Chris Arrell composes for throats, fingers, and oscillators. His music has received recognition from New Music Box, the Boston Music Intelligencer, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, among others. A computer algorithm addict and former metal guitarist who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the music of French avant-garde composer Gérard Grisey, Arrell takes equal inspiration from contemporary music and the Digital Age. Arrell’s recent projects include an invited portrait concert at the Alte Schmiede (Vienna, Austria), three new film scores commissioned by the Alte Schmiede, and Walking in Altamira, an extensive collaboration with Collide-O-Scope Music (New York) inspired by the Altamira Cave. A winner of the 2014 Ettelson Composer Award for his work Of Three Minds, Arrell holds additional honors from the Cape Fear International Call-for-Scores (2013), the Ossia International Music Prize (2010), the League of Composers/ISCM (2008), the Salvatore Martirano Competition (2007), and the Fulbright-Hays Foundation (2004).
Portrait by Michel Raguin
