ArtistInfo

Thomas Ciufo

perc, p, eg, US
Composer of Electronic and Jazz

Thomas Ciufo is an American sound artist, electroacoustic composer, improviser, and researcher working in the field of computer-mediated performance, interactive systems, physical computing, instrument design, sonic art and emerging digital technologies. Since 2011, Ciufo is an assistant professor of Music Technology and Recording Arts at Towson University's Department of Music. Ciufo studied composition at the University of Northern Colorado, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1988. He continued postgraduate studies in Computer Music and Multimedia composition at Brown University, earning his Masters of Art (2002) degree, and Ph.D. in Computer Music and New Media in 2004. Todd Winkler served as an advisor for his dissertation entitled Computer-Mediated Improvisation, with Joel Chadabe and Pauline Oliveros as readers. Thomas Ciufo had been teaching at Brown University in 2001–05, followed by appointments at Smith College (2006–09) in Northampton, Massachusetts, and Goddard College (2009–10) in Plainfield, Vermont. He also worked as a lecturer at the College Of The Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass. in 2010–11. In collaboration with Curtis Bahn, Ciufo established an improvisational electroacoustic performance project Sonic Constructions. Thomas played eighth nerve guitar v. 3.0 (an extended electric guitar with slide sensor, accelerometers, additional switches, a pressure and slide sensors on the guitar's neck, and a VGA data connector leading to a custom-built hardware module), as well as flutes, percussion, prepared piano and live electronics. Curtis Bahn performed on Extended Sitar, or eSitar, and interactive electronics. Bahn added a simple sensor interface to an 'Ovation' electric sitar, built by Ajay Sharma from Rikhi Ram Musical Instruments in New Delhi, to play the instrument through an interactive Max/MSP patch. They performed as a duo at the 14th Biennial Symposium for Arts and Technology, and at Towson University in October 2013. In 2016, Curtis Bahn and Thomas Ciufo recorded Sonic Constructions CD with an extended line-up of Steve Gorn on bansuri bamboo flute and Jane Rigler on various flutes. Other recent Ciufo's projects include Ujjayi (ocean breath) for flute and computer, a collaboration with Jane Rigler, which was presented at 2014 Third Practice Electroacoustic Music Festival in Richmond, VA. He also composed many solo works for prepared piano, extended guitar and computer, and collaborated with numerous experimental artists, such as Pauline Oliveros, Dave Ballou, and Kevin Patton. In 1995, Thomas Ciufo self-released Sun At Midnight ambient album, with several tracks from this CD broadcasted on NPR's 'Hearts of Space,' WMBR and other radio stations. He participated in several international festivals and conferences, including the Two Thousand + Ten Symposium in Belfast, Visiones Sonoras in Mexico City, the Enaction in Arts Conference in France, Deep Listening: Art / Science International Conference, New York City Electronic Music Festival, and the New Interfaces for Musical Expression conferences.

Instruments

• Percussion
• Piano
• Electric guitar
• Flute

Genres

• Electronic
• Jazz