Natacha Diels

Natacha Diels

Natacha Diels (DMA, Composition, 2016) is Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Diego. Her work combines ritual, improvisation, traditional instrumental technique, and cynical play to create worlds of curiosity and unease. An accomplished composer and performer, Natacha's unique musical approach continues to contribute to the ongoing development of new American experimentalism. Natacha founded the experimental music collective Ensemble Pamplemousse in 2003, and continues to be its executive director and flautist. With a focus on choreographed movement, traditional instrumental technique, and a wide array of DIY electronics, Natacha's compositions have been described as "a fairy tale for a fractured world" (Music We Care About) and "fantastic playful modern chamber music full of magic and wit" (Vital Weekly). Natacha's work has received support from the American Music Center's Composer Assistance Program (2011); Issue Project Room's Emerging Artist Commission (2011); and the Cary New Music Performance Fund (2013), among others. Recently, she was a winner in Heather Roche's crowd funded commission competition (2015) and a finalist in the Fresh Minds Festival for audio visual work (2015).