
Music teacher + content creator
Forrest
Balman
Get in touch
forrest
@forrestbalman.com forrest@forrestbalman.com
Featured Work
If I'm up to something, you'll find it here 😈
Sonata, for Mechanical Keyboard and Electronics
1 typist + electronics - 2025
These 3 pieces were composed using my Sonata engine, which is a tool that allows composers to take a body of text, and assign a sound to each letter. The concept was inspired by online typing tests, as well as it being an opportunity to honor the keyboard as a musical instrument, rather than our everyday association with it as a tool for inputting text. This is a fully accessible piece that can be performed by anyone with a keyboard, and the engine is open source so you can compose your own pieces with it!
My Portfolio
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Sonata, for Mechanical Keyboard and Electronics
1 typist + electronics - 2025
They sang... and 🏔️⛰️ rose from the 🌎
1+ voices - 2025
I Could've Sworn I've Heard This Somewhere Else 🤔
electronics, any number of participants - 2024
She told me, "Shut up, or I'll give you somethin' to 😢 about"
trumpet + electronics - 2024
I Don't Have Time to Roam, I Have Things to Do, I Have to Go 🏠
drums, mallets + electronics - 2024
Call Center
1+ voices - 2024
Your Heart is a 🧭, Your Voice is a 🌡️
1+ voices - 2024
•• •—— •• ••• •••• 🤞 —•—— ——— ••— —•—• ——— ••— •—•• —•• —•• • —•—• ——— —•• •— •••• • ••• • ••• •••• ——— •—• — ••• •— —• —•• •—•• ——— —• ——• •••
clarinet, electronics + projection - 2024
And Where Do I Seek My 🐬 of Wisdom?
clarinet, electronics + projection - 2023
Digits
keyboard 1+ hands - 2023
Tap tap tap... and I Turn to Answer
clarinet + electronics - 2023
Daily Ostinato
electronics - 2023
Gales
electronics - 2023
Common Tones
electronics - 2022
Earth Time
electronics - 2022
Skyline
electronics - 2022
Particulate
electronics - 2022
Latency
electronics - 2022
My Third Eye
piano - 2022
Plinko
electronics - 2022
Columns, Eroding
marimbas - 2022
Augurs
percussion - 2022
Polyswing
percussion - 2022
Drunk Walk
percussion - 2021
Intersections
electronics - 2020
Babble
voices - 2021
A Giant Tramples Through a Spring Forest
clarinet, horn, viola, cello + electronics - 2021
Study of Shapes: Lines
8 channels - 2020
Dialogues
2+ pitched instruments - 2019
Three Country Dances
string quartet - 2018
Signals
ensemble - 2018
Hidden Voices
2 dancers, 2 celli + electronics - 2017
Lapse
string quartet - 2017
Orphan or Dancer
soprano + piano - 2017
Simon
1+ quartets - 2016
If You Cannot Sing Like Angels
soprano + piano - 2016
Navigator
ensemble - 2016
Download my CV for more detailed information.
Professional Experience
Graduate Student Instructor + Researcher
University of California, Santa Cruz, 2023 - present
Disability Resource Center Assistant
University of California, Santa Cruz, 2024 - present
Web Administrator + Social Media Manager
Earplay, 2021 - 2025
Private Guitar, Theory, and Composition Teacher
Forrest Balman's Music Studio, 2011 - present
Artistic Production Manager + Electronicist
San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, 2021 - 2024
Private + Small Group Music Instructor
Myriad School of Music and Dance Academy, 2018 - 2019
Education
Doctor of Musical Arts
University of California, Santa Cruz, 2022 - 2028
Master of Arts
San Francisco State University, 2019 - 2021
Bachelor of Music
San Francisco State University, 2016 - 2019