Carolyn Borcherding

Carolyn Borcherding is a composer and sound artist interested in the relationships between aural/visual gestures and performing bodies, both acoustic and electronic. Her body of work ranges from solo instrumental pieces to large ensembles, often including electronic sound and video.

As an educator, Borcherding believes that curiosity and exploration are essential habits for students to develop, both in the classroom and beyond. Most broadly, she emphasizes open communication in order to meet students where they are and work with them toward excellence and self-actualization, supporting their creative goals, work-life balance and mental health.

She is the recipient of the 2020 21st Century Piano Commission Competition at the University of Illinois, second prize in the 2022 ASCAP/SEAMUS Student Commission Competition and was a finalist for the 2019 BMI Student Composition Award. Her works have been performed nationally and internationally, including events such as the National SEAMUS Conference, the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, Electronic Music Midwest and New Music on the Point. Her former teachers include Michael Pounds, Eli Fieldsteel, Stephen Taylor, Christopher Biggs and Lisa Coons.