New York, NY
Born 1953, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
My work is about exploring, understanding, and (most importantly) subverting the vibratory laws of the phenomenal world. Its formation takes place on two intersecting levels of operation: in the ordered, dispassionate analysis and manipulation of materials derived from my spontaneous, instinctual nature and in the intuitive search for loopholes of plasticity in my mathematical constructs. One hand dirties the other, you might say.
In performance, I like to tease the air - to create suspensions of agonizing sensuality that freeze time and disorient the experiencer before periodically resolving the tensions into temporary satisfactions. More often than not, my music includes drones - long, sustained tones that, if they change at all, they change in extremely slow and subtle ways. I believe there are a few universal gestures that are used by all biological forms to adjust to (survival) and describe (art) their surroundings. I have tried to reduce my compositional/improvising vocabulary to these few. It is not about mimicry. It is about the unity of spirits. It is about learning to sweep dials at a glacial pace (on both personal and external equipment) until you find the points of resonance with your environment. It is about controlling your passions in order to best amplify and release their powers. It is about building and building and building and then seeing how close you can come to knocking down your creation. It is about pretending to surrender and sneaking back to camp with the goods. It is a type of cheating - a game of molecular politics where the player attempts to curry favors in the sub-atomic realm.
1975-76 Princeton University, Analog/Digital Electronic Music Studies
1972-74 Private studies with jazz composer Dennis Sandole
1971-73 Combs Conservatory of Music
2001 Neupauer Conservatory of Music, awarded the Order of the Shield
Producer/Arranger on CDs by singer/songwriter Stephanie St. John and the pop band, Nova Social; experimental music DJ on WBAI radio; and music curator at HERE, Context Studios, bOb, Exit Art, and the Soho Arts Festivals Sensual Intelligence and Swirled Music programs.
2002 Universary, songs and drones cycle performed by the composer with various guest artists, Analysand Records, CD.
2001 Jump Back - an Ode to the People of New York, a song written in the wake of 9/11; over 4,000 were distributed free of charge at Ground Zero and other locations around New York City.
1998 A Bet on Transcendence Favors the House, work for computer/drones with live performers, presented in various configurations of musicians; premiered at Merkin Concert Hall, New York.
1996 The Re-enchantment of the Earth, computer-driven sound installation; premiered as part of "Interzones" exhibition, Kunstforeningen, Copenhagen.
1996 The Good Book's (Accurate) Jail of Escape Dust Co-ordinates pt. 2, four part work for large mixed ensemble and computer drones performed by the composer and his group, the Joy Buzzers; recorded on O.O. Discs, CD.
1995 The Manhattan Book of the Dead, opera with music and libretto by the composer; premiered at La MaMa E.T.C. Annex; performed at Waschaus, Potsdam, Germany, 1996.
1993 Jade Screen Test Dreams of Renting Wings, work for large mixed ensemble premiered at Merkin Concert Hall, New York.
1991 Resolver, set of commissioned electronic and acoustic works performed by various artists and the composer; recorded on O.O. Discs, CD.
2002 Mary Flagler Cary Trust grant for music for The Rise and Fall of Timur the Lame, theater work by Theodora Skipitares; premiered at LaMaMa Annex Theater, New York.
2002 Mutable Music commission for My Veil Evades Detection; My Veil Defies Exhaustion; My Veil and I Divorce for baritone Thomas Buckner and premiered at Merkin Concert Hall.
1995 National Endowment for the Arts grant for The Manhattan Book of the Dead.
1994 Essential Music commission for new work, The Upcell Dog Parades for four percussionists and piano performed at the Spoleto Festival USA.
