New York, NY
Born in 1953, Tokyo, Japan
Composer, musician
I am primarily known as a musician who has developed her own unique sound with drum machines and uses it both in compositional and improvisational formats, performing live on laptops with many different musicians.
I think what has always differentiated my work from others using similar technology is the musical community that I have worked in (largely improvised and experimental). These musicians have really pushed me to develop a personal language. Musical personality, sensitivity, great sounds and the ability to interact and react with other musicians are for me what makes music great. The thing is, commercially available drum machines or computers are hardly the obvious path to this kind of personal musicality. In my work there is a contradictory but rich interplay between (the ideas of) fake and real, between pre-programmed and spontaneous, human and machine. Ultimately I want to make music that comes from within and not something that is merely technologically impressive.
2005 Myrninerest (solo computer). A score composed of generated sounds and melodies, inspired by outsider artist Madge Gill (Tzadik, CD)
2001 Labyrinth (solo computer + drum machine). Recorded live after switching from drum machines to laptop computer as my instrument (Tzadik, CD)
2000 One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (chamber ensemble). A written and improvised score for voice, keyboards, violin, cello and drum machines, inspired by Yoshitoshi's Ukiyo-e (Tzadik, CD)
1998 B/Side (soundtrack). A composition for Abigail Child's film, featuring keyboards, accordion, cello, base, sampler, and drum machines (Tzadik, CD)
1996 Garden (solo drum machines) (Tzadik, CD)
2005 Alpert Ucross Residency Prize
2003 In the Street, commissioned by Relache Ensemble
1999 Distinction Award, Prix Ars Electronica, digital music category
1998 One Hundred Aspects of the Moon, commissioned by Roulette/ Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust
