Matt Schumaker
Matt Schumaker’s music engages with research into computer-assisted composition and interactive computer music with performers. He received a doctorate in Music Composition from UC Berkeley (UCB), where he studied with composers Edmund Campion, Cindy Cox, Franck Bedrossian, Ken Ueno and David Wessel. Early on in his studies, Schumaker spent a formative year in Amsterdam, studying with Louis Andriessen. More recently, Schumaker moved to France through UCB’s Prix de Paris program, working closely with composer Martin Matalon while composing his dissertation piece. Soprano Ann Moss premiered this work, As I ride the late night freeways, with the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Milnes.
In recent years, Schumaker’s music has been performed by the Radius Ensemble, Dinosaur Annex, Winsor Music, Eco Ensemble, and the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble. Schumaker’s music has also been presented at festivals and curated events, including by clarinetist Rane Moore at the Virtual SICPP 2020, by pianist Chia-Lin Yang at the April in Santa Cruz Festival, by members of Dog Trio at the klub katarakt Festival for Experimental Music in Hamburg, Germany, by clarinetist Joshua Rubin at the soundSCAPE festival in Blonay, Switzerland, and by pianist Eric Huebner as part of the Gassmann Electronic Music Series at UC Irvine. Schumaker’s multimedia work for music and computer graphics has been shown at Zeitgeist Gallery in Nashville and at the Crisp-Ellert Art Museum in Saint Augustine.
From 2015-17, Schumaker was a Lecturer at UCB, teaching courses in computer music and music perception and cognition. During 2018-20, he was a Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Scholar at MIT. In fall 2021, he joined the Music Department at UC Santa Cruz as assistant professor.
Contact: matt [dot] schumaker @ gmail [dot] com
Photo by Sam Brewer