The music of Steven J. Kukla has been performed by the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, the North Carolina Pops, Tradewinds Wind Quintet, the Sparks Wind Quartet and other ensembles throughout the United States.
His works cover a wide range of styles ranging from classical concert music to film scores and other popular genres such as rock and jazz. His musical style reflects the influence of many sounds and cultures. These include an intense love of folk music--particularly Irish and Eastern European; his appreciation for classical masters such as Bartok, Stravinsky and Shostakovich, and a sincere appreciation for the film music of Danny Elfman, John Williams, Thomas Newman and others.
Kukla has written works for various solo artists and ensembles, including a wind octet for the Narada Ensemble (Paris) and a wind quintet for the Tradewinds Wind Quintet (Boston). His works have been performed in several venues throughout the United States, including Boston's Jordan Hall and Aspen's Harris Hall.
His principal teachers have been Michael Gandolfi and Malcolm Peyton, and he has also studied with Steven Stucky and George Tsontakis.
