COMPOSER. MULTIMEDIA ARTIST.
DIRECTOR OF SPLICE INSTITUTE. EDUCATOR. PROGRAMMER. 

Christopher Biggs is a composer and multimedia artist residing in Kalamazoo, MI, where he is Associate Professor of Music Composition and Technology at Western Michigan University. Biggs’ recent projects focus on integrating live instrumental performance with interactive audiovisual media. Biggs is the Director of SPLICE Institute. His first album, Decade Zero, will be released on Ravello Records in the fall of 2017.

Current Projects

Decade Zero

Decade zero is an album of works for instruments and electronics that will be released on Ravello Records in the fall of 2017. The album features performances by the Western Brass Quintet, SPLICE Ensemble, Zachary Boyt, Lin Folk, Mauricio Salguero, Alex Sellers, and Sam Wells. The album is supported by a grant from the Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA), Western Michigan University (WMU).

entanglement

Entanglement is an interactive audiovisual work for oboe and computer written for Nora Lewis. The work connects Max to Processing and maps various features of the live performance and resultant live audio processing to the visuals. The work will be premiered by Dr. Lewis in September of 2017.

Surfaces and essences

Surfaces and Essences is a saxophone quartet that will be premiered by the Prism Quartet in October of 2017. 

About

Christopher Biggs is a composer and multimedia artist residing in Kalamazoo, MI, where he is Associate Professor of Music Composition and Technology at Western Michigan University. Biggs’ recent projects focus on integrating live instrumental performance with interactive audiovisual media. In addition to collaborating with artists in other disciplines on projects, he treats all of his works as collaborations with performing artists by working with the performers during the creative process and considering their specific skills and preferences.

Biggs’ music has been presented across the United States and Europe, as well as in Latin America and Asia. His music is regularly performed on conferences and festivals, including the International Computer Music Conference, SEAMUS Conference, Visiones Sonoras, Electronic Music Midwest, Electroacoustic Barn Dance, Root Signals, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, Toronto International Electroacoustic Music Symposium, Bowling Green New Music Festival, and Society for Composers, Inc.

His music is available on Ravello Records, Irritable Hedgehog, SEAMUS CD Series, PARMA Recordings, Electroacoustico Records, and Thinking outLOUD Records. Biggs has written music for various ensembles, including Ensemble Dal Niente, the Western Brass Quintet, the Prism Saxophone Quartet, SPLICE Ensemble, Keith Kirchoff, Pangea Piano Project, Kari Johnson, Samuel Wells, Western Michigan University Symphonic Band, and the Truman State University Wind Ensemble.

Biggs is a co-founder and the director of SPLICE Institute, which is a weeklong intensive summer program for performers and composers to experience, explore, create, discuss, and learn techniques related to music for instruments and electronics. SPLICE takes place each June in Kalamazoo, MI.

Biggs received the 2008 Missouri Music Teacher’s Association composer of the year award, the 2009 SEMAUS/ASCAP first place award, the 2011 MACRO International Composition Award, the 2012 Issa Music and Dance Faculty Award, a 2013 and 2016 Kalamazoo Artistic Development Initiative Grant, and various grants and awards from Western Michigan University. He was a Preparing Future Faculty Fellow at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 2007 to 2010. Biggs has given guest lectures at numerous universities, including Indiana University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Missouri, and Columbia College. He was a co-founder and board member of the Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance.

Biggs teaches acoustic and electronic music composition, electronic music production, digital signal processing, visual programming, and music theory. He received degrees from American University (B.A. in print journalism), The University of Arizona (M.M. in music composition), and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (D.M.A. in music composition). He studied music composition with James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, Joao Pedro Oliveira, Daniel Asia, Chen Yi, and Zhou Long.

Events: 2017-18

Decade Zero for brass quintet and computer
performed by the Western Brass Quintet
Dalton Recital Hall, Kalamazoo, MI
06/13/2017

Contraposition for piano and computer
performed by Dorothy Chan
Taipei Cultural Arts Center, New York NY
07/24/17

Entanglement for oboe and computer
performed by Nora Lewis
Dalton Recital Hall, Kalamazoo, MI
09/13/17

Entanglement for oboe and computer
performed by Nora Lewis
Electronic Music Midwest
Kansas City, Kansas
09/22/17

Surfaces and Essences for saxophone quartet
performed by Prism Saxophone Quartet
Dalton Recital Hall, Kalamazoo, MI
10/14/17

Surfaces and Essences for saxophone quartet
performed by Prism Saxophone Quartet
Ann Arbor, MI
10/16/17