top of page
William Kenlon (ASCAP), dually based in Washington D.C. and Boston, is a composer specializing in music for chamber, choral, and jazz ensembles. Described as "pointed and groovy" (New Music Box), Kenlon's music continues to garner praise for its "lyrical personality that is original and strong" (Boston Musical Intelligencer), and for its sophisticated tonal explorations: "solid without being dense, clear without being sparse, and ever-changing without being random" (ibid). Enjoying performances on both coasts and on both sides of the Atlantic—most frequently in New England, but also at other locations such as Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center—Kenlon has studied with composers from a variety of traditions and backgrounds, including John Hilliard, Jason Haney, Chuck Dotas, John McDonald, and (at present) Mark Edwards Wilson; he has also taken lessons with Forrest Pierce, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Stacy Garrop, among others. Kenlon obtained a B.M. degree (magna cum laude) from James Madison University and an M.A. from Tufts University, and has also completed studies at McGill University and at the New England Conservatory. In 2013, he was awarded the Flagship Fellowship to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Maryland, which will be his home through mid-2016.
www.williamkenlon.com
Photo by Eric Snoza, SnoStudios Photography
Michael J. Vince is a composer and performer currently residing in New York City. His most recent undertakings include writing for the NYU Masters Dance 2014 Concert and working with David Jackson of Big-Little Comedy on a new musical. A main focus in Michael's writing has also been to incorporate lyrical expression through contemporary score notation. His Atomic Quartet, a piece that uses graphics to encourage musical interaction among the performers, was premiered by the JACK Quartet in the spring of 2014. In contrast, his Sonata for ‘Cello in C Minor follows a more traditional approach to writing for solo instrument and was premiered at Spectrum NYC in February 2015 as part of an inaugural concert in the new Live 45 Series. Michael recently earned his Master of Music degree in Theory and Music Composition from New York University, studying with composers Herschel Garfein and Joan La Barbara. In 2012, Michael completed the undergraduate composition sequence as a student-at-large at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, he previously acquired his Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance at The University of Mount Union (formerly Mount Union College) in Alliance, Ohio, studying composition and theory independently with Dr. James Perone.
www.michaeljvince.com
Photo by Andrew and Tina Hempfling
Phong Tran is a composer from Woodstock, GA. He received his Bachelor’s of Music Composition from the University of Georgia, where he studied with Natalie Williams and Adrian Childs. During his time at UGA, he founded a Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. This experience has led him to pursue future goals of founding a professional ensemble. Phong has also worked with a variety of composers during his time at the Atlantic Music Festival. His work, Polymorphism, was selected to be premiered in concert by the 2014 AMF Contemporary Ensemble. Land, Sea, Sky, and Sun, written for his contemporary ensemble at UGA, was also performed as part of the chamber concert series at the festival. He recently attended the Fresh Inc. Festival where he will be working with Stacy Garrop and the 5th House Ensemble. His most recent work, Torsion, inspired by Walter LeBlanc’s works by the same title, was performed at Bedford Hall at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside. This Fall, Phong will be pursuing a Master’s in Music Theory and Composition at New York University where he will be studying with Michael Gordon and Julia Wolfe.
www.phongmusic.com
Photo by Eric Snoza, SnoStudios Photography
bottom of page