João Pedro Oliveira named 2025 Fromm Music Foundation composer

Selected from a global field of composers whose work is shaping the future of contemporary music, UC Santa Barbara professor and Corwin Chair of Composition João Pedro Oliveirahas received a 2025 commission from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University.

Oliveira is one of just 12 composers worldwide chosen for this year's cohort. For more than 70 years, the Fromm Music Foundation Commission has supported innovative voices in contemporary music, recognizing composers of exceptional vision.

"João's selection for the Fromm Commission is a testament not only to his individual brilliance but to the caliber of artistic research happening right here at UCSB," said Daina Ramey Berry, the Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts. "His work consistently pushes the envelope of what is possible in sound, and we are thrilled to see him recognized by Harvard on this global stage."

As part of the commission, Oliveira will compose a bold new work for the Tempo Ensemble, a contemporary chamber group based at California State University, Northridge.

True to Oliveira's signature style, the piece will create dialogue between acoustic instrumentation and electronic sounds. It will feature a chamber ensemble of five to six instruments integrated with electronics. The world premiere is scheduled to take place at UC Santa Barbara in 2027, likely as part of the Corwin Concert Series, bringing the fruits of this Harvard-backed commission directly to the campus stage.

Born in Portugal, Oliveira brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to the Department of Music. Holding degrees in both architecture and music, his work often exhibits a structural complexity and spatial awareness that sets it apart in the field of electroacoustic music.

Since joining UCSB as the Corwin Chair, Oliveira has solidified the university's reputation as a hub for electronic music and avant-garde composition. His works have been performed across Europe, Asia and the Americas, earning him over 70 international awards. These include the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Prize in Composition and the Giga-Hertz Award from ZKM in Germany.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.