Jonathon Kirk is Professor of Music at North Central College, where he teaches composition, music theory and analysis, music technology, and interdisciplinary courses in music and technology. His musical and visual work has been presented at major venues and festivals worldwide, including the Tate Modern (London), London and Melbourne International Animation Festivals, Center for Art and Media (ZKM) Karlsruhe, Festival Internazionale di Musica Elettroacustica (Rome), Los Angeles Short Film Festival, Courtisane Festival (Brussels), Boston Cyberarts Festival, Princeton University’s Sound Kitchen, Visual Music Marathon, and Soundtrack_Cologne. His compositions have been performed by leading new music ensembles such as the Spektral Quartet, Ensemble Dal Niente, Harvard Collegium Musicum, and members of Champ D’Action, Alarm Will Sound, ICE, and Ensemble Modern.
He has presented research at numerous national and international conferences, including the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME), and the Joint Meetings of the American Mathematical Association and the Mathematical Association of America.
With composer Lee Weisert, he co-directs the Portable Acoustic Modification Laboratory (PAML), a collaborative sound-installation project presented at festivals and institutions such as Currents New Media (Santa Fe), NYC Electroacoustic Festival, NIME, the International Computer Music Conference, TEDx UNC, the Blandy Experimental Farm (University of Virginia), and the South Carolina Botanical Garden (Clemson).
Kirk has held residencies at La Macina di San Cresci (Italy), Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona), and the Logos Foundation for Experimental Music (Belgium, funded by the Vlaams Gemeenschap). He is currently a composer and arranger in residence with the Chicago-based chamber ensemble Picosa. His music appears on Innova, Albany, Ears & Eyes, and Garrett’s Kayak labels.
Download CVSelected Scholarship
Wetters, B., & Kirk, J. (2019). Maderna's Mahler: A Model for Electroacoustic Composition. In Proceedings of the 46th International Computer Music Conference. Paper presented at New York University, NY, USA. 16-23 June, 2019.
Kirk, J., & Weisert, L. (2016). Granular Wall: Approaches to sonifying fluid motion. In Proceedings of the 43rd International Computer Music Conference. Paper presented at Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands, 12-16 September (pp. 149-153).
Kirk, J., & Nicholson, N. (2016). Visualizing Euclidean Rhythms using Tangle Theory. Polymath: An Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Journal, 6(1), 1-10.
Kirk, J. (2010). Otoacoustic Emissions as a Compositional Tool. n Proceedings of the 38th International Computer Music Conference. Paper presented at New York University & SUNY Stony Brook, June 8-12. ICMA, Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library.
Discography
2025 Picosa, Recording or original works and arrangements , forthcoming
2025 Matthew Golombisky and Jonathon Kirk, Fog from Bones; ears & eyes records, forthcoming, June 2025
2020 After Eye, music for instruments with live electronics; Garrett’s Kayak
2015 Duo XXI, Metal Cicadas, recording of Metal Cicadas; Albany Records, Troy 15
2011 Randall Hall, The Passage Between, recording of Reflections on Eternity; Innova Records, #715
2008 Pendulum; Medusa Critical Publications #007
2007 Randall Hall, The Passage Between, recording of necronebula; Innova Records #660
Discography as a performer
2024 Maurice (Nouvelle), The Great Sift, in development
2024 Paul Johnston, Duets, EIU Records
2023 Lee Weisert, Recesses. New Focus Recordings, fcr366
2022 Maurice (Nouvelle), At the Piano,
2020 Maurice (Nouvelle), Playtime, Garrett’s Kayak
2019 Maurice (Nouvelle), Pear in the Finish, Garrett’s Kayak
2016 Maurice (Nouvelle), Bouncy Things, Maurice Chicago 2016
2012 Maurice (Nouvelle), Pour Toi, Maurice Chicago 2012
2011 Maurice (Nouvelle), Plants & X-rays, Maurice Chicago 2011
2010 Maurice (Nouvelle), Everything is Floating, Ears & Eyes Records
2008 Maurice (Nouvelle), Ace of Wands, Ears & Eyes Records
2006 Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Neon Jesus Garage, Ears & Eyes Records
2000 Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman at 50: Works of Mozart, Gershwin, Weill, Kennan, Iannacocone, others. Arrangements by Donal Hunsberger, others. Warner Bros. Publications, DH001CD
1999 Jonathon Kirk, Brahms Corelli Hovhaness. Tenor Tuba Reference Recordings
Courses Taught
Music Theory III (MUSI 201)
Music Theory IV (MUSI 202)
Arranging and Orchestration (MUSI 342)
Applied Music Composition
Electronic and Computer Music (MUSI 385)
Introduction to Music Technology (MUSI 285)
Cardinal Directions Seminar (CARD 400)