Versipel New Music – Communications Specialist
Composer
Drew Farrar is a composer, guitarist, and educator from St. Louis, Missouri, currently based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Farrar’s music often incorporates physical movement, quotation, and spectral techniques to explore concepts of agency and otherness. His works have been performed by RE:duo, Confluss Duo, the Illinois Modern Ensemble, and New Music Mosaic among others.
Farrar also performs regularly as a guitarist with performances at Electric LaTex, Summit for Adventurous Guitar in the Gulf South, CHIMEfest, New Music on the Point, and the 21st Century Guitar Festival. An avid improviser, he has performed with Renee Baker, Adam Shead’s Adiaphora Orchestra, the Avant-Gardians, and Illinois Improvisors Exchange.
Farrar received his M.M. in composition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied with Dr.s Rick Taube, Erik Lund, Kerrith Livengood, and Carlos Carrillo. He received his M.M. in Guitar Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied with Dr. Guido Sanchez-Portuguez. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Composition at Louisiana State University where he has studied with Dr.s Mara Gibson, Jesse Allison, Christopher Trapani, and D.J. Sparr.
Current research interests include otherness, guitar effects pedals, spectralism, computer assisted composition, and interactive sound installations.