Adam Mirza

Adam Mirza is Assistant Professor in Composition at Emory University in Atlanta. His research interests include experimental and electronic music, immersive music theater, critical approaches to music technology, avant-garde aesthetics, and DIY concert organizing. At Emory, Dr. Mirza teaches courses involving composition for acoustic instruments, field recording, acousmatic music, live electronic music using Max MSP, and music with video.

Dr. Mirza’s works have been presented at the Zurich New Music Days, the DiMenna Center in NYC, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center in Kiev, the North American Saxophone Alliance, the New York Electroacoustic Music Festival, and other venues in the US and abroad. He has worked closely with new music performers and ensembles such as the International Contemporary Ensemble, JACK Quartet, Argento Ensemble, New Thread Quartet, and the Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble.

His recent projects have drawn upon recorded sound, live electronics, and installation to create immersive spaces for experimental musical theater. An exponent of DIY and collective music-making, he has collaborated with young composers and musicians in the over 40 concerts he produced or co-produced through the new music organization Amp, a new music festival, and an NEA funded series “Pairings” at The Tank in NYC.

As a scholar, Dr. Mirza has conducted archival research for his dissertation at the Stockhausen Foundation and Archives, the British Library and the Paul Sacher Archive. His dissertation, Action Aesthetics, applies Hannah Arendt’s theories of action, revolution and public judgment to the aesthetic practices of the musical avant-garde, in particular, to Glenn Gould, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Helmut Lachenmann.

Compositions (scores and audio) can be found on www.adammirza.com.