About
Christina Rusnak / Composer/Explorer
Christina Rusnak is passionate about composing about the world around her and the human experience.
My Bio
“By nature, I’m an explorer. That informs all of my endeavors. I love creating connections – ideas, people, place, and music. I believe that music can connect people in ways beyond notes on a page.”
Passionate about composing about the human experience, composer Christina Rusnak works at the intersection of place, nature, culture, history and art to integrate context into her music from the world around her. A storyteller, she seeks to convey something meaningful about the human experience to both the audience and performers. An award-winning freelance composer living in the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Rusnak composes for diverse instrumentations with lyrical lines and organic rhythms and textures. Her repertoire ranges from elementary to professional levels and includes chamber ensemble, orchestra, wind band, choral works and solo works, as well as jazz, electro-acoustic works, and film. Rusnak’s work has been commissioned and/or performed by talented musicians across the country and internationally, including Third Angle New Music, Juventas New Music Ensemble, Music in the American Wild, The Grapefruits, Winona State University, Leading Tones Music, Fear No Music, Corvus New Music Ensemble, Ivana Francisci, the Dallas Contemporary Art Museum and more.
An avid hiker, much of Ms. Rusnak’s work focuses on the cultural geography and environmental history of the American Landscape. She has worked with the U.S. Forest Service, several National and State Parks and Monuments, and environmental agencies to sonically explore and commemorate many of our natural and cultural treasures. She also understands how artists can experience and interpret the world we live in. Her pieces address social and environmental justice, houselessness, immigration from 19th to 21st century perspectives, and more. In 2025, she is composing a multi-movement work for women’s choir, Women’s Rights are Human Rights addressing degrading rights of women globally.
Recent awards and honors include a 2022 Residency at the Visby International Centre for Composers; 2023 Bronze Global Music Award for Voices of the Land; 2024 American Prize 2nd Place Orchestra for The South Pass, a finalist for FREE LAND, and a 2025 finalist for the American Prize for Orchestra for Time After All. In 2019, she led the renowned Composing in the Wilderness Seminar in Denali for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. An advocate for New Music, Rusnak currently serves as president of the International Alliance for Women in Music. Her essays on music and advocacy can be found on LandscapeMusic.org and New Music Box and more. Her works are available from Amazon, Naxos and Parma Recordings. Scores are available through her website http://christinarusnak.com and various distributors, and can be viewed via ISSUU.
Christina S. Rusnak
BIOGRAPHY
Passionate about composing about place and the human experience, composer Christina Rusnak works at the intersection of place, nature, culture, history and art to integrate context into her music from the world around her to convey something meaningful about the human experience. Originally from an old St. Louis beer family, Ms. Rusnak began composing at age nine. She earned her Master’s degree in Composition and Arts Leadership at the University of North Texas in 2010, and moved to Portland Oregon in 2012. Ms. Rusnak composes for diverse instrumentations with lyrical lines, and organic rhythms and textures. Her repertoire includes chamber ensemble, orchestra, wind band, jazz, choral, and solo pieces as well electro-acoustic works, and film.
An avid hiker, cultural geographer and a member of the Landscape Music Composers Network, Ms. Rusnak has worked with National and State Park Services, to sonically explore and celebrate our many environmental treasures. In 2018, She worked with cultural groups and tribal communities along the Columbia River to compose “Wy’am”, musically depicting the environment and culture of the oldest continuously inhabited place on the North American continent, Celilo Falls. In 2019, she led the renowned Composing in the Wilderness Seminar in Alaska. Her work has been performed across the country, and internationally. “The Forest and the Architect”, is among eight pieces celebrating public parks and the legacy of Frederick Olmsted. Her chamber work from Homestead National Monument, FREE LAND was a 2024 finalist for the American Prize. In addition, she’s composed about Glacier, Denali, North Cascades and Death Valley National parks, and the Oregon Historic Trail – The South Pass was awarded second place for the 2024 American Prize. Her album VOICES OF THE LAND was awarded Bronze for the 2023 Global Music Awards.
Her Work has been performed by amazing musicians at many festivals and concerts across the country including the Turn UP Festival, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, the Call of the Wild Arts Festival, and the Festival of New American MusicMs. Rusnak has received commissions and performances from talented ensembles and performers including Citywater, Juventas, and Third Angle New Music Ensembles, the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, the Music of the American Wild Ensemble, Corvus, Winona State University Wind Band, and others. In 2016, she traveled to Cuba as part of the People–to-People program to record with Vocal Luna in Havana. In 2021, Ms. Rusnak was commissioned by Kino-Lorber Films to score two silent films for the Nasty Women – early 20th centrury films by women filmmakers. In 2022, “The Forest and the Architect”, is on a national tour of celebrating our public city parks and the legacy of for the Frederick Olmsted.
Ms. Rusnak understands how artists can experience and interpret the world we live in. Her choral work, Liberty’s Light, examines immigration from Ellis Island to the Texas border. “Water and Stone” explores climate, and the impact of water, heat and cold in sculpting Death Valley National Park. “From the Sidewalk”, addresses the invisibility of a homeless woman in New York City. In 2020, Rusnak was commissioned Fanfare for Justice (also Call for Justice) to commemorate the Black Lives Matter movement. Ms. Rusnak will be working on an environmentally-focused cross-cultural project at the Visby International Center for Composers in Fall 2022.
An passionate advocate, writer and presenter for New Music, Rusnak has served as Sound Art Curator for the Dallas Contemporary Art Museum, as Executive Director for Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia, and currently serves as president of the International Alliance for Women in Music. Ms. Rusnak also works with communities and organizations to bring music, and culture into public spaces. Her essays on music and advocacy can be found on LandscapeMusic.org, New Music Box, and the Journal of the IAWM. Her works are available from Amazon, Naxos and Parma Recordings. Scores are available through her website http://christinarusnak.com and distributors, and many are on ISSUU. To listen, go to her YouTube Channel.
Christina Rusnak
Christina S. Rusnak
Curriculum Vitae
2712 NE 13thAve
Portland, OR, 97212 971-275-2534 C
http://www.christinarusnak.com csrusnak27@gmail.com
Profile
- Passionate about composing about place and the human experience, sheintegrates context into her music from landscape, culture, history and art.
- A composer whose work exhibits a diversity of styles and points of view
- Repertoire includes Chamber Ensemble, Orchestra, Wind Band, Choral, Jazz, Electro-acoustic Film and Solo works
- A writer and advocate for New Music, with articles published by New Music Box, Oregon Arts Watch, Landscapemusic.org, IAWM Journal among others
Education
Master’s in Music Composition; University of North Texas,Denton, Texas; 2010
Professors and post-graduate composition studies with: David Bithell, Cindy McTee, Jonathan Newman, William Hoshal & Andrea Reinkemeyer
Graduate Certification, Arts Leadership, University of North Texas
Graduate Certification, Cultural Planning, University of British Columbia
Bachelor’s of Business Administration, Management; University of North Texas
Leadership & Board Service
Board President,International Alliance for Women in Music, 2020-2025
Director, Composing in the Wilderness, Alaska, 2019
Board Treasurer,International Alliance for Women in Music, 2016-2019
Board Member, Signal Fire Arts, 2015-2018
Steering Committee Member, Portland Emerging Arts Leaders, Oregon 2012-2015
Interim Executive Director, Orchestra 2001, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2010-2011
Sound Art Curator, Dallas Contemporary Art Museum, 2009-2010
Additional Professional Affiliations (abbreviated selection)
American Choral Directors Association
American Composers Forum
ASMAC (American Society of Musicians, Arrangers and Composers)
BMI, Writer and Publisher member, Rusnak Music Press
Cascadia Composers (NACUSA northwest chapter)
Chamber Music America
College Band Directors National Association
Landscape Music Composers’ Network
League of American Orchestras
Awards, Fellowships, Grants
American Prize Finalist 2025. Composition Orchestra, Time After All
American Prize 2nd place Winner 2024, Composition Orchestra, The South Pass
American Prize Finalist 2024, Composition Chamber Ensemble, FREE LAND
Global Music Awards, Bronze Winner 2023, Composer for Voices of the Land recording
Regional Arts and Culture Council, 2023, Voices of the Land recording
Regional Arts and Culture Council, 2022, grant for Pine Meadow recording
OREGON Arts Commission, 2020 grant to travel to Visby for VICC residency
Oregon Historic Trails Grant, 2018 grant for performance of Oregon Trail
OREGON Arts Commission, 2016 grant to record in Cuba with Vocal Luna
Priddy Fellowship for Arts Leadership, University of North Texas, 2008-2009
Compositions
In the Water I See My Dreams SSA Choir (Grade 3.5-4) 2025
Steppin’ Up Jazz Ensemble 2025
Wide Open Spaces Horn and Piano 2024
Life Across the Sea Symphonic Wind Ensemble 2024
Tranquil Waters Clarinet and Marimba (Grade 2) 2023
Time After All Orchestra 2023
Unbidden Piano Solo 2022
SWELL Percussion Solo with Electronics 2022
Respite Clarinet Solo 2022
A Walk in the Field Piano 4-hands + Str. Qrt. (Grade 1-3) 2021
The Forest & the Architect Flute, Clarinet, French Horn, Violin, Cello 2021
South Pass Orchestra 2021
Rosalie en Haar Trouwe Meubels. Piano (Silent Film) 2021
Un ravalement precipité Piano (Silent Film) 2021
Water and Stone Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Percussion 2021
Call for Justice Saxophone Quartet 2020
Fanfare for Justice French Horn Quartet 2020
Fanfare for Justice French Horn Solo 2020
Dune Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello 2020
Hyas Tyee Temwata Adaptable Small Wind Ensemble 2020/2019
The Coast in Winter Adaptable Small Wind Ensemble with Soloist 2020/2018
Fanfare Quintet for Adaptable Brass 2020/2007
Small Organisms Duos & Quartet for Adaptable Winds 2020/2006
Alaudidae Trio for Adaptable Winds and Strings 2020/1998
Liberty’s Light Women’s A‘capella Choir 2019
Passage Wind Band 2019
Dusk Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Marimba (piano 2008) 2019
Hyas Tyee Temwata Wind Band 2019
WYAM, Celilo Falls Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Fr. Horn, Bass, & 2018
Percussion Quartet
Oregon Trail (3 mvmts) Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Percussion, 2018
The Coast in Winter Grade 1 Wind Band, Grade 3 Viola Solo 2018
Tundra Tapestry (v.2) Flute, English Horn, Cello 2018
Contemplation Piano 2018
A House Divided Viola, Piano (for Kino Films) 2018
Tundra Tapestry Flute, Bass Clarinet, Violin 2017
Passage Orchestra 2017
Querido Difunto Women’s Choir (Translated into Spanish) 2017
Queridos Amados Women’s Choir (Translated into Spanish) 2017
Glacier Blue Cello Solo 2017
Le Jardin Perdu Piano 2016 (Revised)
Dearly Departed Women’s Choir 2016
The Way Through Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Marimba 2015
The Mountain Within String Orchestra 2015
The Life of Ashes Flute, Viola, Percussion 2014
Canyon Voices Flute, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Perc 2014
Coal Creek 2 violins, Bass Clarinet, Marimba 2013
Teklanika Chamber Orchestra & for Oboe, 2 Violins, Piano 2013
Going Rogue French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone 2013
FREE LAND Percussion, Flute, Violin, Cello, Trumpet 2012
Sequence: 3,4,5 Percussion, Flute, Clarinet, Trombone, VC 2011
Dearly Beloved Women’s Choir 2011
161 Glass Percussion Quartet + Clarinet & Trombone 2010
Rapartee Cello and Double Bass Duo 2010
Cancion del Barco Flute Solo (Grade 4) 2010
HighLine Piano, Percussion and Bass 2009
(Arr. For Jazz Orch. by D. Richards)
Dusk Violin, Clarinet Piano (also Piano Solo) 2008
JARS Large Chamber Ensemble 2008
Unspoken Geography Tape (Voice with Ambient Sounds) 2008
(Fear)
Chill Piano, Clarinet and Bass 2007
(Arr. for Jazz Orch. by D. Richards )
Nunc Dimittis Organ 2007
Fanfare Trumpet-2, Tombone-2, Tuba (Grade 3-4) 2007
Through Fog Piano 2007
The Jar Collection Chamber Ensemble 2007
Fugue for Strings Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass 2007
Kyripo Piano 2006
Small Organisms Piano (also strings)(Grade 1-3) 2006
White Rock Morning Tape (Eco-Sound) 2006
Chat Piano, Trumpet and Violin 2005
(Arr. for Jazz Orch. by D. Richards)
From the Sidewalk Video / Audio Soprano, String Trio and Actors 2005
Allegro Piano Solo (Grade 3-4) 2003
Malediction Trumpet, Soprano, Piano 2000
Cloudburst Marimba, Vibes, Timpani, Cello or Bass 1998
Alaudidae Flute/Clarinet Duo (Grade 3) 1998
Musette Piano solo (Grade 2-3) 1997 (Revised)
Recordings
Voices of the Land Navona Records, 2023
Unbidden Contemporary Eclectic Music for the Piano #23 2022
Jeffrey Jacobs, Ariel Records
Rosalie en Haar Trouwe Meubels Cinema’s First Nasty Women 2022
Kino Lorber Films UPC
Un ravalement precipité Cinema’s First Nasty Women 2022
Kino Lorber Films UPC
Dusk, Piano Solo Jazz and Meditations Ariel Records, B08JWTQSXT 2020
Jeffrey Jacobs # 16
Glacier Blue Moto Celeste, Navona Records NV 6266 2020
Parma Recordings, Ovidiu Marinescu, Cello
A House Divided Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers 2018
Kino Lorber Films UPC 7 38329 23411 9 Blue Ray
Le Jardin Perdue Contemporary Eclectic Music for Piano 2018
Ariel Records, B07C53MX3H Jeffrey Jacobs # 14
Dearly Departed Intersections, Ansonica Records AR0002 2016
Dearly Beloved Parma Recordings Sung by Vocal Luna
@ Abdala Studios
CHAT Parma Music Festival Live / Parma Recordings 2015
Chat Chill, HighLine Big Round Records, BR8937/ Parma Recordings 2014
Performed by LA Jazz @ Studio City Sound
Kyripo Slices, Navona Records NV5874 / Parma Recordings 2012
Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra
Cloudburst Masterworks # 10ERM Records 2007
Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra
Commissions and Festivals
2024. Wide Open Spaces, The Grapefruits
2022 Life Across the Sea, Winona State University
2021 Pine Meadow, Roundhouse Foundation
2021 The Forest and the Landscape Architect, American Wild Ensemble
2021 Rosalie en Haar Trouwe Meubels, Piano (Silent Film) by Carlton, University, Ottawa, CA
2021 Un ravalement precipité, Piano (Silent Film) by Carlton, University, Ottawa, CA
2021 Call for Justice (adaptation of Fanfare for Saxophone Quartet)
2020 Fanfare for Justice for Low Horn Solo and for Horn Quartet by Mark Olsen
2019 Festival of New American Music, Oregon Trail
2019 Composing in the Wilderness – Directed the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival composition adventure in Denali Nat’l Park with nine composers
2019 TURN UP Festival, Oregon TrailMe-a-pa-teperformed University of Arizona, Tucson
2018 Festival of New American Music, Oregon Trailperformed by Citywater New Music Ens.
2018 Visions of the Wild Festival, Oregon Trail performed as part of the Landscape Music Rivers and Trails Concert Series
2018 Oregon Bach Festival, Composer Symposium performance of “Free Land”
2017 A House Divided by Kino Lorber Films, film by Alice Guy Blache
2017 Composing in the Wilderness: Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Tundra Tapestry
2017 Glacier Blue for solo cello by Third Angle New Music Ensemble
2016 Dearly Departed by Parma Recordings and Vocal Luna
2014 The Way Through for North Cascades National Park
2013 Canyon Voices by Oregon State Parks:Composer in Residence for Cottonwood Canyon State Park
2013 12th AnnualCSUF New Music Festival: Voice in the 21st Century (The Unspoken Geography)
2012-13 Composing in the Wilderness: Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Denali & Yukon Charley
Composed Flow & Teklanika respectively, performed by Corvus
2012 Free Land by Homestead National Monument
2010 Rapartee by Bottom Line Duo
2009-10 161 Glass by Dallas Contemporary Museum for the new Art Space
Residencies, Guest Lectures, and Speaking Presentations
(Online rehearsals excluded)
2025 Presenter, Connecting to the Wider World, She Festival University of Arkansas, March
2023 Guest Lecturer, Passion, Perspective and Opportunity, Cascadia Composers March
2022 Residency, Visby International Centre for Composers – September-October
2022 Guest Lecturer, Composing Place: Landscape, Community, and Advocacy,
IAWM International Conference, Oregon State University, Corvalis, Oregon. June
2022 Panelist, EQUITY NOW; EXTENSITY hosts a virtual discussion on
gender equity and diversity in classical and new music. March
2022 Podcast Guest, Melodology Podcast, Episode 1, February
2021 Residency, Pine Meadow Ranch Arts – Sisters, Oregon, September
2020 Guest Lecturer, Oregon State University, Corvalis, Oregon. November
2020 Panelist: New Music Gathering: Landscape Music, June 2021
2020 Guest Composer, Leading Tones Music, May
2019 Guest Composer, Wells School of Music, West Chester University, Pennsylvania, November
2019 Speaker/Presenter: “Getting out of the Studio”,Cascadia Composers (NACUSA), February
2018 Speaker/Presenter: “Composing the Oregon Trail”,End of the Oregon Trail Museum. September
2018 Speaker/Presenter: “Composing in the Wilderness”Cascadia Composers (NACUSA), June
2016 Speaker/Presenter: “Music as Advocacy for our Rural Places”, RUPRI and Art of the Rural:
University of IOWA –October 2016
2016 Speaker/Presenter: “Music, Advocacy and participation in our region’s Natural Public Spaces” INTERTWINE ALLIANCE: ANNUAL SUMMIT
2015 Guest Lecturer: Marylhurst University, “Composing Landscape Music” April
2014 Residency, North Cascades National Park, Washington: composed The Way Through
Presentation: “Composing Landscape and Culture”
2014 Performance with Presentation: “Connecting to the Wilderness through Music“
Columbia Center for the ARTS,
2012 Residency: Homestead National Monument: composed FREE LAND
Presentation: “Composing Landscape and Culture”
Panelist
Oregon Cultural Trust grants panelist 2017
Oregon Arts Commission Arts grants panelist 2015 and 2016
Published Essays, Articles and Interviews
Voices of the Land, October 2023 Navona Records
https://www.navonarecords.com/news/inside-story-christina-rusnak-voices-of-the-land/
From the President, Fall 2020, IAWM Journal, Volume 26, No. 2
From the President. Spring 2020, IAWM Journal, Volume 26, No. 1
Landscape Music, Rivers and Trails, November 2018, IAWM Journal, Volume 24, No. 2
Widening Inclusion & Visibility, July 5, 2018, New Music Box
https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/widening-inclusion-visibility/
Widening Inclusion & Visibility Of Women In Music, May 2018, Jazz.net
http://jazzednet.org/resources/widening_inclusion/
Composing in the Wilderness, August 2017, Oregon Arts Watch
http://www.orartswatch.org/composing-in-the-wilderness-1-tundra-tapestry/
Commissioning Landscape Music, June 2017, Landscape Music.org
http://landscapemusic.org/essays/commissioning-landscape-music/
Solo Hikes: March 2017, Third Angle Buzz
http://thirdangle.org/buzz/buzz/solo-hikes-and-glacier-blue/535/
A Report from Cuba, November 2016, IAWM Journal, Volume 22, No. 2
Landscape Music, September 2, 2016, Oregon Arts Watch
http://www.orartswatch.org/landscape-music/
Music, Travel and the New Music Gathering, May 2016, IAWM Journal, Volume 22, No. 1
New Music and Place: Creating Community, April 25, 2016, New Music Box,
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/new-music-and-place-creating-community/
Composing Advocacy: Social Voices,April 19, 2016, New Music Box,
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/composing-advocacy-social-voices/
Money, Support and the Voice of New Music,April 13, 2016, New Music Box,
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/money-support-and-the-voice-of-new-music/
New Music as Advocacy for Place, April 4, 2016, New Music Box,
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/new-music-as-advocacy-for-place/
Cascadia’s Women Composers, Crazy Jane, November 2015, IAWM Journal, Volume 21, #2
Composing Landscape Music,July 2015, Landscape Music.org
http://landscapemusic.org/essays/composing-landscape-music/
Landscape Music as Advocacy, June 2015, Landscape Music.org
http://landscapemusic.org/essays/landscape-music-as-advocacy/
161 Glass: Site Specific Music in an Artistic Context, Masters’ Thesis; Three movement percussion quartet and the study of site specific music in an urban environment. Commissioned for the new Dallas Contemporary art space in 2010
Reconstructing Presence: Human Geography of Brent Phelps’ “On the Trail of Lewis and Clark”, Wandering Scholars, January 2009
50 @ 50: 50 Hikes @ 50 Places of Culture, Essays exploring the integration of physical geography and human and artistic culture; August 2010 – 2017
Artistic Collaborations & Partnerships
Land Art Installation – Merridawn Duckler and Blackfish Gallery August 2022
Score Cover – Adam Simmons, Fanfare for Justice,2020
Score Cover – Theresa Saia, Dusk for Quartet,2020
Score Cover – Christine Rains, The Brook,2020
Score Cover – Susanne Clark, Repartee,2019
Score Cover – Percy Manser, courtesy of Randy Dagel, Wy’am 2018
Score Cover – Alice Guy Blaché, courtesty of Kino Lorber Films, 2018
Score Image – John Ashley, photographer, for Glacier Blue Movement II, SKY 2016
Score Cover – Nancy Hausle-Johnsonm Tundra Tapestry II, 2017
Score Cover – Charlotte Bird, Tundra Tapestry, 2017
Score Cover – Lucianna Rollins Pina, Dearly Beloved & Queridos Amados, 2017
Score Cover – Marybee Kaufmann, Teklanika for both Chamber Ensemble and Orchestra 2016
Score Cover – Courtesty of the National Park Service, The Way Through, 2015
Other Experience
Switchback Group, LLC (formerly Christina Rusnak Consulting) September 2011-Present
Arts and Culture consulting:working with communities and organizations to integrate music, and culture into public and environmental spaces. Activities include, Music Curating, Strategic and Tactical Planning, Creative Placemaking, and Organizational Development for music, arts and culture organizations.
References
Andrea Reinkemeyer, Director of Composition, George Mason University, andrea@andreareinkemeyer.com Phone 503-883-2571
Oliver Caplan, Artistic Director, Juventas New Music Ensemble, oliver.caplan@juventasmusic.org Phone 617-894-0359
Libby Meyer, Professor, Director of Composition, Michigan Tech University, ecmeyer@mtu.edu Phone 906-487-3015
Stephen Lias, Professor, Composition, slias@sfasu.edu Phone: 936-468-4056
What I love to do
When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth.
1789
Working
Hours
8965
Hiking Miles
Be fluid. Treat each project differently. Be water, man. The best style is no style. Because styles can be figured out.
Contact Info
Get a hold of me or ask me a question.