Janet Feder, Chair
BA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
A native of Boulder, Colorado, Janet Feder is the chair of the Music Department at Naropa University. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in musicology from the University of Massachusetts (1983). She also maintains a busy private teaching studio in Denver, where she lives with her husband David Quint—a freelance filmmaker and cinematographer—and their three children.
Most widely known for pioneering composition for prepared guitar, Janet has been featured on many recordings; among them are solo projects Speak Puppet (ReR Recommended Records/UK 2001) and Ironic Universe—a CD & DVD featuring Fred Frith (AdHoc Records/USA 2006) as well as compilations for Zerx Records (Albuquerque, NM; 1999–07) and 156 Strings for Cuneiform Records (2002) featuring the work of the most innovative acoustic guitar players worldwide today.
Janet has taught extensively in the United States and toured both solo and with her duo Cowhause (with Colin Bricker, live electronics) from both coasts of the US to London, Marseille and Tel Aviv. Performances in prestigious modern music festivals in Europe include MIMI (Marseille, France 2004), The London Musician’s Collective (London, 2004) and Music Unlimited (Wels, Austria 2006).
She has performed and collaborated with Fred Frith, Elliott Sharp, Nels Cline, Henry Kaiser, Mike Keneally, Amy Denio, Chris Cutler, Mike Johnson/Thinking Plague, Thomas Dimuzzio—all legends of modern music.
Janet is also an advisory board member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association for whom she is an advocate and guest lecturer. In her free time she is an avid cyclist.
Janet Feder, Chair 