Dafna Naphtali

Dafna Naphtali is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Technology, also having graduated from NYU M.M. Music Technology (’96), B. Mus. – Vocal Performance (’92 Magna Cum Laude).

Dafna is an active electronic-musician, singer, instrumentalist, composer and performer of experimental, interactive electro-acoustic music. Drawing on a wide-ranging musical background and using her custom Max programming she performs and exhibits work internationally, with projects including: “Audio Chandelier” multi-channel sound works, “Robotica” for music robots and mechanical piano, and “Walkie Talkie Dreams,” site-specific interactive soundwalks in NYC and Germany. As singer, she’s performed Cage, Stockhausen (Stimmung), La Monte Young, Eisler/Brecht, als performing on projects of Shelley Hirsch, Merche Blasco, Hans Tammen, and toured singing Spanish Civil War songs with Barbez band.

Dafna’s longest running project is the live sound-processing of voice and acoustic instruments, which she considers as her performance “instrument.” She’s performed and released numerous recordings with her duos: with trombonist Jen Baker, percussionist Luis Tabuenca, Chuck Bettis (electronics/throat), saxophonists Ras Moshe and Edith Lettner, and NYU faculty members Gordon Beeferman (piano/organ) and Hans Tammen (guitar/electronics). In 2023 she gathered the duos into a large ensemble to perform at Roulette Intermedium (DUOS++OCTET).  Dafna has written book chapters and blog posts on “Live Sound Processing and Improvisation” for over a decade, and she is currently working on a forthcoming book.

Fellowships/awards: Guggenheim Fellowship (Music Composition 2023), NY Foundation for the Arts (’22, ‘13, ‘01), Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (2022), NY State Council on the Arts (’99, ’18), Brooklyn Arts Council (’18), Franklin Furnace, American Composers Forum (’99, ’09), Foundation for Contemporary Arts, American Music Center; residencies at MacDowell, Kimmel Nelson Harding, Montalvo, Music/OMI, STEIM, and Signal Culture.

Prior to 2024, Dafna was adjunct faculty at NYU (since the mid-90’s), teaching about music technology, Max programming, electronic music performance and composition, and soundwalking.