Alexander Sigman, composer

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Alexander Theodore SIGMAN          

E-mail: lx.sigman@gmail.com

Age: 28

Level of Study:  D.M.A. candidate in Composition at Stanford University 

Degrees: B.A. (2003), Cognitive Sciences; B.M. (2003), Music-composition, Magna cum Laude, Rice University; M.A. (2004), Music-composition, Stanford University

Qualifying Exam Topic: External Models, Modes of Mediation and Cognitive Validity in Works of Stockhausen, Xenakis, Grisey, Globokar, and Holliger

Doctoral Dissertation Project: Nominal and Noumenal: Two Cycles of Works for Various Chamber Ensembles and Electronics (to be completed June 2010)

 

Education:

Post-graduate 1-year Course, Institute of Sonology, Royal Conservatory, The Hague (2007-2008)

Doctoral Studies in Music Composition at Stanford University (2003-2009); composition studies with Brian Ferneyhough, Mark Applebaum, and Chris Chafe.

Undergraduate Studies in Music Composition and Cognitive Sciences at Rice University (B.M and B.A. programs, 1999-2003); composition studies with Anthony Brandt, David Soley, Richard Lavenda, and Kurt Stallmann

Studies in piano with Jeanne Kierman Fischer (1999-2003) and Thomas Schultz (2003-2006)

Studies in conducting with Jindong Cai at Stanford University (2004-2006)

Music theory at Princeton University (Autumn 1998)

Private lessons in piano, composition, theory, music history, and conducting at Westminster Choir College (1995-99)

Positions:

Fellow, Akademie Schloss Solitude (Stuttgart, Germany) (2008-2009)

Co-founder/Managing Director, Modelo62 Ensemble (The Hague, Netherlands) (2007-present)

Co-editor, SEARCH Journal for New Music and Culture (2007-present)

Student Composer Representative, SCI Executive Committee (2007-present)

Artistic Co-director/Composer-in-Residence, Musiques Démesurées 2007 (Clermont-Ferrand, France, June 2007)

—organized two concert-programs, selected composers and performers, coordinated rehearsals, held administrative responsibilities

Graduate Student Representative, Composition Advisory Committee, Stanford University (2004-present)

Graduate Student Representative, Performance Committee, Stanford University (2004-2005)

Teaching Experience: 

Music Teacher, Eastside Preparatory School (East Palo Alto, CA, May-June 2006)

Teaching Associate, Stanford University, 2004-2006:

    Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Music Theory—led ear-training and analysis sections, presented lectures

    Introduction to 20^th-century Composition—wrote syllabus, presented lectures, led composition workshops

   Compositional Algorithms, Psychoacoustics, and Spatial Processing (CCRMA)

   Psychophysics and Cognitive Psychology for Musicians (CCRMA)

     

Lectures/Papers/Presentations:

Aristotle University/University of Edinburgh 2nd International Conference for PhD Music Students, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2009

Stuttgart Staatsgalerie, 2008

Harvard University Graduate Composition Seminar, 2007

Festival Musiques Démésurées, Clermont-Ferrand, France, 2007: panel discussion with Makis Solomos

“Focus on Composition” Seminar,  University of California, San Diego, 2006

Schönberg-Center, Vienna, 2005

Selected Commissions:

detritus I  for counter-tenor, trombone, cello, electric guitar, harpsichord/piano, percussion, and electronics; requested by Ensemble Ascolta, 2008

the shining pillar for saxophone and piano (2008); commissioned by The Kenners (Eliot Gattegno and Eric Wubbels), 2008

blo(o)t [int-1 x V,[3] (version I) ]  for 9 performers (2008); commissioned by Ensemble Modelo62 (Den Haag), 2008

V, [3] (2007-2008) for voice, Eb/Ab clarinet, 10-string guitar, microtonal percussion, and piano: commissioned by Asamisimasa (Oslo), 2007

mi(e)S(e)-En-abîMe I (2006-2007) for bass clarinet, cello, piano, percussion: commissioned by Festival Musiques Démesurées , Clermont-Ferrand, France 2007

the shining pillar of anti-beauty (int-0) (2006) for cello and electronics: commissioned by Festival Musiques Démesurées

st.wl.-1 (2005) for solo guitar: requested by Magnus Andersson, 2005

il y va d’un certain pas (2004-2005) for bass flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion: requested by the Ruckus Ensemble, 2005

Reflets/Reflexions/Implosions (2002/2006) for solo alto saxophone: requested by Philippe Caillot, 2002; commissioned by Eliot Gattegno, 2006 

Selected Festival Performances:

Klangraum Festival, Stuttgart, DE, 2008

In-Sonora Muestra IV, Madrid, ES, 2008

Sonorities Festival/ICMC,  Queen's University, Belfast, UK, 2008

Society of Composers (SCI) National Conference, Altanta, GA, 2008

Wellesley Composers Conference, Wellesley College, Mass., 2007

Musiques Démesurées, Clermont-Ferrand, France, 2007

Royaumont Session de Composition, Asnières-sur-Oise, France, 2006

Darmstädter-Ferienkurse, Darmstadt, Germany, 2006, 2008

Sommerakademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany, 2005

June in Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo, NY, 2005

Centre Acanthes 2002, Villeneuve-les-Avignon, France, 2002

Program and Festival Participation:

Wellesley Composers Conference (Summer 2007)

Klangforum Wien Impuls Musikakademie (Winter 2007); studies with Beat Furrer, Bernhard Lang, Enno Poppe

Royaumont Session de Composition “Voix Nouvelles” (Summer 2006); studies with Michaël Jarrell, François Paris, Brian Ferneyhough

Sommerakademie Schloss Solitude (Summer 2005); studies with Chaya Czernowin, Steven Takasugi, Michael Reudenbach

June in Buffalo 2005; masterclasses with Philippe Manoury, Alvin Lucier, etc.

Darmstädter-Ferienkurse (Summer 2004); studies with Chaya Czernowin, Brian Ferneyhough, etc.

Centre Acanthes 2003 workshop/studies with Klaus Huber (Summer 2003)

Centre Acanthes 2002 workshop/studies with Brian Ferneyhough and the Arditti Quartet (Summer 2002)

IRCAM Academie d’Eté (Summer 2001)

Fontainebleau Conservatoire Américain (Summer 2000, Summer 2001); studies with André Bon and Marco Stroppa.

Oberlin Conservatory TIMARA (Electronic and Computer Music) Program under Gary Nelson (Summer 1999)

Awards:

Residency Fellowship, Akademie Schloss Solitude (2008-2009)

Julius F. Jezek Prize nomination (2008)

ICMA Student Scholarship (August 2008) 

Fulbright Scholarship for study in The Hague, Netherlands (2007-2008)

ASCAPLUS Awards (2007, 2008)

Wellesley Composers Conference Bursary (July 2007)

Bearns Prize, Columbia University (2006)

American Composers Forum Encore Grant (March 2006)      

Stanford University research stipend to Schönberg-Center, Vienna (October 2005)

Full Scholarship, Stanford University (2003-2007; 2009-2010)

Honor Societies/Other Affiliations:

Phi Beta Kappa (Member, 2003-present)

American Music Center (Member, 2003-present)

ASCAP (Member, 2006-present)

Society of Composers, Inc. (Member and Officer, 2006-present) 

     

Published Articles/Research Projects:

"External Models and Modes of Mediation in the Works of Six Composers" (to be published in SEARCH Journal for New Music and Culture, Winter 2008)

“il y va d’un certain pas: a ‘constructed’ ruin?” (pending publication)

“The Work in a State of ‘Sloshed Solitude:’ Importation,Filtration, Palimpsest, and an ‘Aesthetic of the Noumenal’” to be published as a book chapter (Steven Takasugi, ed.; to be published 2009-2010)

"The Influence of Schönberg upon Boulez, Cage, and Ferneyhough" (program notes for concert at Schönberg-Center, Vienna, October 2005)

“Motion, Masks, and Modes: A Concert of New Music at the Shepherd School” (Living Music, Fall 2002)

Discography: 

Music from Stanford <541>, Volume 4 (to be released Summer 2009 on innova records)

Music from Stanford <541>, Volume 2 (released 12 June 2007 on innova records [innova 658])    

Radio/Television:

Television interview for France 3, Region Alpes-Rhône-Auvergne (June 2007)

Radio France broadcast (September 2006)

Interview for Mitteldeutsch Rundfunk (Summer 2004)

Compositions featured on 91.7 KTRU, Rice University (Spring 2003)

Technical/Studio Experience:

Editing/Mixing: ProTools, Peak, Deck, Audacity, etc.

Analysis/Synthesis:  AudioSculpt, Spear, CLM, SuperCollider

Live Electronics: Max/MSP, Pd

Algorithmic Composition: CM (Common Music), AC Toolbox, OpenMusic

Programming Languages:  Lisp, Scheme, some C/C++

Analog Experience:  analog studio, Institute of Sonology, The Hague (NL) 

Spatialisation: wavefield synthesis space, Scheltema Leiden (NL)