Matt Ingalls


Matt Ingalls is an American composer, clarinetist, concert producer, and computer music programmer. He is mostly associated with the San Francisco Bay Area Improv Scene, sfSound, the San Francisco Tape Music Festival, and the computer music program Csound.

Performance

Ingalls is most active as a clarinetist, specializing in contemporary and experimental music. He is a prominent figure in the San Francisco Bay Area Improv Scene, and is known for his "composerly" solo improvisations that explore extended techniques on his instrument that interact with the acoustic space, often as combination tones. Ingalls has worked with a diverse range of composers such as Mark Applebaum, Anthony Braxton, John Butcher, Helmut Lachenmann, George Lewis, Miya Masaoka, Meredith Monk, Hyo-shin Na, Pauline Oliveros, Stefano Scodanibbio, Chinary Ung, and numerous Bay Area composers.

Composition

Ingalls has written compositions for acoustic instruments, voices, computer generated tape, interactive electronics, dance, theater, and freely improvising big band. His compositions have been recorded and performed in the United States and abroad, receiving many awards and recognitions. In 1994, he received 1st Finalist in the Bourges Concours International de Musique Electronique Electroacoustic. The following year, Ingalls was awarded the very first ASCAP/SEAMUS Student Commission Prize. Ingalls has also received New Langton Art's "Bay Area Award", two California Artist Honorary Fellowship Residencies at the Djerassi Artist Program, two A.H. Miller prizes, and numerous Meet The Composer Fund/Creative Connections Grants.

sfSound

Ingalls is the founder and co-director of sfSound, a new music series, ensemble, and internet radio station devoted to new ideas and traditions of experimental music, performance art, live electronic music, Bay Area composition, and the various facets of contemporary improvisation. sfSound produces an average of ten concerts a year, mostly taking place at the ODC Theater in the Mission District of San Francisco. In 2008, sfSound received an "ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming" from Chamber Music America. sfSound is the umbrella organization of the San Francisco Tape Music Collective/Festival.

Computer music

As a computer programmer, Ingalls has worked for Bay Area computer music companies such as Cycling 74, Bias, Arboretum, and MuscleFish. He is also the developer of MacCsound a real-time Macintosh version of the classic music synthesis program, Csound. MacCsound won a 2004 "Editor's Choice" Award from Electronic Musician Magazine. He is also the creator of the Soundflower Mac OS X utility for routing audio among multiple applications. From 2005-2009, Ingalls was the lead programmer for GVOX, primarily developing the Encore music notation program.

Academia

Ingalls holds degrees in composition from The University of Texas at Austin and Mills College. He studied with George Lewis, Alvin Curran, Chris Brown, Russell Pinkston, Dan Welcher, and Karl Korte. Ingalls has taught music courses at The University of San Francisco and Dartmouth College.

Discography