Allison McIntosh is a Midwest-based composer originally from the Pacific Northwest. Her music often involves influence from literature, and one of her main passions in music is writing for voice. Her first chamber opera, The Murderess, explores issues of feminism and medical autonomy through a lens of true crime. Her music also often connects her passion for music history to her interest in innovation and experimentation. 

 

McIntosh has attended festivals such as the Hot Air Music Festival, Cortona Sessions, and the Walden School, as well as many academic conferences throughout the country. Her music has been performed by many talented musicians including the Washington Masters Chorale, Sputter Box Ensemble, the Meadowlark Project, and members of the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra. She enjoys interdisciplinary collaboration with institutions like the Spencer Museum of Art and the University of Kansas' School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She has seen her works performed at Boston Symphony Hall, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, and the National Presbyterian Church, as well as many other venues throughout the country. 

 

McIntosh graduated with a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas, where she studied with Ingrid Stölzel. She also holds a Master's of Music from the New England Conservatory, where she studied with Michael Gandolfi, and a bachelor's degree from Tufts University. In addition to composing, she has a passion for education and pedagogy. She currently serves as an instructor of composition at Missouri Western State University.