harlie Kreidler [pronouced cried-ler] is a composer whose work is influenced by shape, collage, whimsy, and a tuneful amount of the grotesque. Artistically, he champions misunderstood timbres, unexpected forms, and serendipity. Charlie's process can be described as "crafty," utilizing motions of cutting, pasting, stamping, negative space, and found sound/object; honing and embracing outcomes of flawed, rustic beauty.
Recent projects include a commission from NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and Cincinnati Song Initiative, with major support from Lori Laitman to compose a new art song set to text by University of Michigan poet Edgar Morales. Entitled [ ] is a parrot, the new work translates negative space within erasure poetry to the physical musical score, dropping Morales' poetry, consisting of fragmented memories of fireworks, snowfall, graves, and wolf spiders, into brief and hazy interludes of Schubert's Winterresise. Other projects include a collaboration between Ann Arbor new music ensemble FLYDLPHN and PCAP (Prison Creative Arts Project) on a called Apple Tree Split in Three incorporating influence from visual artistic process from an incarcerated Michigan artist through negative space in combination with the artists accounts from childhood.
credit: Gabrielle Mack
Charlie is the recipient of the 2025 Brehm Prize in Instrumental Composition from the University of Michigan for his piece, Palindrome Through Polka Dot for saxophone quartet to be premiered at the 2026 NASA (North American Saxophone Alliance) Biennial Conference by the Cerus Quartet.
Charlie’s work has been showcased at various venues such as the “Cernan Space Center” in Chicago, “the cell theater” in Chelsea NYC, and the “Centre National de la Danse” in Paris. Charlie has worked with ensembles such as Haven Trio, Kodak Quartet, JACK Quartet, SydeBoob Duo, C4 (The Composer/Conductor Choir Collective) and Brevard Music Center Wind Ensemble. Charlie holds degrees from Triton College (AA), Mannes School of Music (BM), and currently studies at the University of Michigan School of Music Theatre and Dance (MM). Meaningful mentors in his education include (in no particular order), composer Salvatore Siriano, composer and saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, actor Joe Grifasi, and composer David T. Little. Charlie currently studies with composer Michael Daughtery.