Carl Bettendorf is a New York-based composer/conductor. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he studied composition with Wolfgang Rihm before receiving his doctorate from Columbia University under Tristan Murail.
His compositions have been played at prestigious venues and festivals on four continents. He has received numerous awards, among them residencies at the Cité des Arts (Paris) and MacDowell as well as commissions from the Fromm Foundation and the Ralph Kaminsky Fund.
As a conductor, Bettendorf has worked with ensembles in New York (Wet Ink, counter)induction; Ghost and Talea ensembles) and abroad (piano possibile in Munich, Ostravská banda in the Czech Republic) and was director of the Manhattanville and Bates College orchestras. He recently conducted opera productions at Bard College and the Opéra national de Montpellier (France) and has served as assistant conductor of the American Composers Orchestra. He has recorded for Albany, ArtVoice, Carrier, Cybele, Hat Hut, Indexical, New Focus, and Tzadik.
