James May (b. 1994, Pittsburgh, PA) is a composer, improviser, photographer, and writer. His work explores unfurling, fragile spaces, generating unpredictable systems in which performers can dwell. He combines approaches such as improvisation environments, live electronics, notated scores, field recordings, extended vocal technique, and text, often inspired by the natural world or other art forms—especially film photography and literature. James is a member of Versipel New Music (New Orleans), has published writing in Sound American and RTÉ Culture, and was a 2024 Ucross Artist in Residence. He has collaborated on performances and recordings with Versipel, Apply Triangle, Hypercube, Chamber Choir Ireland and Paul Hillier, Birdfoot Festival, New Music on the Bayou, Stephanie Lamprea, Will Yager, Jamie Monck, the San Francisco Choral Artists, and Longleash. James was one of 12 recipients of the 2018-19 George J. Mitchell Scholarship, funding an MA in Experimental Sound Practice at University College Cork; prior, he earned an MM in Composition from the University of Louisville, and a BMus in Theory & Composition and a BA in English from The College of Wooster.

Brazilian composer Luiz Castelões' music blends Brazilian traditions with contemporary techniques and the Pop world. Highlights of awards include the 1st place from Hermes Music Foundation & Amsonia 2023 Composition Competition (NY/ TX), the 3rd Place at MAP International Music Competition (Los Angeles, 2023), the 3rd Place at Amadeus Composition Award (Vienna, 2023), Brazilian Contemporary Music Biennial Awards (2021, 2001), UFRJ School of Music honourable mention (Brazil, 2012), and Boston University Honors competition (2007; with pianist Bianca Oglice performing his “Pop Suite”). Recent performances of his music have been given by Aulos Flute Ensemble (Iceland, 2021-23), East Chamber Music (Canada, 2022), Roadrunner Trio (Netherlands, 2020), Ensemble Linea (France, 2019), Aleph Gitarrenquartett (Spain, 2019), Ecce Ensemble (France, 2018), Ensemble Mise-En (South Korea, 2018, 2017), and Quartetto Maurice (Italy, 2016, 2014), and by pianists Milica Lawrence (Malta, 2023), Donald Berman (USA, 2021), and Aki Fujii (Japan, 2020). Recent papers/chapters by him have been published in OM Composer’s Book Vol. 3 (France, 2016), Sonic Ideas (Mexico, 2015), and El oído pensante (Argentina, 2013). www.luizcasteloes.com

Clifton Ingram (he/they) is a Vermont-native and DC/formerly Boston-based composer and performer (Rested Field, guitar/electronics), whose music thrives on hiddenness. His writing aims to approach and retreat from itself along the fault lines of the musical and extra-musical, revolving around the delicate obstinance of obscured objects, the generation of aberrant mutations and self-devouring ornamentation, as well as obsessive canon-like structures.

Clifton has written for pianist-composer Andy Costello, pianist-composer Marti Epstein, clarinetist Chuck Furlong, cellist Byron Hogan, violinist Michelle Lie, cellist Stephen Marotto, vocalist Joshua Scheid, percussionist Matt Sharrock, Castle of our Skins, Del Sol String Quartet, Equilibrium Ensemble, Joint Venture Percussion Duo, Ludovico Ensemble, Music of Reality, Rested Field, Strange Trace, Tesla Quartet, and Transient Canvas. Clifton has been a fellow at the Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice (2013) and was the Julius Eastman Fellow at Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music (2020).

Clifton’s music has been released by Experimental Sound Studio (OSCILLATIONS 2016 Mixtape | Chicago IL), Dismissive Records (Four Instrumentals, 2015 | Denver CO), and New Focus Records (Transient Canvas' Right now, in a second, 2020 | New York, NY). His contributions can also be heard on Type Records (Khonnor, Handwriting | 2004) and Sundmagi (Who Cares How Long You Sink, Folk Forms Evaporate Big Sky | 2007). He has also contributed sound for film, including Paracusia (dir. Christopher Dreisbach, 2011). Clifton was a curator/presenter for Chicago experimental venue Brown Rice (2009-2012) and was a founding member of the Chicago Scratch Orchestra (2010). Clifton is also a freelance music writer, and his writings can often be found in the program booklets and liner notes of Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Since January 2024, he has been enjoying hosting an open mic night at Hellbender Brewery in Washington DC.

Juwon Lim is a composer and educator who is interested in creating a nuanced sensation in her work through organizing sounds that are vibrant and unfamiliar to people’s ears. Winner of the 2023 Margaret Blackburn composition competition, her music has been featured at numerous festivals in the US, including Bang on a Can's LOUD Weekend at Mass MoCA (2024), Sō Percussion Summer Institute (2023), New Music on the Point (2023), Nief Norf summer festival (2022). Her composition will also be featured at the ECHOFLUXX New Music Festival by the Prague Modern Ensemble later in 2024, as a winner of Call for Scores. Juwon earned her master’s degree in composition from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University under the guidance of Sky Macklay. She completed her bachelor’s degree in composition and music theory at SUNY Purchase, studying with Laura Kaminsky and Gregory Spears. As an avid music educator, Juwon taught composition to middle school students at the Peabody Institute’s Junior Bach Program. She is currently a Conducting Fellow at Baltimore Children’s Choir for the 2024-2025 school year, where she teaches music to K-8 students. 

Frej Wedlund often (though not always) writes music that is soft, fragile, and intimate. In recent years, a form of intertextuality—within the field of music—has worked its way into his compositions in various forms. One time it might be spectralism and ultra-depressive ambient, another time melancholic blues noodling and contemporary plinky-plonky microtonal music.

His works have been performed by all kinds of ensembles such as the Arditti Quartet, Ensemble Intercontemporain, and ensemble recherche, at all sorts of festivals like the mise-en festival, Nordic Music Days, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, and ManiFeste.

Frej grew up in the mid-Northern Swedish city of Östersund and has studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Since 2018, he has been based in Copenhagen. Most of his recent works are published with the Danish publisher Edition S.