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Christopher Biggs is a composer and multimedia artist residing in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he is Associate Professor of Music Composition and Technology at Western Â鶹´«Ã½Ó¦Óà 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 between himself and the initial performing artist 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, Navona Records, Electroacoustico Records, and Thinking outLOUD Records. Biggs has written music for various artists and groups, including the Western Brass Quintet, SPLICE Ensemble, Keith Kirchoff, Ensemble Dal Niente, Pangea Piano Project, Kari Johnson, Samuel Wells, Western Â鶹´«Ã½Ó¦Óà University Symphonic Band, and the Truman State University Wind Ensemble.

Biggs is a co-founder and the director of SPLICE Institute, which is a week long, 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.

Biggs received the 2008 Missouri Music Teachers Association composer of the year award, the 2009 SEAMUS/ASCAP first place award, the 2011 MACRO International Composition Award, the 2012 Issa Music and Dance Faculty Award, a 2013 Kalamazoo Artistic Development Initiative (KADI) Grant, and a 2016 KADI Grant. 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, effects processing and synthesis, computer programming for musicians, aesthetics of electronic music, visual programming, and special topic courses involving digital media, in addition to music theory. He was integral in developing Western Â鶹´«Ã½Ó¦Óà University’s Multimedia Arts Technology - Music program, revising the theory curriculum, and in revamping the B.M. in Music Composition at WMU. 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.
 

Websites

Composition Studio