John Supko
Associate Professor of Music
Called “spellbindingly beautiful” (Steve Smith, Time Out New York
), "hypnotic...eerily beautiful" (Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times
), and "fascinating" (Philip Clark, The Guardian
), the work of composer John Supko (b. 1980, NY) explores intersections: chance and intention; traditional music notation and real-time score generation; sound and spoken text; installation and performance; human and computer creativity. In recent years, Supko has been developing generative software to navigate his vast archives of field recordings, sampled acoustic and digital instruments, noise, and voice recordings. He uses this software to find unexpected compositional possibilities as well as to create dynamic sonic environments that are integrated into live performance with human musicians. Supko has also been experimenting with new forms of documentation for his music. Works such as A Free Invention for George Pitcher
exist solely as software that ‘performs’ a new version of itself each time it is activated. He is a recipient of the Fulbright (2002) and Georges Lurcy (2007) fellowships, both for Paris, France, where he studied at the Ecole Normale de Musique. He has won numerous prizes and grants, among them the BMI Student Composer Award, two ASCAP/Morton Gould Young Composers Awards (including the 2008 Leo Kaplan Award), the Grand Prize of the National Young Composers Competition, the Perkins Prize of the Princeton University Music Department and a Commissioning Music/USA Meet the Composer commission. His work has been published in collaborative editions with the poet Philippe Denis by Collection Mémoires (Paris) and by Harpo & (Marseille), and has been released on the New Amsterdam and Cotton Goods labels. His 2014 collaborative album s_traits
(with Bill Seaman) was named in "Best of 2014" recording lists in The New York Times
and The Boston Globe
. Currently Associate Professor of Music at Duke University, where he co-directs The Emergence Lab with Bill Seaman, Supko holds degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (BM) and Princeton University (PhD).
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Associate Professor of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2016
- Associate Professor of Theater Studies, Theater Studies, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2021
- Core Faculty in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Initiatives 2018
Contact Information
- 059 Mary Duke Biddle Building, Box 90665, Durham, NC 27708
- Box 90665, Durham, NC 27708-0665
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john.supko@duke.edu
(919) 660-3361
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http://www.johnsupko.com
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Princeton University 2009
- M.F.A., Princeton University 2005
- B.Mus., Indiana University at Bloomington 2002
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Core Graduate Faculty in Computational Media, Arts & Cultures, Computational Media, Arts & Cultures, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2018 - 2021
- Director of Graduate Studies of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2016 - 2019
- Assistant Professor of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2009 - 2016
- Hunt Family Assistant Professor of Music, Music, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2012 - 2016
- Recognition
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In the News
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NOV 19, 2015 -
DEC 19, 2014 The New York Times -
NOV 5, 2014 I Care If You Listen blog -
SEP 16, 2014 -
MAR 13, 2014 -
FEB 17, 2014 -
NOV 22, 2013 WUNC -
NOV 18, 2013
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Awards & Honors
- Expertise
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Subject Headings
- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Other Articles
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Supko, J. P. “How I Taught My Computer to Write Its Own Music.” Nautilus, February 12, 2015.Link to Item
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Church, M., T. P. Burt, V. J. Galay, and G. M. Kondolf. “Rivers,” January 1, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511627057.005.Full Text
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Supko, J. P. “divine the rest,” December 2013.
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Supko, J. P. “ALL SOULS (revised & expanded version 2012-2013),” November 2013.
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Supko, J. P. “A Free Invention for George Pitcher,” May 2013.
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Supko, J. P. “FLESH,” March 2013.
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Supko, J. P., and Bill Seaman. “s_traits,” 2013.
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Supko, J. P. “VEXED,” September 2012.
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Supko, J. P. “R!,” August 2012.
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Supko, J. P. “HIMALAJA,” July 2012.
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Supko, J. P. “I asked for names of all that is,” July 2012.
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Supko, J. P. “ALL SOULS,” 2012.
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Supko, J. P. “Drawn Only Once.” New Amsterdam Records, November 2011.
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Supko, J. P. “This City,” October 2011.
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Supko, J. P. “USINE,” September 2011.
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Supko, J. P., and Bill Seaman. “S_traits,” February 2011.
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Supko, J. P. “Inland Ocean,” December 2010.
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Supko, J. P. “Rooms,” November 2010.
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Supko, J. P. “Straits II (acoustic version),” May 2010.
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Supko, J. P. “"This Window Makes Me Feel", new version for alto flute,” February 2010.
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Supko, J. P. “Straits,” November 2009.
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Supko, J. P. “Songs of a Landloper,” 2009.
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Supko, J. P. “Littoral,” 2007.
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Supko, J. P. “Dream Cuisine,” 2007.
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Supko, J. P. “Everybody Says Everything,” 2007.
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Exhibitions, Screenings, & Performances
- This Window Makes Me Feel | This Window Makes Me Feel (Choreographed Version) at Juilliard School 2012
- Straits | Southern Exposure Series at University of South Carolina 2012
- USINE | Premiere of USINE (20 hours duration) at the 20 Heures de Musiques - Romont festival. at Romont, Switzerland 2012
- Straits | So Percussion Summer Institute at Princeton University 2012
- Straits | at (Le) Poisson Rouge, NYC 2012
- This City | at The Flea Theater, NYC 2012
- Straits | at University of Houston Moores School of Music 2012
- Straits | at Duke University 2012
- Littoral | at Lawrence University 2012
- Littoral | at Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) 2011
- Rooms | Biddle Renovation Reception 2011
- Littoral | at Galapagos Art Space (Brooklyn, NY) 2011
- Littoral | at Columbia U. Radio Station (WKCR 89.9 NYC) 2011
- This City | at Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL) 2011
- This City | at Salem College (Salem, NC) 2011
- Straits | at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA) 2011
- Straits | Round Top Festival at Round Top, TX 2011
- Inland Ocean | at Nelson Music Room, Duke University 2011
- Inland Ocean | at Duke Gardens 2011
- Inland Ocean | at Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC 2011
- Inland Ocean | at Weymouth Center, Southern Pines, NC 2011
- Rooms | Eight-channel performance of "Rooms" by [dnme] at Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University 2011
- Without Stopping | Monadnock Music Festival at Peterborough, NH 2010
- Straits | Premiere of "Straits" (electroacoustic version) at Levine School of Music, Washington, DC 2010
- This Window Makes Me Feel | IUPUI's Intermedia Festival. at Indianapolis, IN 2010
- This Window Makes Me Feel | "Music With A View" series curated by pianist Kathleen Suppové at The Flea Theatre, NYC 2010
- This Window Makes Me Feel | Multimedia performance of "This Window Makes Me Feel" at University of Tennessee, Martin 2010
- This Window Makes Me Feel | Multimedia performance of "This Window Makes Me Feel" at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 2010
- Littoral | at Marshall University (Huntington, WV) 2009
- Littoral | at University of Kentucky (Lexington) 2009
- Littoral | at Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY 2009
- Littoral | at University of Akron (Ohio) 2009
- Littoral | at Duke University 2009
- This Window Makes Me Feel | SEAMUS National Convention at Fort Wayne, IN 2009
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Artistic Works & Non-Print Media
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Audio Recordings
- Drawn Only Once. Creator. 2011
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Mixed Media
- divine the rest. Composer. Audio Recording, Musical Composition. 2015
- s_traits. Composer, Designer, Producer, Programmer. Audio Recording, Musical Composition. 2014
- This City. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2011
- USINE. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2011
- Inland Ocean. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2010
- Without Stopping. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2010
- This Window Makes Me Feel. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2010
- Straits. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2009
- Littoral. Composer. Musical Composition, Musical Performance. 2007
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Musical Compositions
- VEXED. Composer. 2012
- R!. Composer. 2012
- HIMALAJA. Composer. 2012
- I asked for names of all that is. Composer. 2012
- ALL SOULS. Composer. 2012
- FLESH (for 2013). Composer. 2012
- VANISHING POINT (for 2013). Composer. 2012
- Allerzielen (provisional title). Composer. 2011
- NC Music Teachers Association. Composer. 2011
- Rooms. Composer. 2010
- Straits II (acoustic version). Composer. 2010
- _. Composer. 2010
- Inland Ocean. Composer. 2009
- Straits. Composer. 2009
- This River. Composer. 2009
- Songs of a Landloper. Composer. 2009
- Dream Cuisine. Composer. 2007
- Everybody Says Everything. Composer. 2007
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- ARTSVIS 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- ARTSVIS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2022
- CMAC 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2022
- DANCE 201S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- DOCST 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- I&E 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- I&E 391: Independent Study in Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2022
- ISS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2022
- MUSIC 273S: Introduction to Electronic Music Composition 2022
- MUSIC 281T: Composition I 2022
- MUSIC 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- MUSIC 381T: Composition II 2022
- MUSIC 393: Research Independent Study 2022
- MUSIC 481T: Advanced Composition 2022
- MUSIC 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2022
- MUSIC 697: Composition 2022
- MUSIC 698: Composition 2022
- MUSIC 699: Composition 2022
- MUSIC 791: Independent Study 2022
- MUSIC 797: Composition 2022
- MUSIC 798: Composition 2022
- MUSIC 799: Composition 2022
- VMS 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2022
- VMS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2022
- ARTSVIS 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- ARTSVIS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2021
- CMAC 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2021
- DANCE 201S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- DOCST 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- I&E 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- ISS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2021
- MUSIC 273S: Introduction to Electronic Music Composition 2021
- MUSIC 274S: Computer Music 2021
- MUSIC 281T: Composition I 2021
- MUSIC 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- MUSIC 381T: Composition II 2021
- MUSIC 393: Research Independent Study 2021
- MUSIC 481T: Advanced Composition 2021
- MUSIC 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2021
- MUSIC 697: Composition 2021
- MUSIC 698: Composition 2021
- MUSIC 699: Composition 2021
- MUSIC 791: Independent Study 2021
- MUSIC 797: Composition 2021
- MUSIC 798: Composition 2021
- MUSIC 799: Composition 2021
- VMS 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2021
- VMS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2021
- AMI 296S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- AMI 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2020
- ARTSVIS 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- ARTSVIS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2020
- ARTSVIS 690S: Special Topics in the Visual Arts 2020
- CMAC 690S: Special Topics in Computational Media, Arts, and Cultures 2020
- DANCE 201S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- DANCE 690S: Special Topics in Dance 2020
- DOCST 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- DOCST 590S: Special Topics in Documentary Studies 2020
- I&E 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- ISS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2020
- MUSIC 281T: Composition I 2020
- MUSIC 295S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- MUSIC 381T: Composition II 2020
- MUSIC 393: Research Independent Study 2020
- MUSIC 481T: Advanced Composition 2020
- MUSIC 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2020
- MUSIC 690S-1: Composition Seminar: Selected Topics 2020
- MUSIC 697: Composition 2020
- MUSIC 698: Composition 2020
- MUSIC 699: Composition 2020
- MUSIC 791: Independent Study 2020
- MUSIC 797: Composition 2020
- MUSIC 798: Composition 2020
- MUSIC 799: Composition 2020
- THEATRST 312S: Arts Entrepreneurship 2020
- VMS 575S: Generative Media Authorship - Music, Text & Image 2020
- VMS 690S: Special Topics in Visual and Media Studies 2020
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Presentations & Appearances
- Arts Entrepreneurship. November 19, 2013 2013
- Ravel, Salonen & Sibelius. October 30, 2013 2013
- Stravinsky Lecture. November 7, 2012 2012
- Inland Ocean Talk. October 15, 2012 2012
- Some Aspects of Generative Composition in Max/MSP. October 29, 2011 2011
- John Supko: Recent Works. October 29, 2010 2010
- Understanding Satie's Parade. October 19, 2009 2009
- Understanding Satie's Parade. September 21, 2009 2009
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Service to the Profession
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