Nick Hallett – Composer-Musician / Artist / Curator / Educator
EDUCATION
Wesleyan University—MA Music 2025 (thesis defended December 2024)
(Thesis title: Love Comes Back: Archive Fever and the Arthur Russell Revival)
Oberlin College/Conservatory—BA Linguistics, BMus Vocal Performance 1997
TEACHING (adjunct)
Eugene Lang College/The New School (Contemporary Music), ongoing since 2019
School of Visual Arts (Art History), ongoing since 2018
Wesleyan University (Music), Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 semesters
Guest lectures/workshops at Oberlin College, Bard College, NYU (Performance Studies, Music Composition), and Mills College, among others, and many public and private arts institutions internationally
ARTICLE
“Transidiomatic Orality: Anthony Braxton’s Journey Through the Voice” in the Darmstädter Beiträge zur Neuen Musik/Schott Music (forthcoming 2025)
RECENT WORKS AND PERFORMANCES
2024
Voice Portraits: “Wayne Koestenbaum” and “Pamela Sneed;” World Music Hall, Wesleyan University
Meta/Physical Therapy, live performance collaboration with Shana Moulton and installation score as a part of her exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York
Grapefruit Phrases, video score for Ensemble Pamplemousse, Crowell Concert Hall, Wesleyan University
2023
Arthur Russell’s City Park (1973) reconstruction by Nick Hallett, NYC AIDS Memorial, Wesleyan University
What Problem? by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett; Joinville Dance Festival, Brazil
Variations on Themes from Lost and Found: Scenes from a Life and Other Works by John Bernd (revival production), music by Nick Hallett based upon compositions by John Bernd, directed by Ishmael Houston-Jones and Miguel Gutierrez, Danspace Project, New York
2022
^ (Circumflex) for two violins, premiered by String Noise, World Music Hall, Wesleyan University
Whispering Pines 10 by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, premiere film screening at BAM Rose Cinemas
Deep Blue Sea, by Bill T. Jones original score by Nick Hallett; performance at Mann Center, with full choral score. What Problem? by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, US Tour: UCLA Center For Art and Performance; Carolina Performing Arts; The Vets Auditorium, Providence, RI; UCSB Arts & Lectures; Penn State;
2021
The Wooden People (360 VR film series + live performance) by Nao Bustamante, score by Nick Hallett; REDCAT, Los Angeles
Falcon Heene, Ascending (2009) for two bass voices and Intonarumori, Performa live broadcast
Deep Blue Sea, by Bill T. Jones premiere at Park Avenue Armory; Nick Hallett, original score and music director
2020
Whispering Pines 10 by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, digital version released in full; multi-channel video installations at UCCS Beijing, Zabludowicz Collection, Fresno City College, Centre Clark Montreal, MCA Santa Barbara, and Nitja senter for samtidskunst; single channel version in collections of Museum Arnhem, and Zabludowicz Collection; online screening at Poetry Project
What Problem? by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett; George Mason University, Fairfax, Indiana University, Bloomington, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
2019
Past x Present x Future = Spirit, original performance with Shana Moulton, Zabludowicz Collection, London
To Music’s Final Act concert debut, Roulette
Feed the Soul, original performance with Shana Moulton, Nuit Blanche, Paris
Analogy: A Trilogy by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, Kennedy Center, Washington D.C., Spoleto Festival, Charlottesville, Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston
2018
Sunset Musicale with Nudity in Dance featuring Daisy Press, BOFFO Fire Island Performance Festival, original music by Nick Hallett
To Music: Scene 3 concert debut, ISSUE Project Room
Whispering Pines 10 by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, website launch and digital exhibition at New Museum of Contemporary Art; exhibition at CANADA gallery, NYC
Mixology Festival: Circuit Breakers—Nick Hallett & Daisy Press, Roulette, Brooklyn
Analogy: A Trilogy by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, Meany Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Skirball Center NYU, New York
Variations on Themes from Lost and Found: Scenes from a Life and Other Works by John Bernd, original music by Nick Hallett based on compositions by John Bernd; directed by Ishmael Houston-Jones and Miguel Gutierrez; Danspace Project, New York. Fringe Arts (Philadelphia), Lumberyard (Hudson, NY), Stanford Live, Palo Alto
2017
A Letter to my Nephew by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn
Analogy/Ambros: The Emigrant by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, premiere at Dancers Workshop, Jackson Hole, WY, American Dance Festival, Durham
2016
To Music: Scene 2, music and libretto by Nick Hallett; Kaufman Music Center, produced by Experiments in Opera, New York
A Letter to my Nephew by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, ICA Boston, Singapore Festival of Arts
Variations on Themes from Lost and Found: Scenes from a Life and Other Works by John Bernd, compositions by John Bernd arranged and remixed by Nick Hallett, directed by Ishmael Houston-Jones and Miguel Gutierrez, Danspace Project, New York
Whispering Pines 10 by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg,
Analogy/Dora: Tramontane by Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, Touhill Performing Arts Center, St. Louis; E.J. Thomas Hall, Akron; Williams Center for the Arts, Easton; August Wilson Center, Pittsburgh; Joyce Theater, New York, NY, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, Dancer's Workshop, Eccles Center, Park City, Utah
Analogy/Lance: Pretty aka The Escape Artist by Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, premiere at American Dance Festival, Durham, Joyce Theater, New York
Every Angle is an Angel, by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, Palais de Tokyo, Paris
Moments from Whispering Pines by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, Nuit Blanche Monaco, Auditorium Rainier III, Monaco
Ursula Songs, original arrangements of Hildegard von Bingen chants, created and performed with Daisy Press, National Sawdust, Brooklyn
The Lost Films of Fred Engelberg performed by the Trimbin Band (collaboration with Mikael Jorgensen, James Merle Thomas, and William Tyler), Ecstatic Music Festival, Kaufman Music Center, New York, co-produced by NewSounds, Mass MoCA, North Adams
Invocation x 3 for ESP TV: You Don't Say Much, Do You?, Swiss Institute/Contemporary Art, New York
2015
A Letter to My Nephew by Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett, Maison des Artes de Créteil, Douai Hippodrome
Whispering Pines 10 Remix (live performance) by Shana Moulton and Nick Hallett, Infini Puissance Cube, Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers
La Distancia Real by Luciana Acuña (co-director, choreographer, performer) and Nick Hallett (co-director, composer, performer), Centro de Experimentación del Teatro Colón, co-production of Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires, El Jardín Sahel, and Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts (Bard College)
On John Cage's Water Music, lecture-performance at Whitney Museum of American Art, part of 99 Objects series
Analogy/Dora: Tramontane by Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Company, original score by Nick Hallett. Peak Performances at Montclair State University, Montclair New Jersey; Dancer's Workshop, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, American Dance Festival, Durham
SPF 2015 by Shana Moulton, original music performed by Nick Hallett, Museum of Modern Art, New York; Yerba Buena Center For the Arts, San Francisco
To Music: Scene 1, music and libretto by Nick Hallett, Roulette, Brooklyn, New York, produced by Experiments in Opera
2014
Hallettiade (‘liederabend’ featuring 12 vocalists, piano, strings), Joe’s Pub, New York
Whispering Pines 10, Cricoteka, Krakow, Poland
Inside the Dreamachine for William Burroughs and Brion Gysin (collaboration with Brock Monroe), Free State Festival, Lawrence, Kansas
Fishkill: Movements 1-45 by Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Company, original music by Nick Hallett, Fishkill Correctional Facility, New York
2013
Pulse and Pony Solo as part of Community Action Center live soundtrack, The Kitchen, New York
London performed by Sexual Energies School, The Kitchen, New York
Rainbow Passage, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art TBA Festival, Portland
Rome performed by Sexual Energies School, Incubator Arts at Saint Marks Church, New York
Rainbow Passage, Avant Music Festival / Wild Project, New York
Whispering Pines 10, Off The Wall series / Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh
2012
Joshua Light Show soundscore, Domo Digital/Mutek, Mexico City, Parrish Museum, New York
Whispering Pines 10 by Nick Hallett and Shana Moulton, SFMOMA, Carolina Performing Arts, Chapel Hill, NC
Joshua Light Show soundscore, Transmediale/CTM Festival, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
2011
Joshua Light Show Fulldome soundscore composed by Nick Hallett, AMNH Hayden Planetarium New York
Whispering Pines 10 by Nick Hallett and Shana Moulton, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, TBA Festival, OR
2010
Leningrad performed by Sexual Energies School, Performa, New York
Quebec City performed by Sexual Energies School, ISSUE Project Room, New York
Falcon (Heene), Ascending, TransArt Festival, Rovereto, Italy
Whispering Pines 10 by Nick Hallett and Shana Moulton, The Kitchen, New York
Frankfurt performed by Sexual Energies School, The Stone New York
2009
Falcon (Heene), Ascending, for two bass voices and Intonarumori, Town Hall/Performa, New York
Auroville, New Museum of Contemporary Art New York
Whispering Exercises, New Museum of Contemporary Art New York
AWARDS, GRANTS & RESIDENCIES
2022 NY Dance & Performance “Bessie” Award, with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company
2018 Mount Tremper Arts, for To Music (Scene 3)
2017 NY Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award, with Ishmael Houston-Jones and Miguel Gutierrez
2015 KQED Arts Best Live Performance 2015, with Shana Moulton at YBCA
2015 Fisher Center/Bard College Residency, with Luciana Acuña
2015 Foundation for Contemporary Art Emergency Grant
2015 El Jardin Sahel residency, with Luciana Acuña
2013 Kunsthuis SYB, with Shana Moulton
2013 Creative Capital Grantee, with Shana Moulton
2013 Casement Fund Triangle Grant
2012 Oregonian: Best of Visual Art 2011: Whispering Pines 10
2010 Harvestworks: Van Lier Residency, with Shana Moulton
2009 New Museum of Contemporary Art Re:New Re:Play Artist Residency
AS PERFORMER
I sing in most of my original works, reconstructions, and interdisciplinary projects. While professional activities have migrated more towards composition and performance collaboration over the course of my career, my skills as a vocalist have been put to use by composer Anthony Braxton in the world premiere of his Thunder Mountain Music (2023, at Darmstadt Ferienkurse) and in the recordings of GTM Syntax (2017), Trillium J (2016) and Trillium E (2011). I have premiered works by Susie Ibarra, Matthew Welch, James Ilgenfritz, Neil Rolnick, and Lisa Coons, among others.
RECENT CURATORIAL
2024
Philip Glass, String Quartet No. 4 at the New York City AIDS Memorial
Terry Riley, In C (20th-annual NYC IN C), Lincoln Center, Damrosch Park
2023
Jim Hubbard, Nostalgia with live score by Chris Cochrane and Kevin Bud Jones, with Jim Pugliese, NYC AIDS Memorial
Arthur Russell, City Park (1973) reconstructed by Nick Hallett, NYC AIDS Memorial
Pamela Sneed, Mazz Swift, Natalie Greffel, Head Back, Eyes to Sky, NYC AIDS Memorial
Peter Cramer, Jack Waters, Weavers of the Daisy Chain Chorus: Ties That Bond, NYC AIDS Memorial
2019
Darmstadt Essential Repertoire: The Music of Sylvano Bussotti, directed by Luciano Chessa, Roulette
2017
Joshua Light Show, NYU Skirball Center: Man Forever, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Boss Hog, Dave Harrington Group
2015
Joshua Light Show at the Exploratorium with Linda Perhacs and Julia Holter
2014
Darmstadt Essential Repertoire: Stockhausen: Originale, The Kitchen, New York
Bishi: Albion Voice, The Kitchen, New York
2013
John Cage and Lejaren Hiller's HPSCHD (1969)
2012
Synth Nights, The Kitchen: Oneohtrix Point Never and Musica Elettronica Viva
Joshua Light Show, NYU Skirball Center: Evelyn Glennie & Zeena Parkins; Terry Riley, John Zorn, Lou Reed, Milford Graves, Bill Laswell & Gyan Riley; Ben Goldwasser & Andrew VanWyngarden
Darmstadt Institute 2012, ISSUE Project Room: Pauline Oliveros 80th Birthday, Gordon Mumma, Eli Keszler, John Cage Centennial Concert, Karlheinz Stockhausen Musik Im Bauch (at Central Park Bandshell), Gamelan Son of Lion, Chris Mann and Either/Or & Object Collection, Anthony McCall & David Grubbs among others
Instrumentals (part of Carnegie Hall’s American Mavericks series), The Kitchen: Tristan Perich, William Basinski, Mary Halvorson, Arthur Russell’s Instrumentals)
My entrance into the performance world was through nightlife, which evolved through navigating a wide range of institutions, including clubs, independent galleries, and DIY venues before being approached by not-for-profit theaters and commercial concert venues, and eventually museums and concert halls. The Darmstadt series I started with Zach Layton in 2004 received repeated attention from critics and sellout audiences for our Essential Repertoire festivals. Further inquiry into my curatorial archive is welcome.
ADDITIONAL WRITING
Artist interviews for BOMB magazine: Tristan Perich by Nick Hallett (November 2009), Peter Gordon by Nick Hallett (October 2010), Annie Dorsen by Nick Hallett (January 2016); additional contributions BOMB, W Magazine, Interview, Art In America, Rhizome, The Believer, and Sound American, among others.
