Zack Settel (BFA Music Comp. Cal Arts 1995,   DMA Music Comp. U. of Montreal   2002)   studied   composition   with   Mortons     Subotnick   and Feldman.       Keenly   interested   in   the   use   of   technology   in   music production/performance, Settel moved to Paris in 1986,   with a Fulbright Scholarship for computer music   at the Institute for Research and the Coordination of Acoustics and Music (IRCAM),   headed by Pierre Boulez. After a two-year composing residency there, Settel remained at IRCAM until 1995, working full-time in the music production and music research groups.   In 1997 Settel returned to North America,   where he was a professor   at McGill University in Canada   for two   years,   chairing   the Music Technology area, and teaching courses and graduate seminars in computer music. He also was a visiting professor of composition at   the University of Montreal   in 2001-02. He now composes   full-time,   and is in (arts/science) collaboration with the Center for Intelligent Machines at McGill, working on immersive audio/music. Settel also provides   audio consultation     for   the   Societé   des   Arts   Technologiques   (SAT)   in Montreal. Settel's   often   music   includes   the   use   of   advanced   live   interactive electro-acoustic and audiovisual   systems. He has composed chamber works,   studio works,   as   well   as   music   for   film,   video,   television, theater, dance, and opera.   His music is published by Editions Ambrioso (Paris), recorded   on the CENTAUR,   ICMA,   MIT Press,   and Empreints Digitales labels, and is performed regularly in North/South America and in Europe and Asia. Settel has composed music for Television and Film, and   has   worked   with   various   performing   ensembles   including   the Ensemble   Intercontemporain   (Paris),   Le   Nouvel   Ensemble   Moderne (Montréal),   Zeitgeist   (Minneapolis),   the   California   Ear   Unit   (Los Angeles),   and Chants Libres (Montréal). Settel   is   also   a   founding   partner,   and   head   artistic   consultant   for Zeep.com,   developers of music production software for surround sound and audio postproduction.    Since 1996, Settel, with Zeep, has been involved   in pioneering work   for   the   development   of   surround-sound music tools.

Sheefa Variations (2007)
for saxophone quartet and live electronics
 
Sheefa variations is commissioned work for the Quasar Quartet.  The piece is among the first in a new series of the composer’s works exploring compositon and virtousity in an electronically augmented volumetric musical space.  The movement of the players on stage in relationship to their surrounding audio/musical environment is an essential part of the work ;  an optional image projection system may be added to display this « invisible» part of the performance and the interaction of the players within it.

Punjar (1997)
for soprano saxophone and live electronics

Punjar is a work for solo soprano saxophone and live electronics. The electronics are used to: (1) expand the timbral range of the instrument, (2) allow for the possibility of self accompaniment, providing additional "ensemble voices" in the musical structure, based on material played by the soloist. Almost al l of the electronically produced sounds are initiated and/or modified according to the material played by performer. Finally, an important underlying idea for this piece, "an ensemble controlled by one player", is inspired by John Cage's work in his Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano (1946-48 ).