronics, and playful interactions with collaborators.
Bio
Described as "mesmerizing" by Classical Voice North America, Alyssa Wixson’s music is a curiosity-fueled exploration of the sonic potential inherent in objects and environments. Employing technology, improvisation, field recordings, and found objects, they construct evocative and immersive pieces that are often informed by the sounds and processes of the natural world. Their music challenges the listener to attend deeply to sonic detail, and to find interest and beauty in sounds that are often otherwise overlooked.
Their work has been performed at ICMC, NYCEMF, SEAMUS, New Music Gathering, and (Art) Song Lab, and by ensembles such as Line Upon Line Percussion, Unheard-of//Ensemble, Illumine Choirs, the Mivos Quartet, the Avimimus Vocal Duo, and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra as part of their chamber series. In addition to their concert music work, Wixson often collaborates as a score composer with independent filmmakers.
They hold a Master of Arts in composition from Stony Brook University, where they studied with Margaret Schedel, Daria Semegen, and Daniel Weymouth, and a Bachelor of Music degree with a composition emphasis from Texas Tech University, where they studied with Peter Fischer and Jennifer Jolley. They are currently pursuing a PhD in Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology at the University of California, Irvine, where they study primarily with Mari Kimura and Rajna Swaminathan.
