Nick Virzi

Nick Virzi (b. 1991) is a composer from New York City, currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. His music explores the dramatic and theatrical nature of music through mimetic casting of musical characters, humor and tragedy, and visual representation and personification. In addition to composing concert music, Nick collaborates regularly across various artistic fields, such as dance, film, and sculpture, and is a conductor, guitarist, and teacher.

Nick has received commissions from ensembles such as the Netherlands-based Edge Ensemble and the Frontiers New Music Ensemble (OSU, Oklahoma), and his works have been performed both throughout the US and internationally by artists such as clarinetist Gregory Oakes and NYC-based theatrical percussion trio Verharren!. He is a fellow of the Cortona Sessions for New Music (Tuscany, Italy) through the DuoSolo Foundation, as well as the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at the Julliard School (NYC), and has had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with and learn from composers such as Chen Yi, Jason Eckhardt, Bernard Rands, and Alvin Lucier.

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