Bio:

Will Martin is a New York City-based composer and vocalist whose work features intricately crafted harmonies, subtle nuances of timbre, and textures with vibrant inner life. He is continually interested in investigating the harmonic possibilities of alternatives to 12-tone equal temperament such as quarter-tones, just intonation, and historical tuning systems. His vocal, instrumental, electronic, and multimedia works seek to play with listeners’ perceptions and draw attention to subtle details of sound. His work is informed by a conception of art as both a way of communicating with and understanding the world.

Will’s music has been performed by acclaimed ensembles and artists including JACK Quartet, PHACE Ensemble, Irvine Arditti, Marco Blaauw and Christine Chapman of Ensemble MusikFabrik, Laura Cocks, and Dana Jessen. His vocal sextet The Bard Weeps was programmed by Peabody Conservatory’s choral director Beth Willer on a program celebrating Ligeti’s 100th birthday. In recent years, his music has been premiered at international festivals such as Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, the Vienna Contemporary Composers Festival, and New Music on the Point. 

Will is pursuing a PhD in Composition at New York University (GSAS) as a MacCracken doctoral fellow. Will earned his MM in Composition from Peabody Conservatory, studying with Felipe Lara. Upon graduating from Peabody, he received the Otto Ortmann Award in Composition. He received his Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of North Texas, where he studied with Sungji Hong and Kirsten Broberg.