Christopher Adler

composer

Christopher Adler is a composer, performer and improviser living in San Diego, California. His music draws upon over twenty-five years of research into the traditional musics of Thailand and Laos, and a background in mathematics. He is a foremost performer of new music for the khaen, a free-reed mouth organ from Laos and Northeast Thailand, and has composed extensively for instruments from Asia. Ensembles such as the Silk Road Ensemble, the Tesla Quartet and Red Fish Blue Fish have performed his works in major venues across the U.S. and Asia. He has produced works based on early 20th-century Russian futurism, including a Violin Concerto written for Sarah Plum and Zaum Box for speaking percussionist. Recent works include Aeneas in the Underworld, a concert-length chamber oratorio based on Vergil’s Aeneid for solo speaking guitarist and ensemble, and Construct: for organ, commissioned by the American Guild of Organists. He is a pianist with NOISE, a frequent performer for San Diego New Music, and co-founder of the soundON Festival in La Jolla, CA. He studied with Scott Lindroth, Evan Ziporyn, Steven Jaffe and Sidney Corbett and is currently Professor of Music and Director of the Asian Studies Program at the University of San Diego. His works are released on many labels including Tzadik and Innova, and his performances on labels including Centaur and Vienna Modern Masters. And in December, 2020, he released Triangulations: New music for khaen, volume 1, featuring new works by seven composers. christopheradler.com

b. 1972