Described as “some kind of musical Thomas Edison–you can just hear her tinkering around in her workshop, putting together new sounds and textural ideas” (San Francisco Chronicle), composer Katherine Balch is interested in the intimacy of quotidian objects, found sounds, and natural processes. A collector of aural delights, field recordings are often at the heart of her work, which ranges from acoustic to mixed media and installation. 

 A recipient of the 2020/21 Rome Prize, Balch’s work has been commissioned and performed by leading ensembles and presenting organizations including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Sinfonietta, Tanglewood, Suntory Summer Arts (Japan), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (U.K.) and the symphony orchestras of Tokyo, Darmstadt, Minnesota, Oregon, Albany, Indianapolis, and Dallas. Her music is published exclusively worldwide by Schott. 

Balch is Visiting Assistant Professor of Composition at Yale School of Music and holds a DMA from Columbia University.