Mark Kirschenmann

A composer, trumpeter, and educator, Mark Kirschenmann is known for his creative improvisational music, utilizing his electrified trumpet and mix of MIDI, pedals, and plugins. A professor at the University of Michigan, Kirschenmann has showcased his experimental works on album, including 2005's The Electric Trumpet, 2019's Full On!, and 2025's Tonics: 7 Melodies for Trumpet with Bamboo Mouthpipe.Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kirschenmann is influenced by an array of artists, including Steve Reich, Morton Feldman, Kraftwerk, and Miles Davis. He has released a handful of albums, including 2005's electro-fusion-inspired The Electric Trumpet, 2010's The Bionic Trumpet, and 2015's Icosahedron: 20 Improvisations for Pitch-to-Midi Trumpet. In 2019, he released Full On!, a collaboration with drummer William Hooker. Kirschenmann holds PhD degrees in composition and music theory from the University of Michigan where he also teaches and directs various ensembles. Along with his solo work, he co-leads a trio with his wife, cellist Katri Ervamaa, and percussionist Michael Gould. He has also worked with an array of artists, including bassist Henry Grimes, flutist Nicole Mitchell, saxophonists Oliver Lake and Arthur Blythe, and many others. In 2021, he released Cybersonic Outreach, an album of atmospheric avant-garde soundscapes. Tonics: 7 Melodies for Trumpet with Bamboo Mouthpipe arrived in 2025 and found Kirschenmann playing his custom-made bamboo trumpet mouthpipe interface.
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