Austin Lewellen

Austin Lewellen’s interests lie primarily in the creation of living music, through active collaboration with composers. He is most at home in small ensembles, recording studios, and opera pits, though his technique has a firm grounding in the orchestral tradition of the Common Practice Era. He takes these skills both as a basis of communal understanding and as a point of departure.

In the past couple of years, Lewellen has had the good fortune to take part in the world premiere of a new opera from Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, to perform the music of Dev Hynes at BAM and NYFW, and to record the music of Tyondai Braxton, Dave Brubeck, Julius Eastman, Patrick Harlin, Éliane Radigue, and Nicky Sohn for releases on labels that include Nonesuch, Navona, Bright Shiny Things, and Furious Artisans. He serves as Managing Director of Kinetic Ensemble, who released their debut album in November 2023, and who were named Best Chamber Orchestra of 2023 by the Houston Press. At present, Lewellen splits his time between New York and Houston.