Bill Close is the designer and founder of MASS Ensemble and MASS Productions. His work started with small sound sculptures in art school and has grown into large-scale, musical performance installations.

Close studied sculpture, sound design and performance at the Art Institute of Chicago. There he developed original sonic sculptures that evolved into functioning, fully tunable musical instruments. Using the long-string technology he developed, Close designed and created musical installations transforming architectural space into giant stringed instruments.

In the fall of 1999, Bill invented and created the first Earth Harp. In addition to the Earth Harp, he has created hundreds of instruments ranging in size and scope from 3 inches to 1100 feet.

Many world-recognized organizations have awarded Close installation and performance commissions.

Bill also teaches and lectures about his instruments and installations as well as instrument building and design at universities, schools, museums and performing arts centers including Talieson (Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture), Milwaukee Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

“It is through the resonance of design that I find a true understanding of music and its powerful relationship to life.” - Bill Close