I/O New Music is a contemporary music ensemble open to all instrumentalists, singers, composers, conductors, and musicians interested in making immersive and adventurous music. I/O programs feature cutting edge new music by composers representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and musical practices, and explore new modes of performance and expression. I/O New Music also acts as an important vehicle for the performance of new works by student composers and members of the community. Participants are encouraged to contribute creatively and to develop projects exploring new temporalities and musical ecologies. As part of the Music Department’s annual I/O Fest, the ensemble has appeared at the ‘62 Center, the Clark, and the Williams College Museum of Art, presenting visceral programs that invite listeners to experience music in new ways.
I/O stands for input/output. It speaks to our process of creating and presenting music, especially in the intense festival period. We take everything in - the ideas, the notes, how we feel, what inspires us, etc. - and the music comes out. It is a celebration of that process.
The group, founded in 2008, is directed by Matthew Gold.