Dafna Naphtali

Dafna Naphtali is an American composer, guitarist, and singer. A 2023 Guggenheim Fellow, she formed the duo Mechanique(s) and released the album What Is It Like To Be A Bat? (2003).

After spending a few years playing piano as a child, she began composing while she was a student at Stuyvesant High School.^[2] She studied at New York University, where she got a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz vocal performance and a Master of Music degree in music technology.^[3] While at NYU, she discovered Max, a MIDI software which she would later use for most of her compositions.^[2]

In November 2000, her piece Landmine was performed at Kathleen Supové and Lisa Celia's NYU concert.^[4] She and Hans Tammen formed the duo Mechanique(s); Allan Kozinn of The New York Times said that they "had the most direct ties to classical electronic experimentalism" of all the work at the 2002 Electronic X-travaganza.^[5][6] She performed for the electroacoustic InterAction series in February 2002.^[7] In 2003, she and Kitty Brazelton released the album What Is It Like To Be A Bat?, with Naphtali as electric guitarist and vocalist.^[8]

She was guest vocalist for Barbez's 2013 concert at (Le) Poisson Rouge.^[9] In 2023, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition.^[10]

She worked for NYU as an adjunct faculty member, before being promoted to full-time in 2024 as a visiting professor.^[1] She is also a part-time assistant professor in music at The New School.^[3] She trained in voice pedagogy at Shenandoah University.^[3] She has also written a few book chapters and blog posts on music.^[3]