k. terumi (kt) shorb is a multi-disciplinary artist who grew up in massachusetts, rural japan, and tokyo.

kt holds a bachelor's degree in composition from oberlin college conservatory. she also holds a master's degree in radio-tv-film from the university of texas at austin. her master's thesis was titled: "'of chicks, dicks, and chinks': queer asian american masculinity, representation, and performance." her studies include: composition with pauline oliveros ,and john luther adams; non-linear narrative strategies in visual art, cyber art, and video with samantha krukowski; research in media and performance theory with the guidance of mary kearney, jill dolan and omi osun olomo (joni jones). shorb is also trained in the

shorb's work stretches conventional ideas of form and genre.

as a composer, shorb creates computer-manipulated music for film and dance as well as solo, ensemble and orchestral acoustic music. she has worked with trombonist monique buzzarté, singer/composer corey dargel, performer jim altieri, and filmmaker julie cho. she appears as singer and co-writer for the song, "hard to say" on dargel's album titled, inadequate love songs. shorb received the patsylu grant for emerging lesbian composers for the solo trombone piece, "three meditations of war at home" this piece premiered at the renee weiler concert hall at greenwich house. shorb is recipient of the austin cultural council core grant for her solo opera, una corda , set to premiere in 2010.

as a writer and performer, shorb focuses on the relationship between social structures (such as race and sexuality) and personal expression. her poetry/prose piece, "prelude and fugue in yellow and grey" appears in the anthology, restoried selves: autobiographies of queer asian pacific american activists. two of her essays appear in the blind chatelaine's keys , edited by eileen tabios. her short story "hara-chigai" has been short-listed for the fish publications short story prize.

her acting credits include: "claude/ventriloquist" in HUSH (stamp lab, 2008; florinda bryant, dir); "donnie" in beaver scores (hybrid vigor productions, 2008; bug davidson, dir); "reverend" in the original play, why koreans don't hug (soo-jin lee, 2008; luke leonard, dir.); instructional videos produced by the insight learning foundation and demand media; kings 'n' things drag king performance and her solo show, "of chicks, dicks, and chinks (2005)"for which she received support from the oberlin college alumni association, allgo (austin's queer people of color organization), the austin rude mechanicals, and the university of texas .

shorb is a root/co-founding member of stamp lab: a performance group. stamp lab received the 2008 artspark festival theater prize for HUSH for which shorb was an actor, co-writer, and songwriter. stamp lab also received the fronterafest 2009 "best of fest" award forT.A.G., for which shorb was a co-writer and actor.

her short experimental video, "task/in-progress," has appeared in multiple film festivals and art galleries, including translations film festival, 21 grand, 621 gallery, and austin gay and lesbian international film festival (agliff), and is winner of the 2007 agliff "best texas my gay movie" prize.

kt has worked as programmer, advisor, and course lecturer at the college level. she is currently a freelance tutor.

kt resides in austin, tx with her partner, kim and dog, mila.


download kt's curriculm vitae.