Bio
Sarah Perske is a composer, classical guitarist, vocalist, and singer-songwriter whose works blend elements of avant-garde classical, early music, folk, rock, and electronic music. Perske is extremely active as a composer and champion of new music in the Denver area, and is a founding member of Nebula Ensemble, an experimental music group that specializes in genre-defying immersive concert experiences. As a solo artist, she is currently working on her debut album Ancient Dreams and Visions, which she describes as “what would happen if Hildegard von Bingen played guitar, listened to both Gérard Grisey and Joni Mitchell, and knew her way around a DAW.”
A prolific and versatile composer, Perske is sought out by performers who share her interests in expanding the boundaries of music-making through the integration of performance art and cross-disciplinary collaboration. She has been commissioned to write music for artists including Playground Ensemble, the Keith/Larson Duo, classical guitarist Laura Husbands, percussionist Kyle Hughes, and virtuoso saw player Caroline McCaskey, among many others. Perske is the recipient of several awards and recognitions for her music, including first prize in the Colorado Clarinet Days Composition Competition (2014) and The Playground Anne Culver Commission Prize (2013).
Perske holds a Bachelor of Music degree in guitar performance and a Master of Music degree in composition from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, and is currently pursuing private studies in classical voice. When not composing or performing, Perske can be found hunting down obscure music scores in her role as a music librarian, transcribing Renaissance lute tablature for the fun of it, and blogging about new music at DeformingPrisms.