Title: Kaum; Four Studies for Trio
Commission: 2009
Completed: 2011
Instrumentation: trio
Premiere Location: The Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, Northern Illinois University School of Music
Premiere Ensemble: Wet Ink Ensemble
Notes:

Carl Christian Bettendorf is a New York-based composer/conductor. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he studied composition with Hans-Jürgen von Bose and Wolfgang Rihm in Munich and Karlsruhe before receiving his doctorate from Columbia University under Tristan Murail. His compositions have been played at many prestigious venues and festivals on four continents. He has received numerous awards, among them a fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD); residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris), the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center (Nebraska), the MacDowell Colony (N.H.), and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; and commissions from the Fromm Foundation and the Ralph Kaminsky Fund. As a conductor, Mr. Bettendorf has worked closely with ensembles in New York (Wet Ink, counter)induction, Ghost and Talea ensembles) and abroad (piano possibile in Munich, Ostravská banda in the Czech Republic) and was director of the Manhattanville College and Bates College orchestras. He recently conducted opera productions at Bard College and the Opéra national de Montpellier (France) and has served as assistant conductor of the Columbia University and American Composers orchestras. He has recorded for the Albany, ArtVoice, Carrier, Cybele, Hat Hut, New Focus, and Tzadik labels.