Biography

 

Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz is a composer, pianist, violist and vocalist whose works are influenced by everything from liturgical chant to basketball games. Her music has been performed in national and international venues, including the International Computer Music Conference and the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference.  A staunch proponent of interdisciplinary work, she has collaborated with choreographers, poets, visual artists and scientists.  Recent projects include The Cardiac Dance—The Spirals of Life, a collaborative work with choreographer Shellie Cash and others inspired by the work of cardiac surgeon Dr. Gerald Buckberg, and Phyllotaxis, a work for flute and electronics inspired by the growth patterns of plants.


Jennifer received her MM and DMA in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and she holds a BA in Music and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Richmond.  Her primary composition teachers have been Mara Helmuth, Joel Hoffman, Michael Fiday, and Benjamin Broening.  She has taught at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan and the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Currently, she is Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio.