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Emily Koh

Associate Professor of Composition

Emily Koh is Associate Professor of Composition at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, University of Georgia. Dr. Koh holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition and Theory from Brandeis University, MM degrees in Music Composition and Music Theory Pedagogy from the Peabody Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and a BMus(hons) in Composition from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. Prior to moving to Athens, Dr. Koh taught at Harvard, MIT, Brandeis, Longy School of Music (Bard College) and Walnut Hill School for the Arts.

Dr. Koh is a Singaporean composer whose music reimagines everyday experiences by sonically expounding tiny oft-forgotten details. In addition to writing acoustic and electronic concert music, she enjoys collaborating with other creatives in projects where sound plays an important role. Described as ‘the future of composing’ (The Straits Times, Singapore), she is the recipient of awards such as the Copland House Residency Award, National Arts Council Young Artist Award, Yoshiro Irino Memorial Prize, ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, Prix D’Ete, and PARMA competitions; commissions from the Opera America, Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, Composers Conference at Wellesley College, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble; and grants from New Music USA, Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy and Paul Abisheganaden Grant for Artistic Excellence. She has been a fellow at the American Composers' Orchestra Earshot Program, MacDowell Colony and Avaloch Farm Music Institute.

Dr. Koh's works have been described as “beautifully eerie” (New York Times), and “subtley spicy” (Baltimore Sun), and have been performed at various venues around the world in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Switzerland, Finland, Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States by acclaimed ensembles and performers such as Talea Ensemble (USA), Ensemble Dal Niente (USA), New York New Music Ensemble (USA), Signal Ensemble (USA), Boston New Music Initiative (USA), New Thread Quartet (USA), Acoustic Uproar (USA), LUNAR Ensemble (USA), East Coast Contemporary Ensemble (USA/Europe), Avanti! (Finland), Israel Contemporary Players (Israel), Sentieri Selvaggi (Italy), the Next Mushroom Promotion (Japan), Chroma Ensemble (UK), The Philharmonic Orchestra (Singapore), Dingyi Music Company (Singapore) and Chamber Sounds (Singapore) among others. Her works can be heard on the Ravello, New Focus and XAS record labels, and is published by Babel Scores (Europe) and Poco Piu Publishing (USA). 

Dr. Koh is also an active double bassist and arts administrator. She is a core member, composer fellowship mentor and double bassist of ensemble vim (Atlanta GA) and is a member of the artistic advisory boards of Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble and the Indictus Project. She is a member of ASCAP.

 

 https://www.emilykoh.net 

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Dr. Koh is a Singaporean composer whose music is characterized by inventive timbral extremes. Described as ‘the future of composing’ (The Straits Times, Singapore), she is the recipient of awards such as the Yoshiro Irino Memorial Prize, ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, Prix D’Ete, and PARMA competitions, commissions from the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, Composers Conference at Wellesley College, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble and grants from New Music USA, Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy and Paul Abisheganaden Grant for Artistic Excellence.

Articles Featuring Emily Koh

Story by Shaun Baer | Photo by Tim Gurczak Photography/Guerilla Opera

Emily Koh, Associate Professor of Composition, premiered her opera HER | alive.un.dead at Guerilla Opera to four sold-out houses May 12-14, 2023 at the Pao…

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