Nick Virzi

Nick Virzi (b. 1991) is a composer and field recording artist from New York City, currently living in Woodside, California. His current work explores the dramatic, poetic, and mythic nature of music through imagistic representation, orchestration of complex numerical systems, and use of original nature recordings. In addition to composing and recording, Nick is a guitarist, conductor, and teacher.

As a composer, Nick has received commissions from ensembles such as the Edge Ensemble (NL), flutist Rachel Hacker, and the Frontiers New Music Ensemble. His works have been performed both throughout the USA and internationally by artists such as cellist Séverine Ballon (FR), soprano Tony Arnold, the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, the JACK Quartet, the Spektral Quartet, Splinter Reeds, Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, Liminar (MX), Distractfold (UK), and the Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble, and have been heard at such venues as the Mannes School of Music, the San Francisco Center for New Music, and Gaudeamus Muziekweek.

As a field recording artist specializing in natural sound, Nick has held artist and research residencies at locations in California such as Sagehen Experimental Forest, the Big Creek Reserve along the Big Sur Coastline, and Grass Valley at the Poto Festival (XIII). His recordings have been featured at such venues as Stanford University’s CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics), Memorial Church, and Bing Concert Hall, online as part of composer Laura Steenberge’s Imaginary Music Radio Hour, and at the Sonorities Festival in Belfast (IE).

Nick is a fellow of the Cortona Sessions for New Music (IT), as well as the soundSCAPE Exchange (IT), the New Music for Strings Festival (DK), and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at the Julliard School. He has presented both his work as a musician and researcher in natural sound at universities such as UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, and NYU’s Steinhardt School at the Precarious Sounds/Sounding Sanctuary conference, and is scheduled to speak at the upcoming Eleventh International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses in Washington, D.C. and the Ninth International Conference on the Constructed Environment (PT).

Nick received his Bachelors of Music (B.M.) in composition from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music (NY), where he studied with Du Yun, Huang Ruo, and Suzanne Farrin. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in composition at Stanford University, where he studies with Mark Applebaum and Brian Ferneyhough.