Julia A. Miller is a sound artist, guitarist, improvisor, composer, visual artist, curator and educator.
As a guitarist, Julia performs with the noise funk quartet Volcano Radar with Elbio Barilari, Harrison Bankhead, and Avreeayl Ra. In 2013, the quartet released the digital EP “Refutation of Time” on the Chicago-based netlabel Pan Y Rosas. Julia also performs in the avant electric guitar trio HKM with Mark Hardy and Reid Karris, and the electroacoustic trio, Auris, with Eric Leonardson and Christopher Preissing. Auris released the cd “Rub” with Gino Robair on Pan Y Rosas and Public Eyesore. In 2012, Julia was asked to participate in the $100 Guitar Project, a double cd release of improvised and composed short pieces by 65 different guitarists which was released on Bridge Records with proceeds benefitting CARE. Also in 2012, a live recording of her solo performance on the Experimental Sound Studio’s Sunday Solos series, titled “Solo Variations”, was released as a digital EP on the Chicago netlabel Pan y Rosas to critical and popular acclaim. Julia is a founding member of the Chicago Scratch Orchestra.
As a curator, Julia hosts and programs the Articular Facet series at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. This series of electro-acoustic compositions and structured improvisations features the incorporation of the visual and physical into the sonic. The performances reflect the use of ancient, adapted, or hacked technology, invented instruments and performative objects combined with traditional musical instruments. The initial Articular Facet series, performed at various venues in the Chicago area in 2011, set the foundation for the 2012 production of John Cage’s Variations V on the A.pe.ri.o.dic John Cage Festival, the 2013 production of John Cage’s Variations VI at the Neiman Center (SAIC), and continues with an internet radio show on numbers.fm, “Articular Facet with jseq_a”. Also in 2011, Julia served as the music curator for Collaboraction’s Sketchbook Festival at the Chopin Theater, programming over 20 concerts of live music within the theatrical setting. In 2012, along with noted sound artist Eric Leonardson, and composer Christopher Preissing, Julia curated the Make Sound Festival for young artists at the ZhouB Center in partnership with the Wet Paint exhibition curated by Sergio Gomez.
As a composer, in 2013 the flute and percussion duo Due East will premiere the commissioned piece “c_nz_n_”. In 2012, Julia partnered with Bay area composer and improvisor Gino Robair on the Improvised Opera Workshop at High Concept Labs which saw thirty improvisors tackle the combined operas of Miller (“Dissecting Adam”) and Robair (“I, Norton”) in an immersive setting with interactive scoring and video.
Julia is the Guitar Dept. Head at the Music Institute of Chicago (MIC), and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Sound at the School of the Art Institute (SAIC) in Chicago. Julia received a DMA in composition from Northwestern University in 2005.