Seasons of Emotion - Fall Graduate Composers' Concert

Hailing from Texas, Austin Ali is a composer, trumpeter, and arranger based in Los Angeles, California. An insatiably curious person, he strives to inspire wonder through his music. From complex-meter jazz to spacey orchestral scores, he seeks to compose infectiously fun and unforgettable music.

As a trumpeter, Austin was named “Promising Artist of the 21st Century” on tour with Big Wy’s Brass Band, performing for the U.S. Ambassador and President of Costa Rica in 2017 and 2019. He has performed and taught masterclasses in multiple international jazz festivals, collaborated with artists such as Wayne Bergeron, Joe Lovano, Stefano Greco, Christopher Bill, and opened for Stevie Wonder at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.

Most recently, Austin traveled to Tampa, FL, Columbus, IN, and Siena, Italy for the premieres of his latest three orchestral works Defiant Overture, The Beginner’s Guide to Space Travel, and Atmospheres by the Tampa Bay Symphony, Columbus Symphony, and Orchestra Senzaspine in 2023. Austin is looking forward to the premiere of his Harp Concerto by the Los Angeles Inception Orchestra in February 2024.

Austin holds his B.A. and B.M. from the University of Texas at Austin and his M.A. from University of California, Los Angeles.

Charles Burns has established a diverse and respected body of work. His compositions, spanning orchestral and chamber ensembles, choirs, his own big band, and explorations of electronic, pop, soul, and jazz music, reflect a broad musical spectrum.

Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, his career began as a professional saxophonist, sharing stages with notable artists such as Plas Johnson, Cecil Taylor, Barbara Morrison, and Jeff Goldblum. He has since transitioned to academia, teaching music theory at the California Institute of the Arts and pursuing a PhD in Composition at UCLA.

In his music, Charles delves into the liminal spaces of the world around us. His work is a testament to his dedication to probing the myriad dimensions of human experience, using composition as a medium to interpret and understand the nuanced and sometimes paradoxical nature of being. “Moss and Moth and Petrichor” explores themes of breath, loss, transfiguration, and healing.

Madeline Barrett is a Los Angeles-based composer of concert music known to evoke imagery of nature and foster human connection. Raised in Phoenix, AZ, she draws inspiration from the world around her, whether it be the oceans of the North American coast, the deserts of Arizona, or the softly bustling streets of Boston.

In addition to many US performances, Madeline’s works have been performed in Italy and Austria, by esteemed groups such as the Orchestra Senzaspine, Salastina, Carpe Diem String Quartet, Quatuor Diotima, and PHACE ensemble, as well as soloists such as Stefano Greco, Sophia Bacelar, Lisa Pegher, and Michelle Rice. She is a recent winner of the 7th Annual Boston New Music Initiative Young Composer Competition for her work The Flowers That Close at Night.

Madeline has a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Chapman University and a Master of Arts from UCLA. She is currently pursuing a PhD in composition, continuing her studies at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music in the studio of Richard Danielpour.

Matt Smith, born in San Diego in 1987, is a composer and musician now based in Los Angeles. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2010 and 2012, respectively. Matt’s compositions enjoy performances globally, premiering in prestigious venues from Severance Hall in Ohio to the Academia Chigiana in Italy. Beyond composing, he is an experienced educator with over a decade of experience teaching music theory and history to students of all ages.

From 2014 to 2022, Matt immersed himself in music production and arrangement in Los Angeles, working with a wide variety of artists. He founded the electro-chamber ensemble Iridas, showcasing a diverse repertoire on a successful 20-city tour of China.

Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Matt studies under acclaimed composer Richard Danielpour.

Sergey Nesterov is a composer of concert and film music, orchestrator, and songwriter. Born in Moscow in 1997, he began studying composition from a young age with professor Tatiana Chudova at the Moscow Conservatory. He later went on to study with professors Valery Kikta and Alexander Tchaikovsky. In 2020, he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with honors. In 2022 he was accepted into UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music to continue his education with professors Richard Danielpour and Ian Krouse. Among Sergey’s works are orchestral pieces, chamber music, choral, and electroacoustic music, as well as music for video games, live-action and animated films. Sergey eyes dramatic and melodic development in his music, choosing flavorful harmonies to accompany intricately crafted themes. His original pieces and orchestrations have been performed in the United States, in various countries across Europe and Asia, and films featuring his music have been shown at international festivals.

SiHyun Uhm is an accomplished composer, pianist, and multimedia producer based in Los Angeles and South Korea. She has received commissions from prestigious institutions such as the US AirForce Academy Band, Yamaha, Rice University, Columbia Digital Audio Festival, and more. SiHyun has been recognized as a Composer Fellow by the American Composers Orchestra, Nashville Symphony Composer Lab, and has received prizes and awards from the President’s Own Marine Band and the Art Council of Korea.

Her versatility extends across genres like classical, electronic, pop, rock, and film/game music. SiHyun’s talent has been acknowledged with a 3rd prize in the Shanghai International Digital Music Festival. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, holds a Master’s degree in composition from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in composition at UCLA. Additionally, she holds a diploma from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts.