Kyle Hutchins

Kyle Hutchins is a visionary experimental performance artist, composer, improviser, and educator, forging new sonic frontiers with his saxophone, voice, cutting-edge technology, and an arsenal of unconventional instruments. Hailed as “epic” (Jazz Times) and “gripping” (Star Tribune), Kyle’s music has been showcased at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and The Walker Art Center, and featured at festivals across five continents, including the World Saxophone Congress, Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt, and the International Computer Music Conference. His artistry has earned him accolades from DOWNBEAT, New Music USA, The American Prize, and American Protégé, as well as recognition in The Roanoker Magazine’s “40 under 40” for 2024.

A leading figure in experimental performance and electroacoustic new music, Kyle has premiered over 350 new works and appears on more than thirty albums as both a leader and sideman. He regularly performs with 113 Composers Collective, Fonema Consort, and Strains Ensemble, and has worked with prominent composers and performers including Pauline Oliveros, George Lewis, Chaya Czernowin, Douglas Ewart, and Claire Chase. Kyle has also developed long-standing collaborations with many contemporary artists such as Ted Moore, Tiffany M. Skidmore, Joey Crane, Emily Lau, Elizabeth A. Baker, Charles Nichols, Eric Lyon, and many more wonderful artists and dear friends.

“Part of electroacoustic improv’s well-hewn dynasty” (Downtown Music Gallery), Kyle is an eminent improviser whose playing is described as “undoubtedly brave” (Issues Magazine) and “frankly unsafe” (I Care If You Listen). His work can be heard on labels such as Carrier, Lurker Bias, Noise Pelican, and Mother Brain, as well as at festivals and series like afterMAF, SKRONK, and CUSP. His ongoing projects, including Binary Canary, Kill All Kings, and Banshee, draw on influences from free jazz, noise music, and punk rock.

Since 2016, Kyle has been a faculty member at Virginia Tech, where he serves as Assistant Professor of Practice in the School of Performing Arts and Director of the New Music + Technology Festival and ArtX Program at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and a Master of Music degree from the University of Minnesota, and Bachelor's degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from the University of North Texas, studying under Eugene Rousseau, Eric Nestler, Marcus Weiss, and James Dillon. 

Kyle is a Performing Artist for Yamaha, Légère, and E. Rousseau Mouthpieces.