Faculty Information

Jiayue Cecilia Wu

Assistant Professor MSRA Graduate Program Director

Music and Entertainment Studies (CAM)

Jiayue Cecilia Wu, Ph.D. is a scholar, composer, audio engineer, technologist, and vocalist. Her work focuses on how music technology can augment the healing power of music. She earned her BS in Design and Engineering in 2000. She then worked as a professional musician, publisher, and producer at EMI Records and Universal Music Group for 10 years. In 2013, she obtained her MA in Music, Science, and Technology from Stanford University. In 2018, she obtained her Ph.D. in Media Arts and Technology from UC Santa Barbara.

Her first book, Sound from Within: Phenomenology and Practice, was published by Springer Nature Press in 2021. In 2022, she received the privileged "CMS Instructional Technology Initiative Award" from the College Music Society. In 2023, she received the NAMM-GenNext Faculty Award. She has published 21 peer-reviewed, lead-or sole-authored research publications and three book chapters at the most prestigious journals in audio engineering and computer music, a male-dominated field where only 3% are women.

She has composed and produced 100+ pieces of award-winning music and interactive audiovisual installations that have been officially selected by R1 peer-reviewed research venues, museums, and international music/film festivals. Wu is the chairperson of the DEI Committee at Audio Engineering Society (AES). She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the U.S. and the board director-at-large at the International Computer Music Association.

Areas of Expertise

Electronic Music
Sound Design
Music Technology
Network Audio
Sound Arts
Sonic Meditation

Education, Licensure & Certifications

University of California Santa Barbara
Ph.D.; Media Arts and Technology

Stanford University
MA; Music Science & Technology

Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology
BS; Design and Engineering

Technology Management Graduate Certificate

Awards

2023 “NAMMGenNext” Faculty Grant Award, NAMM Foundation
2022. CMS Instructional Technology Initiative Grant Award, College Music Society
2021 Mandala (2018), Permanent Collection, Denver Art Museum’s Asian Art exhibition
2019, 2020 New Faculty Grant Awards, Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru)
2018 Sackler Graduate Research Award, National Academy of Sciences
2015 Young Alumni Arts Award, Stanford Arts Institute, Stanford University
2014, 2015 AES Graduate Student Research Grant Award, Audio Engineering Society 2014 Excellent Graduate Scholar Award, The Arts in Society Research Network
2013 California Legislature Certificate of Recognition, California State Assembly
2011-2013 Friends of Music Scholarship, Stanford Friends of Music Foundation

Embodied Sonic Meditation Composition Series: Heart Sutra (2021) Composer, vocalist, electronics, percussionist, field recording, mixing engineer, music producer: Wu, J.C.
Recording and co-mixing engineer, electronics and Kyma: Scott. L. Miller
Flutist, vocalist, electronics: Jane Rigler
Celletto: Chris Chafe
Visuals: Z.M. Rebecca Nie

This piece has been presented at prestigious and peer-reviewed international art venues: 2022 DAVAMOT Audiovisual Symposium, Official Selection
2022 47th International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), Concert Program
2022 CMS/ATMI (College Music Society), National Conference, Concert Program
2022 New York City Electronic Music Festival (NYCEMF), Official Selection
2022 Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), National Conference
2022 7th International Computer Art Congress (CAC.7), Audiovisual Installation
2022 Berlin International Art Film Festival, Official Selection
2022 Toronto International Women Film Festival, Official Selection
2022 Colorado Dragon Film Festival, Official Selection
2022 Earth Day Art Model Online Music Festival, Official Selection
2021 World Premiere, Sankofa Concert at Memorial Church, Stanford University

Duo Pandemics (2020), Featured in Quantum Elders Consciousness Vaccine Co-composer, vocalist, and electronics: Wu, J.C.
Composer, saxophones, synthesizer, and curator: Karlton Hester
Pipa: Yunxiang Gao
Visuals: Z.M. Rebecca Nie

This piece has been presented at prestigious and peer-reviewed international/national art venues:
2021 Berlin International Art Film Festival, Official selection
2021 New York Independent Cinema Awards, Official Selection
2021 Colorado Dragon Film Festival, Official Selection
2021 World Listening Day Project 2021, Official Selection
2021 Santa Cruz New Music Festival, Official Selection
2021 University of California Audiovisual Frontiers, Online Exhibition

For Tashi (2019)
Composer, vocalist, electronics, percussionist, field recording, mixing engineer, music producer: Wu, J.C.
Konghou performance: Lucina Yue
Visuals: Rebecca Ruige Xu

This piece has been presented at prestigious and peer-reviewed international art venues:
2023 Anima Cinefest Film Festival, Official Selection
2022 International of Computer Music Association ICMA Asia Showcase Concert Series
2022 Painting in Motions Concert Series, Reynolds Recital Hall, Montana State University
2021 The Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival, Official Selection
2021 London International Animation Festival, Official Selection
2021 17th Asian Women’s Film Festival, Official Selection
2021 WRPN Women’s International Film Festival, Original Score Award
2021 Festival RNAB, Official Selection
2021 Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema Showcase, Best Experimental/Web/New Media Award
2021 Puntoy Raya Festival, Moviment d’Alliberament Digital Award
2020 New York Animation Film Festival (NYAFA), Finalist Award
2020 New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF), Official Selection
2020 Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), Concert Program
2020 Colorado Dragon Film Festival, Official Selection
2020 The 3rd Chinese Women Artists Video Art Festival, Official Selection
2020 FESTIVAL ANGAELICA, Official Selection
2019 Invited Premiere, Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) Annual National Conference

Embodied Sonic Meditation Series: Resonance of the Heart (2018)
Human-Computer Interaction audio system design and implementation, composer, performer, interactive installation art realization: Wu, J.C.
Computer Graphics Implementation: Ren, Donghao

This piece has been presented at prestigious and peer-reviewed international/national art venues:
2019 National Museum of China, a month-long exhibition of the audiovisual art installation, curated by the 5th Art and Science International Exhibition and Symposium
2019 A solo performance, The Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas
2019 An audiovisual interactive installation, Linux Audio Conference, Stanford University
2019 An audiovisual interactive installation, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, NIME
2019 An audiovisual interactive installation, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), National Conference, Berklee College of Music
2019 A trio performance “Synergy with Embodied Sonic Meditation” at iStage, the 6th International Conference on Movement and Computing, Arizona State University
2018 IEEE Gallery Opening solo performance, the IEEE Visualization Conference, Berlin
2018 An audiovisual interactive installation, Premiere, California NanoSystems Institute

Embodied Sonic Meditation Series: Mandala (2018)
Human-Computer Interaction audiovisual system design and implementation, composer, performer, interactive installation art realization: Wu, J.C. T

his piece has been presented at prestigious and/or peer-reviewed international/national art venues:
2023 Performance Media Festival,Indiana University, South Bend Museum of Art
2021 Permanent Collection of Asian Art, Denver Art Museum
2019 Invited Asian Premiere, Beijing Music-Acoustica Electronic Music Festival
2018 World Premiere, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), National Concert
2018 Featured concert piece at CyberSounds Network Concert, Temple University, Boyer College of Music and Dance
2018 Featured concert piece at California Electronic Music Exchange Concerts (CEMEC)

Affiliations

AES
SEAMUS
ICMC
CMS/ATMI

Publications and Presentations

Peer-Reviewed Books

Wu, J.C., 2024 (in-contract). Reimagining the Future of Concert Music through Network Audio Technology. Routledge Press.

Chagas, P.C. and Wu, J.C. eds., 2021. Sounds from Within: Phenomenology and Practice. Springer International Publishing.

Peer-reviewed Book Chapters
Wu, J. C., 2021. “Experiencing Embodied Sonic Meditation through Body, Voice, and Multimedia Arts.” Sounds from Within: Phenomenology and Practice. Springer Press.
Wu, J. C., and Chagas, Paulo C., 2021. “Introduction.” Sounds from Within: Phenomenology and Practice. Springer Press.
Wu, J. C., 2021. “An Outlook on Future Digital Musical Instruments.” The Art of Digital
Orchestration. Routledge Press.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Wu, J. C., 2021. “An innovative mindset: Teaching Embodied Sonic Meditation in Higher Education.” Audio Engineering Society (AES) E-library collection

Wu, J. C., 2020. “From Physical to Spiritual: Defining the Practice of Embodied Sonic Meditation.” Organised Sound. Cambridge University Press.

Wu, J. C., 2019. “Promoting Contemplative Culture through Media Arts.” MDPI Journal of Multimodal Technologies and Interaction.

Wu, J. C., Smith, J.O., Zhou Y. and Wright M., 2017. “Embodied Sonic Meditation and Its Proof-of-Concept: Resonance of the Heart." Ann Arbor MI: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan.

Wu, J. C., 2015. “The Expressionist: A Gestural Mapping Instrument for Voice and Multimedia Enrichment.” The International Journal of New Media, Technology and the Arts, 10(1), pp.11-19.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings:
Wu, J. C., 2022. “Today and Yesterday: Two Case Studies of China’s NIME Community.” In the 22nd International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME).

Wu, J. C., and Nie, R., 2022. “Heart Sutra: Reflections and Meditation of Cultural-Wisdom Heritage and the Contemporary World through NFT and Augmented Reality.” In the 7th Computer Art Congress (CAC.7).

Wu, J. C., and Miller, S. L., 2022. “Recording Arts and Studio Engineering for High-fidelity Multitrack Network Music Production” In Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention 152.

Fox, A., and Wu, J. C., 2021. “Teaching Modular Synth and Sound Design Online During COVID-19: Maximizing Learning Outcomes Through Open-Source Software and Student-Centered Pedagogy.” In Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention 151.

Wu, J. C., 2021. “Designing and Practicing Embodied Sonic Meditation.” In the 46th International Computer Music Conference (ICMC).

Wu, J. C., Das, O. and DiPasquale, V., 2019. “A Comparative Pilot Study and Analysis of Audio Mixing Using Logic Pro X and GarageBand for iOS.” In Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention 147.

Wu, J. C., 2019. “Resonance of the Heart: A Direct Experience of Embodied Sonic Meditation.” In the 25th International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), pp.247-253.

Wu, J. C., 2018. “Promoting Underrepresented Cultures through Media Arts Collaboration,” In the 24th International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), pp.33-37.

Wu, J. C., Smith, J.O., Zhou Y. and Wright, M., 2017. “Embodied Sonic Meditation and Its Proof-of-Concept: Resonance of the Heart.” In the 43rd International Computer Music Conference (ICMC).

Wu, J. C., Rau M., Zhang Y., Zhou Y. and Wright, M., 2017. "Towards robust tracking with an unreliable motion sensor using machine learning." In the 17th International Conference on New Interface for Music Expression (NIME), pp.42-47.

Wu, J. C., Huberth, M., Yeh, Y. H. and Wright, M., 2016. “Evaluating the Audience’s Perception of Real-time Gestural Control and Mapping Mechanisms in Electroacoustic Vocal Performance.” In the 16th International Conference on New Interface for Music Expression (NIME), pp.206-211.

Wu, J. C., and Lee, H., 2016. “The Impact of Contemplative Practice on ‘Being Peace and the Power of the Voice’ – a collaborative project on music and meditation,” In the 3rd International Symposium on Contemplative Practices for the 21st Century University.

Wu, J. C., and Conti, F., 2015. “Virtual Mandala,” In the 21st International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA).

Wu, J. C., Yeh, Y. H., Michon, R., Weitzner N., Abel, J.S. and Wright, M., 2015. “Tibetan Singing Prayer Wheel: A Hybrid Musical-Spiritual Instrument Using Gestural Control.” In the 15th International Conference on New Interface for Music Expression (NIME), pp.91-94.

Received Peer-reviewed Scholarly Critiques/Reviews/Theoretical Analysis:

Harris, L. 2021. “Analysing Audiovisually, Case Study I – For Tashi” Composing Audiovisually: Perspectives on audiovisual practices and relationships. Routledge.

Gaston-Bird, L. 2019. Women in Audio, “Electronic Music,” Routledge, pp.138-140.

Chu, N. 2021. “Watch: Algorithm-driven Buddhist art debuts at Stanford University https://www.lionsroar.com/algorithm-driven-buddhist-art-debuts-at-stanford-university, Lion’s Roar Magazine. Accessed October. 29, 2021.

Tuttle, R. 2021. “Review: Music from SEAMUS Volume 30,” Fanfare Magazine, Vol. 45, No. 2.

Bartlett, K. 2021. “Music from SEAMUS Volume 30,” New Focus Recordings,

https://www.newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue/music-from-seamus-vol-30. Accessed April 15, 2022.

Jiao, T and Wagner D., 2021. “Linking Asia with the Mile High City: The Revitalization of the Denver Art Museum Asian Art Galleries in 2021.” Orientations Magazine. (Mandala review)

College of Arts & Media

CU Denver

Arts Building

1150 10th Street

Suite 177

Denver, CO 80204

303-315-7400

Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Events

Tools

Resources

Schools & Colleges

Campus Affiliates

The College of Arts & Media