Curriculum vitae of Peter A. Torpey

Statement

I work at the nexus of theater, design, image, music, technology, and storytelling. Most commonly, a given project is an amalgam of some or all of these elements. I weave together my diverse expertise to create systems for interactive media, installation, and performance. For each project, I address both the technological and control infrastructure needs of complex performances and exhibitions, as well as the design of visual and experiential languages.

As the founder and principal creative at The n^th Art LLC, I work with international and multidisciplinary teams, including theater directors, composers, orchestras, and other artists to invent experiences that amplify artistic expression and bring audiences closer to the stories being told. My creative and technical contributions have been integral to the design and implementation of groundbreaking works that focus on modes of representing expression and new models of presence in live performance. Many works use networked technologies in live and immersive experiences to extend performance across space and time.

Work Experience

Founder and Principal Creative at The n^th Art LLC, 2014–present.
Experience design, lighting design, media and projection design, interactive technologies, video production, web and mobile applications, software performance systems, and workshops in creative multidisciplinary practices for a variety of clients including: Virginia Opera, Vermont Opera Project, Merola Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Enigma Chamber Opera, VisionIntoArt, Beth Morrison Projects, Boston Camerata, Boston Cecilia, Flux Projects, Google Physical and Interactive Experiences, MIT Media Lab, Arts at MIT, MIT Theatre Arts, Lucerne Festival, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Gucci, Expo 2020 Dubai, Trill, HUBweek, Switchboard Operations, University of California-San Diego Calit2, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Arizona, Kennesaw State University, FirstFuel, KeyTunes, Harman International, Civic Entertainment Group.
- Experience design, lighting design, media and projection design, interactive technologies, video production, web and mobile applications, software performance systems, and workshops in creative multidisciplinary practices for a variety of clients including: Virginia Opera, Vermont Opera Project, Merola Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Enigma Chamber Opera, VisionIntoArt, Beth Morrison Projects, Boston Camerata, Boston Cecilia, Flux Projects, Google Physical and Interactive Experiences, MIT Media Lab, Arts at MIT, MIT Theatre Arts, Lucerne Festival, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Gucci, Expo 2020 Dubai, Trill, HUBweek, Switchboard Operations, University of California-San Diego Calit2, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Arizona, Kennesaw State University, FirstFuel, KeyTunes, Harman International, Civic Entertainment Group
Program Director, Live and Immersive Arts, The University of Arizona, 2021–2026.
Chief Technology Officer and Lead Software Engineer, New Harmony Line, 2020–2025.
Lead Software Engineer, Me-J Beats, 2016–2019.
Artist and co-founder, The Unexpected Collective, 2014–present.
Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Media Laboratory in the Opera of the Future group, 2013–2014.

Created software systems for interactive and collaborative performance experiences in live and on-demand contexts.

Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Media Laboratory in the Opera of the Future research group, 2014–2015.
Research Assistant at the MIT Media Laboratory in the Opera of the Future research group, 2007–2013.
- Created music and performance analysis tools and visualizations for use in performance contexts.
- Developed control software for expressive and robotic performances on stage.
- Developed theoretical framework for cross-modal mapping and composition of artistic works.
Web Application Developer for The Echo Nest, 2007.
- Standards-based implementation of a searchable product system using XSLT, XHTML, PHP, Solr, MySQL, and AJAX.
- Implemented robust web crawlers and knowledge repository parsers for proprietary downstream datamining applications.
Freelance software developer, web design, graphic design, video production, and visual effects for multiple clients, 2004–2007.
- Visualization artist for SSAMM, LLC, 2005.
- Web designer, developer, and database integrations for Sun Travel Network, Marina Tours & Travel Arizona, Arizona ASTA, SoftNI Corporation, TJ's Travel Club for Seniors, Departures Cruz ‛n Tours, Travel Masters of Tempe, Welcome Aboard Travel, Cinema Tableau Productions, Mescal Mt. Productions, 2003–2007.
Media Services Support Specialist for the University of Arizona Learning Technologies Center, 2001–2003.
- Assisted clients in the creation of instructional media.
- Shot, edited, and created motion graphics for numerous production projects at the University of Arizona.
- Software development.

Selected Projects

Co-director of immersive theatrical and installation experiences with StellarScape, Tucson, 2024–2025.
Co-creator of Ipomoea with R. Makus and E. Nattinger, presented at Kennesaw State University, Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta festival, and Seven Stages, Atlanta, 2015–2017.
Visual and interaction designer for workshop of Anthony Davis’s opera Lilith, San Diego, 2015.
Interaction, visual design, and software systems for Fensadense for ten musicians, hyperinsruments, and live-electronics composed by Tod Machover for the Lucerne Festival, 2015.
Creator of an audience-interactive experience for a Trill Inc. launch event, connecting audience’s mobile devices to live musicians, dancers, and lighting, 2014.
Creative director and designer of visuals and software systems for Powers Live, the global interactive simulcast of the opera Death and the Powers, presented from Dallas, 2014.
Creator of Figments, short theatrical work with performance technologies commissioned for the MIT Media Lab Other Festival of Arts and Design, 2013.
Creator of Media Scores, a framework and application for composing multimodal experiences and performances, 2013.
Visual designer and software systems architect for A Toronto Symphony: Concerto for Composer and City, a massive symphonic collaboration between composer Tod Machover and the citizens of Toronto, in collaboration with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, 2012–2013.
Co-creator of Remote Theatrical Immersion: Extending Sleep No More, pilot experience in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab and the Punchdrunk theater group, 2011–2012.
Designer and workshop leader for Personal Opera with Tod Machover and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 2009–2012.
Creator of Bibliodoptera, site-specific installation with Elena Jessop commissioned for the MIT 150th FAST Festival of Arts, Science, and Technology, 2011.
Spheres and Splinters, solo cello, spatialized sound, and visuals performance composed by Tod Machover for the Aldeburgh Faster Than Sound event, 2010.
Visual designer and software systems architect for Death and the Powers, a robotic opera by Tod Machover, 2008–2011.
Member of the Visualization Group at the Broad Institute, 2008–2010.
- Worked with researchers and staff at the Broad, Harvard, and MIT to refine and develop new approaches to visualize genomics data in research and presentation applications.
Developer of a compositing and image-manipulation suite of plug-ins for Adobe After Effects, 2004–2005.
- Efficient plug-in design and algorithm development to address digital video compositing needs.
- C programming for the After Effects SDK under Microsoft Windows.
Visual Effects Artist for the Roy Wageman film The Scion, 2002–2003.
- Worked with Director and Director of Photography to design and plan visual effects shots.
- Supervised shooting and troubleshooting for effects and chroma key work, including rough compositions on set.
- Camera tracking and matching for virtual sets.
- Designed and created CG models, textures, and lighting for 3D elements and virtual sets.
- Created 2D matte paintings, effects elements, and composites for effects shots.
Assistant Editor for the Janice L. Dewey video documentary Nancy Mairs: Waist-High in the World, 2000–2003.
- Worked closely with Director throughout post-production and distribution.
- Edited sequences and contributed to the development of the project's structure.
- Motion graphics and title creation.
- Videography of special features and additional footage.
Additional theatrical lighting, media, projection, and/or scenic design, 2009–present.
A Dream Like a Dream (2025), Oblivion (workshop 2025), EarthScape (2025), Sensorium Ex (2025), PlanetScape (2024), VALIS (2023), Overstory Overture (2023), Brain, Breath + Body (2022), The Andrée Expedition 360° (2021), Curlew River (2021), The Impresario (2020), Dido and Aeneas (2020, 2022), The Turn of the Screw (2020), If I Were You (world premiere 2019), Paride ed Elena (2019), Schoenberg in Hollywood (world premiere 2018, 2025), As You Like It (2017), Luminosity (2017), Meaning in the Making (2017), The Andrée Expedition (2017), Tristan and Iseult (2017, 2018), The Seven Deadly Sins (2016), The Night’s Tale (2016), Of All the Flowers (2015), Spring Awakening (2015), The Play of Daniel: A Masterpiece Revisited (2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2025), Sweeney Todd (2014), Young Frankenstein (2013), The Drowsy Chaperone (2012), Children of Eden (2011), Assassins (2011), Jekyll and Hyde (2011), Death and the Powers (2010, 2011, 2014), Guys and Dolls (2010), Four Asynchronicities on the Theme of Contact (2010), More Floor Pieces (2010), The Mark Wood Experience (2010), Side Show (2009)

Publications

Impey, C., He, Y.K., Torpey, P.A., Burleson, W. “PlanetScape: An Immersive, Multimedia Performance Inspired by Exoplanets and Space Exploration.” Leonardo, 2025.
Torpey, P., Bloomberg, B. “Powers Live: A Global Interactive Opera Simulcast.” Proceedings of ACE. Funchal, 2014.
Torpey, P. Media Scores: A Framework for Composing the Modern-Day Gesamtkunstwerk. Ph.D. Thesis: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013.
Torpey, P. “Digital systems for live multimodal performance in Death and the Powers.” International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, Volume 8, Number 1, pp. 109–123. 2012.
Jessop, E., Torpey, P., and Bloomberg, B. “Music and Technology in Death and the Powers.” Proceedings of NIME, pp. 349–354. Oslo, 2011.
Torpey, P. Disembodied Performance: Abstraction of Representation in Live Theater. S.M. Thesis: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009.
Torpey, P. and Jessop, E. “Disembodied Performance.” Proceedings of ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 3685–3690. Boston, 2009.

Presentations

Course instructor for “Creating Immersive Experiences”, College of Fine Arts, The University of Arizona, 2022–2025, Tucson.
Presented “Reimagining Opera for the Future” with C. Stokes, SXSW, 2022, Austin.
Visiting artist lecturer at The Longy School of Music of Bard College, 2020, 2022, Cambridge.
Visiting artist lecturer at University of Oregon, 2020, Eugene.
Panelist at the “Cave Visions and Deep Media” symposium, Getty Research Institute, 2016, Los Angeles.
Visiting artist, presented lectures and workshops on projection design, Department of Theater and Performance Studies, Kennesaw State University, 2016, Kennesaw.
Visiting lecturer, “Be Creative” Minor, Engineering School, Fontys University, 2015–2024, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Presented the guest lecture “Abstraction, Connection, and The n^th Art” at Fontys University, 2015, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Led workshop entitled “Scoring the Dynamic Stage” on Media Scores and designing with interactive performance technologies at the Prague Quadrennial Spacelab, 2015, Prague, Czech Republic.
Presented “Mortality, Morality, Machinery: Technologies from Automatons to Audiences” as panelist on robots in the theater at DASER, National Academy of Sciences, 2014, Washington, DC.
Led masterclass entitled “Waves” at Blikwisseling 2014, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Presented “Space-less, Time-less, Live: Scoring for Immersion and Collaboration” at Music Tech Fest 2014, Boston.
Led workshop entitled “Abstract Expression, Creation, and Collaboration across Time and Distance” at A New Dawn: Looking for a Spring, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in 2013, Enschede, Netherlands.
Presented as panelist for 5D’s “Breaking the Box: 21^st Century Collaboration Challenge” at USITT 2011, Charlotte.
Presented at NIME 2011, Oslo, Norway.
Presented work in progress at ACM CHI 2009, Boston.
Demonstrated during the Design in Flux panel at 5D: The Future of Immersive Design 2008, Long Beach.
Led workshop on Hyperscore at Guiding Lights Network 2008, Seattle.
Led workshop on Hyperscore at AARP Life@50+ 2007, Boston.

Skills

Experienced in programming with Java, C, Perl, C#.NET, Python, C++, SQL, SML, Icon, Processing, tcsh Shell Script, Prolog, and Emacs Lisp and development environments such as Eclipse, Emacs, Android Studio, Microsoft VS Code, and Visual Studio. Experience in web design and creation in HTML, CSS, TypeScript, JavaScript, WebGL, Web Audio, node.js, PHP, Astro, and XML.
Skilled in computer graphics, 3D, and video applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere, Blender, Reaper, Apple Final Cut Pro, Autodesk 3d Studio Max, Autodesk Combustion, Apple Quartz Composer, Nemetschek Vectorworks, Side Effects Houdini, Stable Diffusion.
Experience in lighting design for theater, film, and video including hanging and focus, control, and programming of lighting consoles, including ETC Eos, Express, and Obsession, ChamSys MagicQ, GrandMA, and custom Art-Net software. Video playback, live processing, and generative visuals using Derivative TouchDesigner, Disguise, and Figure 53 QLab.
Experienced with and digital video hardware for live production, switching, editing, compositing, and post-production, including Blackmagic Design and ATEM products. Experience with Super 8 and 16mm motion film formats as well as digital and 35mm still photography and printing.
Experience with development for microcontrollers, Raspberry Pi, ZigBee wireless, and IP networking applications.

Peter A. Torpey Ph.D.

Media Experience Artist