Randall Woolf studied composition privately with David Del Tredici and Joseph Maneri, and at Harvard, where he earned a Ph.D. He is a member of the Common Sense Composers Collective. He is composer-in-residence for the Brooklyn Philharmonic.
For the 2009-10 season, Woolf will be composer-in-residence for the Fulcrum Point New Music Project, sponsored by Meet The Composer., ontinuing his 10 year relationship with FNMP. He is composing a new work for FPNMP featuring rappers Tongo Eisen-Martin, Wordisbon, and Liza Jesse Peterson, scored for chamber orchestra, electronics, turntables, and video . The ensemble will also be performing Woolf’s Holding Fast and Blues For Black Hoodies, and a series of chamber works. He will give lecture demonstrations at The Merit School, Cook County Correctional Center, and other Chicago institutions.
In 1997 he composed a new ballet of "Where the Wild Things Are", in collaboration with Maurice Sendak and Septime Webre. In 2003, he composed "Women At An Exhibition", for orchestra and electronics, for the Akron Art Museum and Symphony, with a video by Mary Harron (director of "American Psycho") and John C. Walsh. "Women At An Exhibition" was performed by the American Composer’s Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall’s new multimedia venue Zankel Hall. His work for violin and video, created with Harron and Walsh, "Holding Fast", was accepted for this year’s Full Frame Festival, America’s premiere documentary film festival. He recently composed an arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" for the Kronos Quartet, who are playing it on tour. He is now writing a concerto for beatboxing flutist Greg Pattillo.
Woolf works frequently as an arranger for John Cale including his score "American Psycho". He re-created 4 songs of Nico for Cale’s concert On The Borderline, a tribute to the singer featuring Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance, and Sparklehorse.
His works have been performed by Kathleen Supové, Jennifer Choi, Timothy Fain, Mary Rowell,Todd Reynolds, Ethel, Kronos Quartet, conductor and flutist Ransom Wilson, Present Music, Fulcrum Point, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Seattle Symphony, Paul Dresher Ensemble, Bang On A Can/SPIT Orchestra, California EAR Unit, and others. The CD of his ballet of "Where the Wild Things Are" is available on cdbaby.com. His new CD, "Modern Primitive", performed by Ransom Wilson,The Pack, Todd Reynolds and others, is also available on cdbaby.com