Igor Santos

Described as “otherworldly and mysteriously familiar” (Chicago Classical Review) and as “exciting and clear... with a striking boldness” (Luigi Nono Competition Prize), Igor Santos’s music has been performed internationally by leading musicians such as Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Dal Niente, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Yarn/Wire, Alarm Will Sound, the American Composers Orchestra, and The Florida Orchestra. In addition to concert works, Igor is also experienced in the industry composing for documentaries, TV, and incidental theater music.

His work is centered on mimetic relationships between found sounds, video, and acoustic instruments, creating narratives that explore timbre, personal identity, and musico-historical signs and symbols. Additionally, he is interested in various approaches to musical repetition, and the use of microtonal keyboards.

Igor has earned degrees in Music Composition from the University of Chicago, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of South Florida. He has been awarded the Rome Prize (2022) from the American Academy in Rome, a Guggenheim Fellowship (2023), and has won awards such as the International Ferruccio Busoni Competition, the Luigi Nono International Competition, the RED NOTE Competition, the Salvatore Martirano Award, and was also awarded Best Sound Design from Theater Tampa Bay (for his incidental music).

Igor is a native of Curitiba, Brazil.