Meet Michael
My artistic journey, like many of yours, has included both exhilarating summits and deep, difficult valleys. Yet, in every concert hall and community gathering, I see how our shared experience of music connects us, speaks for us, and affirms us.
For me, creating music is a constant exploration of shared humanity. We have powerful stories to tell, and I’m dedicated to the work of translating that passion into song. What does our future hold? What is the transition we sing about? What joy, sorrow, and celebration can our art capture?
The most urgent questions remain: Can our music subvert the given narrative? Can our song persevere? Can we triumph? I believe the answer lies in the bold, hopeful, resilient voice we build together.
Full Biography
The American Prize-winning composer (Choral Composition, 2021) Michael Bussewitz-Quarm is an American voice whose music engages with pressing social and environmental issues, fostering understanding, empathy, and a definitive sense of hope through art. Her distinctive work is rooted in a deep personal journey and commitment to creating music that gives voice to underrepresented communities and illuminates their resilience.
Her scores have been commissioned by esteemed organizations such as the Eugene Concert Choir and New Hampshire Master Chorale. In 2021, she was a recipient of the New Music USA Creator Development Fund. Her works are performed by leading professional and educational ensembles worldwide, and are frequently heard at state and regional choral festivals. Her music has been heard at major American venues, including Carnegie Hall (debut performance of Where We Find Ourselves), Lincoln Center, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, and DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Her compositions have also been performed internationally in the UK, Germany, the Middle East, Canada, and Russia, and featured on Public Radio East, KMUZ, and WCPE.
Bussewitz-Quarm holds degrees from Ithaca College and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. A member of ASCAP, her scores are published through Listen Afresh Publishing, Peermusic Classical, and Hal Leonard.
Current projects include a new work for the Sing Democracy 250 nationwide initiative and the ambitious commissioning consortium: “The Treeline,” a work for choir and orchestra addressing the impact of climate change on societies in the Arctic Circle (2028).
View Michael’s Headshots
Bookings:
To book, contact Michael through email at listenafresh@gmail.com or through Michael’s Contact Page.
