Stephen Montalvo Music

Short:

Stephen Montalvo (b.1984) is an active composer and performer of acoustic and electronic music, as well as audiovisual installation artist based in New Orleans, LA where he lives with his wife and their two dogs, Snoop and Rose. He works to make new music accessible to wider audiences, creates playful and interactive installations, and occasionally jumps on stage with a punk rock percussion ensemble. Through his music, he explores concepts related to resonance and rhythmic interplay, works to promote equity in artistic experiences by creating agency for performers and audiences, and draws inspiration from social, ecological, and political concerns.

Long:

Stephen Montalvo (b.1984) is an active composer and performer of acoustic and electronic music, as well as audiovisual installation artist, based in New Orleans, LA. Through his music, he explores concepts related to resonance and rhythmic interplay, works to promote equity in artistic experiences by creating agency for performers and audiences, and draws inspiration from social, ecological, and political concerns. He is a Take Notice Fund Awardee for 2023, a program by the National Performance Network recognizing artists of color in Louisiana, and his works have been performed throughout the United States by artists and ensembles including Longleash, trumpeter and technologist Alexandria Smith, the Portland Percussion Group, mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen, the Rhythm Method String Quartet, Bent Duo, and the Talea Ensemble, as well as internationally at the Osaka University of Arts Electronic Music Festival. He has received commissions from Sabertooth Swing, who featured Le Dormeur du Val on their 2022 experimental history album Delta Bound, the Louisiana Music Teachers Association, and the Louis Moreau Institute for New Music Performance, among others.

Installations and audiovisual collaborations include projects for LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête and SALON Gallery by Arts New Orleans, Supernova by the Friends of Lafitte Greenway, Sound Collage by the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and the Virtual Krewe of Vaporwave. As a percussionist, Stephen has performed with the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, Midland Odessa Symphony and Chorale, Texas Medical Center Orchestra, and the Louis Moreau Institute for New Music Performance. He currently performs nationally with Mike Dillon’s New Orleans Punk Rock Percussion Consortium as well as in New Orleans with various local performers.

Stephen is currently the Executive Director of the Louis Moreau Institute for New Music Performance, the Operations and Outreach Director for nienteForte Contemporary Music, and adjunct professor in Music Science & Technology at Tulane University. He maintains affiliations with Broadcast Music Incorporated, the Society of Composers, the National Association of Composers/USA, and the Vic Firth Education Team as a Scholastic Educator and Marching Percussion Specialist. He holds a Master of Arts in Music Composition from Tulane University, where he studied with Maxwell Dulaney and Rick Snow, and a Bachelor of Music from West Texas A&M University, where he studied percussion with Susan Martin Tariq and composition with Joseph Nelson and Robert Denham.

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All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands – Megan Ihnen, January 28, 2021

Music Box Study #6

sunder – The Portland Percussion Group, February 6, 2020

Beyond Here – Rythm Method String Quartet w/ pianist Kate Lukacs, March 29, 2019

inNoise – Bent Duo, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, November 28, 2018

Interview 1 – Talea Ensemble, nienteForte Contemporary Music Festival, April 3, 2018

2024
5/29 Innovations 2 – Nadje Noordhuis, International Trumpet Guild Conference (Anaheim, CA)
3/15 Sunder – CAMPGround Festival (Tampa, FL)
1/25 Dislocated – Longleash, Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (New Orleans, LA)

2023
12/6-9 Moments – Supernova, Friends of Lafitte Greenway (New Orleans, LA)
12/1-2 Spacewalking – Sound Collage, New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans, LA)
11/9-12 The Cheap Seats – Engulf, Engulf Louisiana, (Kentwood, LA)
4/13-16 Swinging with Savoy – The New Orleans Swing Dance Festival & Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, (New Orleans, LA)
3/19 As a Watcher on the World – Louis Moreau Institute for New Music Performance 2023 Festival, premiere (New Orleans, LA)

2022
12/27 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Royston, GA)
12/20 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Lavonia, GA)
12/8-10 Walk this ‘way – Supernova, Friends of Lafitte Greenway (New Orleans, LA)
12/2-3 WMAIL1000HCMTHISIWIDRA – The Virtual Krewe of Vaporwave, The New Orleans Jazz Museum Sound Collage/Improvisations Gala (New Orleans, LA)
12/2-3 Vivant – Sound Collage, New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans, LA)
11/22 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Alpharetta, GA)
11/15 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Flowery Branch, GA)
11/10-13 Imaginary Monsters – Engulf, Engulf Louisiana, (Kentwood, LA)
10/11 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Lawrenceville, GA)
10/4 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Lawrenceville, GA)
9/16 Innovations 2 – Alexandria Smith, Louisiana Music Teachers Association Conference, (Ruston, LA)
9/14 Innovations 2 – Alexandria Smith, New Orleans Friends of Music, Music at Midday, premiere (New Orleans, LA)
8/30 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
7/23 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Helen, GA)
7/15 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
7/9 Music Box Study #1 (JB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
6/20 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Tallahassee, FL)
6/9 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
6/2 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Monroe, LA)
6/1 sunder – New Music on the Bayou (Monroe, LA)
5/13 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Lincoln, RI)
5/10 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Honolulu, HI)
5/9 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Los Angeles, CA)
5/9 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Las Vegas, NV)
5/4 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Northwood, IA)
4/26 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Cumming, GA)
4/19 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Dahlonega, GA)
4/12 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
4/5 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Murrayville, GA)
3/29 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
3/29 Music Box Study #6 (SF) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
3/26 All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands – Jamie Jordan, CAMPGround Festival (Tampa, FL)
3/22 Music Box Study #6 (SF) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Gainesville, GA)
3/15 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Pound, VA)
3/15 Music Box Study #6 (SF) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Pound, VA)
2/8 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Dawsonville, GA)
1/19 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Lula, GA)
1/1 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – NACUSA SoundsNEW 52 in 22 (Oakwood, GA)

2021
12/16-19 Into the Cosmos – LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête, Arts Council New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
12/9-11 Walk this ‘way – Supernova, Friends of Lafitte Greenway (New Orleans, LA)
12/5 Music Box Study #3 (RB) – UNG Composer Recital and Installation, premiere (Dahlonega, GA)
12/2-4 Vivant – Sound Collage, New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans, LA)
11/20 Music Box Study #6 – Audiovisual Frontiers, UCR ARTS, Premiere (Virtual)
10/22 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter National Mall Tour (Pennsville, NJ)
10/22 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter National Mall Tour (New Castle, DE)
8/2 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter Composers Retreat (Pine Mountain, GA)
6/21 in Noise – Bent Duo, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (Virtual)
6/20 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Fort Oglethorpe, GA)
6/20 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Marietta, GA)
6/13 in Noise – New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (New York, NY)
6/5 All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands – Megan Ihnen, New Music on the Bayou, premiere (live) (Monroe, LA)
5/15 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Helen, GA)
5/10 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Hebron, KY)
5/9 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Luna Pier, MI)
5/8 Shatter – NACUSA SoundsNEW Chapter MAJU21 Tour (Ripley, NY)
4/16 All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands – Megan Ihnen, Social Distancing Festival (Virtual)
3/1 How the Lights Gets In – LUNA Lagniappe SALON Gallery, Arts Council New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
1/30-31 This Too Shall Pass Krewe Bourbon (Krewe du Vieux), 2021 (New Orleans, LA)
1/28 All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands – Megan Ihnen, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (Virtual)

2020
5/19 Shatter – NACUSA Mid-South Chapter May Tour (Lawrenceville, GA)
5/18 Shatter – NACUSA Mid-South Chapter May Tour (Flowery Branch, GA)
5/13 Shatter – NACUSA Mid-South Chapter May Tour (Gainesville, GA)
5/12 Shatter – NACUSA Mid-South Chapter May Tour (Flowery Branch, GA)
2/6 sunder – Portland Percussion Group, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (New Orleans, LA)

2019
12/12-15 The Cheap Seats – LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête, installation (New Orleans, LA)
11/24 Shatter – Osaka University of Arts Electronic Music Festival (Kanan, Japan)
9/28 Let’s Say China – West Fork New Music Festival (Fairmont, WV)
6/21 Innovations 1 – Geoffrey Miller, Longest Day Music Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
6/6 in Noise – New Music on the Bayou (Monroe, LA)
5/6-7 Selected Reading for Speaker and Tam – premiere (New Orleans, LA)
3/29 Graduate Recital – (New Orleans, LA)
2/23 Chess in the Piazza – Oedipus MAX: Virtual Krewe of Vaporwave, Piazza d’Italia, installation (New Orleans, LA)

2018
12/10 Shatter – premiere (New Orleans, LA)
12/6-9 Playable City – LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête, installation (New Orleans, LA)
11/28 in Noise – Bent Duo, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (New Orleans, LA)
10/26 Let’s Say China – Electric LA-TEX Electronic & Computer Music Festival (New Orleans, LA)
5/8 Innovations 1 – Carlos Cordiero, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (New Orleans, LA)
5/7 Let’s Say China – premiere (New Orleans, LA)
5/4 Erinyes – Recording workshop (New Orleans, LA)
4/27 The Pangolin and the Ants – Tulane University Orchestra, premiere (New Orleans, LA)
4/3 Interview 1 – Talea Ensemble, nienteForte Contemporary Music Concert Series, premiere (New Orleans, LA)

2013
5/29 A Funky March for a Marionette –Bellaire High School Percussion Ensemble, premiere (Bellaire, TX)

2012
9/9 Quadrance – Omaha Percussion Ensemble (Ames, IA)

2010
4/18 Quadrance – West Texas A&M University Percussion Ensemble (Canyon, TX)

2006
3/26 Quadrance – West Texas A&M Percussion Ensemble, premiere (Canyon, TX)

CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Untitled (TBD) (2024) – 9’
for trombone, piano, and electronics
Dislocated (2023) – 7’
for piano trio
Premiere: Longleash, nienteForte Contemporary Music Series, January 25, 2024 – New Orleans, LA
As a Watcher on the World (2022) – 8’
for oboe, piano, and string trio
premiered by the Louis Moreau Institute for New Music Performance at their 2023 Festival (New Orleans, LA)
WMAIL1000HCMTHISIWIDRA (2022) – 12’
for custom instruments
premiered by the Virtual Krewe of Vaporwave at the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s Sound Collage/Improvisation Gala (New Orleans, LA)
An Unsatisfying Answer (2021) 8’
for the Winnfield Quartet (piano, percussion, tuba, and double bass)
sunder (2020) 7’
for percussion quartet
premiered by the Portland Percussion Group at the nienteForte Contemporary Concert Series (New Orleans, LA)
Beyond Here (2019) – 25′
for piano quintet
premiered by the Rhythm Method String Quartet and pianist Katalin Lukács (New Orleans, LA)
in Noise (2018) – 8’
for piano and percussion
premiered by the Bent Duo at the nienteForte Contemporary Concert Series (New Orleans, LA)
Erinyes (2018) – 8’00”
for oboe, viola, and piano
premiered by Johanna Cox-Pennington, Wendy Richman, and Katalin Lukács (New Orleans, LA)
Interview 1 (2018) – 5’00”
for flute, clarinet, french horn, percussion, soprano, violin, and cello
premiered by the Talea Ensemble at the nienteForte Contemporary Music Festival (New Orleans, LA)
Nighttide from the Shore (2017) – 10’30”
for chamber ensemble (piano, 2 percussion, viola, cello bass)
premiered by Katalin Lukács, Mendel Lee, Andrew Szypula, Marina Kifferstein, Leah Asher, and Meaghan Burke (New Orleans, LA)
A Funky March for a Marionette (2016) – 4’30”
for percussion ensemble
premiered by the Bellaire High School percussion ensemble (Bellaire, TX)
available through Ox and Lamb Percussion Publications
Quadrance (2007) – 6’30”
for percussion quartet
premiered by the West Texas A&M University percussion ensemble (Canyon, TX)
available through Honeyrock Music

SOLO MUSIC

Innovations 2 (2022) – 9’00”
for unaccompanied trumpet and electronic effects pedals
commissioned by the Louisiana Music Teachers Association
premiered by Alexandria Smith at the LMTA 2022 conference (Ruston, LA)
All the Trees of the Field Clapped Their Hands (2021) 9’30″
for unaccompanied mezzo-sporano
premiered by Megan Ihnen at the nienteForte Contemporary Concert Series (New Orleans, LA)
Let’s Say China (2018) – 6’00”
for Leap Motion Controller and Interactive Electronics
premiered by the composer
Innovations 1 (2017) – 7’00”
for unaccompanied clarinet and electronic effects pedals
premiered by Carlos Cordeiro (New Orleans, LA)

VIDEO

Music Box Study #6 (SF) (2021) – 8’30”
for fixed media
premiered through the Audiovisual Frontiers project at the University of California Riverside

ELECTROACOUSTIC FIXED MEDIA

Music Box Study #6 (SF) (2021) – 8’30”
for fixed media
premiered by the National Association of Composers SoundsNEW chapter as part of their 52 in 22 Concert Series (Pound, VA)
Music Box Study #5 (SB) (2021) – 8’30”
for fixed media
Music Box Study #4 (RF) (2021) – 9’00”
for fixed media
Music Box Study #3 (RB) (2021) – 9’00”
for fixed media
premiered by the National Association of Composers SoundsNEW chapter at their UNG Composer Recital (Dahlonega, GA)
Music Box Study #2 (JF) (2021) – 9’00”
for fixed media
Music Box Study #1 (JB) (2021) – 9’00”
for fixed media
premiered by the National Association of Composers SoundsNEW chapter as part of their 52 in 22 Concert Series (Gainesville, GA)
Shatter (2019) – 6’00”
for fixed media
premiered at the Osaka University of Arts Electroacoustic Music Festival (Kanan, Japan)

ORCHESTRA

Embers & Echoes (2023) 4’30”
2.1.2.1 – 2.2.0.0 – strings
The Pangolin and the Ants (2017) – 1’30”
2+1-2-3+1-2; 4-3-3; timp.+1 perc.; strings
premiered by the Tulane University Orchestra (New Orleans, LA)

SONGS

Le Dormeur du Val (2019) – 2’30”
for clarinet, trumpet, trombone, voice, and rhythm section
Premiered by Sabertooth Swing at the Mudlanrk Theater (New Orleans, LA)

INSTALLATIONS

Moments (2023)
Supernova, Friends of the Lafitte Greenway (New Orleans, LA)
Spacewalking (2023)
New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans, LA)
Swinging with Savoy (2023)
The New Orleans Swing Dance Festival & Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown (New Orleans, LA)
Imaginary Monsters (2022)
Engulf, Engulf Louisiana (Kentwood, LA)
Into the Cosmos (2021)
LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête, Arts Council New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
Walk this ‘way (2021)
Supernova, Friends of the Lafitte Greenway (New Orleans, LA)
Vivant (2021)
Sound Collage, New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans, LA)
How the Light Gets In (2021)
SALON Gallery, Arts Council New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
This Too Shall Pass (2021)
Krewe Bourbon, Krewe du Vieux (New Orleans, LA)
The Cheap Seats (2019)
LUNA Fête (New Orleans, LA)
Selected Readings for Speaker and Tam (2019)
Tulane University (New Orleans, LA)
Chess in the Piazza (2019)
Oedipus MAX, the Virtual Krewe of Vaporwave (New Orleans, LA)
Playable City (2018)
LUNA Fête (New Orleans, LA)

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