Penrose Allphin

Biography

Penrose M. Allphin (they/them) is a gay genderqueer composer and current master’s student in music theory. Penrose composes vocal and choral music, chamber music, and writes musical theatre. Penrose was a recipient of the 2019 Margaret Collins Stoop Adesso Prize for the best new choral work composed by a Smith College student and the Settie Lehman Fatman Prize for the best composition in music in small form by a Smith College student. In addition to composition, Penrose has taught piano to students ranging in age from 7 to 88, and has designed and tailored much of their own elementary piano and theory curriculum. They have several years of experience playing in pit orchestras and music directing, as well as administrative experience at music nonprofits. Penrose's research interests include the therapeutic implications of music cognition, trans singing voices, bird brains, and queer musicology. In their spare time, they enjoy baking, learning to cross-stitch, and cuddling with their kitten, Hugo.