Continuously exploring the myriad ways that music intersects with science, nature, and the human world, Kari Besharse’s compositional output spans various facets within the field of contemporary music, fully engaging new technological resources as well as traditional instruments and ensembles. Her works, which incorporate sounds from acoustic instruments, found objects, the natural world, and sound synthesis, are often generated from a group of sonic objects or material archetypes that are subjected to processes inspired by nature, physics and computer music. Kari was awarded the Bourges Residence Prize for her electroacoustic work Small Things and has received additional honors from the Tuscaloosa New Music Collective, Look and Listen Festival, the ASCAP Young Composers Competition, and the INMC Competition.

Recent projects include everyone…everything for toy piano trio, and Verklingend, a work for haegeum and chamber ensemble for ensemble mise-en. Her music has been presented by Loadbang, Accordant Commons, Alarm Will Sound, cellist Craig Hultgren, The Empyrean Ensemble, The California Ear Unit, The East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, Society of Composers, Inc., ICMC, SEAMUS, Bourges, Pulse Field, trombonist Benjamin Lanz and violist Michael Hall. Currently an instructor at University of New Orleans, Dr. Besharse has also taught at Southeastern Louisiana University, Illinois Wesleyan and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Kari’s education includes undergraduate studies at UMKC (B.M.), and graduate work at the University of Texas at Austin (M.M.) and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (D.M.A.). Kari is director of Versipel New Music in New Orleans, Louisiana.