A PARTIAL CREATIVE BIO (WORDS & MUSIC)

From 1961 to 1966 - San Francisco State College

From 1961 to 1966 I attended San Francisco State College (now University) where I studied theory and composition. I received a BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree in Music in 1964 and an MA (Master of Arts) degree in Theory and Composition in 1966. Private lessons in composition with Henry Onderdonk. During this period I composed the following pieces of music:

FOUR QUATRAINS (1961)

Chinese poems from the T’ang Dynasty for soprano voice and piano

DUET FOR FLUTE AND PIANO (1961)

CELLO SONATA (1962)

CONCERTO FOR PIANO AND STRINGS (1962)

STRING QUARTET (1963)

commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

SYMPHONY IN TWO MOVEMENTS (1963)

PIANO VARIATIONS (1964)

IN MEMORIAM E.E. CUMMINGS (1965)

four poems of e.e. cummings
soprano voice and chamber ensemble

CANTATA (1966)

text: Thomas Wolfe
choir and orchestra
(thesis for Masters Degree at S.F. State College)

1966 - Fulbright Scholarship to study composition in Rome

In 1966 I received a Fulbright Scholarship to study composition in Rome, Italy with Goffredo Petrassi, both privately and in master class at Santa Cecilia Academy. In 1967 the scholarship was renewed for a second year. During this period I composed the following pieces of music:

ONE TIMES ONE (1967)

poems by e.e. cummings
for choir and percussion

IS 5 – STRING QUARTET (1967)

poem by e.e. cummings
(1½ minute piece for spoken and played string quartet)

COLLAGE FOR ORCHESTRA AND MAGNETIC TAPE (1968)

thesis for Petrassi’s master class composition at the Santa Cecelia Academy in Rome

From Rome to present

Compositions from the period after I left Rome to the present day include the following:

TROIS MINUTES (1968)

film music on tape
flute, vibraphone, guitar, harmonica, electronic sounds (5′)
(film by Jean-Marie Lambert)

DIALOG FOR TWO STRING TRIOS (1969)

MADRIGAL: E FALLO FORA NON FARE A SUO SENNO (1970)

text: Dante
voices and percussion

MUSIC FOR WORDS FOR THE WIND (1970)

based on poems of Theodore Roethke
chamber orchestra

MUSIC FOR A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (1969 – revised 1971)

chamber orchestra
composed for a production of the Shakespeare play

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No.1 (1972)

open score – unspecified instrumentation

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No.2 (1972)

open score – unspecified instrumentation

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No. 3 (1972)

open score – unspecified instrumentation

IMAGINARY LANDSCAPES (1973)

8 songs for soprano voice and piano

SABBATICAL DANCES (1973)

Candlemas, Walpurgisnacht, Lammas, All Hallows Eve
an extended pattern music piece in four parts performed on tape with four electronic organs (31′)

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No. 4 (1974)

open score

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No. 5 (1974)

open score

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No. 6 (1974)

open score

FROM AN OLD EUROPEAN CAFE (1975)

accordion, guitar, piano, organ, electric bass

PAUL DES VILLES ET PAUL DES CHAMPS (1975)

film music on tape
guitars, organs, and voices (15′) (film by Gilles Moniquet)

LA BELLE JOURNEE (1975)

film music on tape
organ and piano (14′) (film by Gilles Moniquet)

SOUVENIR OF GIBRALTAR (1975)

film music on tape
trumpet, trombone, harmonica, violin, piano, guitar, drums, string synthesizer, mellotron, and organ (30′)
(film by Henri Xhonneux)

WONDERFUL JOURNEY (1976)

songs and incidental music for a children’s puppet theatre (25′)
(text and script by Paul Couturiau)

MANDOLAIKA DANCES (1976)

multiple “Mandolaikas” on tape (8′)

DEMAIN LA VIELLE (1977)

guitars and organs on tape
commissioned by the Belgian radio (4′)

INCIDENTAL MUSIC No. 7 (1978)

solo for 12-string guitar (3′)

INTERFACE (1979)

multiple synthesizers on tape (12′)

SYNTHESIZER STUDIES (1980)

multiple synthesizers on tape (120′)

AIRSHOW (1980)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers on tape (15′) (film by Henri Xhonneux)

NON-STOP (1981)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers and guitar (16′) (film by Henri Xhonneux)

CHRONIQUE DE LA FORÊT (1981)

background music for 12 French stories by Michel Harcq
spoken with multiple synthesizers on tape
commissioned by the Belgian radio (46′)

FOREST VARIATIONS (1981)

theme from “Chronique de la Forêt” and 9 variations
multiple synthesizers on tape (12′)

EASTMAN REISEN (1981)

film music on tape
synthesizers, sampled piano and voices (12′) (film by Klaus Teltscher)

ANDERLECHT (1982)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers (18′) (film by Henri Xhonneux)

PEACE MASS (1983)

men’s voices, orchestra and polyphonic synthesizer
texts in Hebrew, Arabic, Latin, Sanskrit, and Tibetan (40′)

Sim Shalom
La Ist Mahonna

III. Agnus Dei

Mantras
Shanta Diao

EVENT HORIZONS (1984)

multiple synthesizers on tape (45′)

Event Horizon I
Night Mirrors
Beyond the Main Sequence
Machines of Loving Grace
Event Horizon II
Escaping Light from the Center of Gravity
Vanishing Points
Parallax
Upper Limit 1.4
Event Horizon III
Upper Limit 2.5
Enantiodromia
Quarter Light
Event Horizon IV

LIGHT AMPLIFICATIONS (1985)

multiple synthesizers on tape
a collection of 7 pieces (19′)

CHAUTAUQUA (1985)

multiple synthesizers on tape
a collection of 7 pieces (13′)

INVISIBLE FILM MUSIC (1985)

multiple synthesizers on tape
a collection of 10 pieces (30′)

O ZOO (1985)

re-composed, remixed, and retitled:
Waves, Ghost Tones & Night Music (1987)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers (25′) (film by Philip Hoffman)

DREAM MACHINES I, II, III, IV. (1986)

multiple synthesizers and guitars on tape (40′)

MAC GUN (1986)

film music on tape
synthesizers, guitars, piano, tape-manipulated sounds (30′) (film by Pierre Thomas)

SANS RAISON PARTICULIER (1986)

film music on tape
synthesizers, guitars, autoharp, electronic and acoustic noise (17′) (film by Jean-Christophe Kurtz)

UNE FOUTUE JOURNEE (1986)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers (8′)
(composed for the primary school film class in St. Georges directed by Guy Degotte)

CHRISTMAS NIGHT MUSIC (1986)

multiple synthesizers on tape (12′)

FISH SMOKING IN THE TROPICS (1987)

film music on tape
synthesizers and drum machines (3′) (film by Jean-Emile Caudron for Ghana Television)

PASSING THROUGH (1987)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers (22′) (film by Philip Hoffman)

NORMA JEAN DIT MARILYN MONROE

(“Marilyn Beyond the Looking Glass”) (1987)
film music on tape
multiple synthesizers and guitars (16′) (film by Andre Romus and Catherine Deneuve for Belgian and French Television)

LA PETITE FILLE AUX ALUMETTES (1987)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers (11′) (composed for the primary school film class in St. Georges directed by Guy Degotte)

CHARTRES CATHEDRAL (1987)

multiple synthesizers on tape (45′)

The Dolmen
The Square Table

III. The Northern and Southern Roses

The Labyrinth
The Western Rose

THE CIRCULAR RUINS (1987)

(part one of Written on Sand or the Surface of Waters)
multiple synthesizers on tape (7′)

CLOUD-HIDDEN, WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN (1987)

(part two of Written on Sand or the Surface of Waters)
multiple guitars and synthesizers on tape (12′)

DREAMING WITH HANDS (1987)

(part three of Written on Sand or the Surface of Waters)
multiple synthesizers on tape (5′)

WIND SWEPT SPIRIT (1987)

(part four of Written on Sand or the Surface of Waters)
multiple synthesizers on tape (11′)

INCLUDED IN THE CLOUDS (1987)

multiple synthesizers on tape (10′)

ON NE VIT QUE DEUX FOIS (1988)

film music on tape
synthesizers and tape-manipulated sounds (8′)
(composed for the primary school film class in St. Georges directed by Guy Degotte)

CHAMBER MUSIC ONE (1988)

piano and multiple synthesizers on tape (20′)

RING-TAIL LEMURS AND THE ISLANDS OF THE MOON (1988)

multiple synthesizers on tape (21′)

Part One: “The lemurs come out at night and dance by the light of the moon.”
Part Two: “The lemurs fall asleep and dream of the Islands of the Moon.”
Part Three: “The lemurs awake and dance again, but this time the moon is closer and they dance in the shadows.”

WHERE’RE WE GOING? (1989)

film music on tape
multiple synthesizers and sampled sounds (10′) (animated film by Stephanie Maxwell)

SLOW, CHRONIC, AND LATENT CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CELEBRATIONS (1990)

piano and orchestra (19′) Commissioned by Ellen Southard for the Shasta Symphony Orchestra

DANCING FOR SURVIVAL IN A DIGITAL WORLD (1990)

multiple synthesizers on tape (9′)

THE RECYCLER (1991)

film music on tape
sampled sounds and synthesizers (17′) (film by Nick Vermeylen)

WHISPERS (1992)

for acappela choir (9′)

CHIMERA (1992)

film music on tape
samples and sound bites (45′) (film by Philip Hoffman)

CANONS & CHORALES (1993)

for Woodwind Quartet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet) and
String Ensemble (6 violins, 3 violas, 3 celli) and solo contrabass.)
12 canons and 12 chorales (17′)

LA REPRISE (1994)

film music for two pianos (7′)

The Terrace
The Mirror
Short Pieces One, Two, Three, Four

(film by Klaus Teltscher)

ROMANTIC VARIATIONS (1995)

on themes of Georges Delerue for solo piano (27″)

Prelude, II. Toccata, III. Scherzo
Chromatic Fantasy, V. Intermezzo (False Valse)
Rhapsody, VII. Fugue, VIII. Echologue
Nocturne & Cadenza, X. Coda (Variations on a Variation)

LE JARDIN DES OISEAUX (1996)

3 improvised pieces for chamber ensemble (2 violins, cello, hand organ, and 12-string guitar continuo) commissioned by the Huy Arts Festival for an exhibition of paintings by Didier Bourgignon. (45′)

STRING TRIO “DESTROYING ANGEL” (1997)

film music for 2 violins and cello (32′)

Bios
Mixed Cadence One
Mixed Cadence Two
Mixed Cadence Three & Cello Aria
Mixed Cadence Four (Rabbit Dance)
Knot One
Chaos One
Chaos Two (Canon)
Chaos Three
Chaos Four
Knot Two
Requiem
Chorale
Knot Untied

(film by Philip Hoffman and Wayne Salazar)

FOUR HANDS, TWO PLAYERS, ONE PIANO (1998) (17’)

SQUARE LIMITS (1999)

for two flutes and harp (‘12’)

ROMANTIC VARIATIONS FOR ORCHESTRA (1999)

an orchestration of Romantic Variations for Piano
commissioned by the Shasta Symphony, Redding California

ICARUS (2000)

for two 12-string guitars, banjo and acoustic bass
background music for a reading of poems by Guy Goffette (12′)

THE ABSENTMINDED PIANO TUNER’S HISTORY OF MUSIC (OR J.S. BACH REVISES HIS PAST TO MAKE IT MATCH HIS CURRENT POINT OF VIEW AND OTHER TWO-PART INVENTIONS) (2000)

15 pieces for piano solo

ASHES (2001)

film music for synthesizer and wind chimes on tape (10′)

Chorale
Chord Circle

(film by Philip Hoffman)

ONZE SEPTEMBRE (2001)

seven movements for two synthesizers (30′)

METOLIUS (2002)

for piano solo

two-part invention
three-part transformation
sonatine

AION (2003)

for violin solo (36″)

AEOLIAN (2004)

for solo harp (4′)

AN INTRODUCTION TO A UNIFIED FIELD THEORY OF MUSIC

for piano solo (2004)

ALL FALL DOWN (2006)

film music for acoustic instruments (17′) (film by Philip Hoffman)

From 1984 to present - works of fiction

From 1984 to the present I also completed the following works of fiction:

TELL ME HOW IT WAS / TELL ME HOW IT USED TO BE

a fictionalized account of childhood memories as told to my son

SLAPSTICK TRILOGY (parody fiction)

Fast Food
Blue Monday
Three for a Nickel / Four for a Dime

LOVE DAUGHTER (a short novel in the form of letters)

TRAVELING LIGHT (a short novel)

A STONE IN MY HEART ROLLED OVER

a sequence of short stories forming a novel about love

WPLJ

a medium sized novel set in 1963 about growing up in and leaving a small northern California town

UP ON DOWNEY STREET

a novel based on my memories of the Haight-Ashbury scene in San Francisco in the mid-1960s

THE PRUNE PACKERS

a coming-of-age novel about a young baseball player

DANCING A DREAM

an extended children’s story I wrote for my son which I started when he was 11 and didn’t finish until he was 17

(PARENTHESIS)

A novel set in present-day Holland about a poet invited to an inter-disciplinary conference of Arts and Science

McGUFFEY’S LAST ECLECTIC READER (short novel) (1999)

SONG POET CYCLE (1986-2008)

Journal One: Indian Summer
Journal Two: Renaissance Opera
Journal Three: Angel Wasteland
Journal Four: Perfect Stranger
Journal Five: Midnight Prayers
Journal Six: Tightrope Walk
Journal Seven: Wild Garlic
Journal Eight: Two Hand One Man Band
Journal Nine: Ghost Train

ROMA – THE ETERNAL WOMAN (2017)

Collections of poems

Slow Motion Highjump (1982 – 1985)

The Pleasures of Rolling Downhill Inside the Gates of the Garden of Eden (1986- 2001)

Let My Green Book Be the River (2002-2004)

Bicycle Poems (2003)

The Dreadful Gate (2004)

Crosswinds (Poems & Essays) (2005)

On the Side of the Angels (2005)

Elevation (2006)

Dream Me a Spinning Wheel (2007)

Lightning Written in Puddles of Rain (2008)

I Read Much of the Night and Go South in The Winter (2009)

Sky Dive & Parachute Poems (2009)

I Wake to Sleep and Take My Waking Slow (2010)

Twenty Ten (2010)

I Wake to a Perfect Patience of Mountains. I Am Not Sorry when Silence Becomes Singing (2011)

Imaginary Poets (T. Zimmerman, ed.) (2011)

Self Portraits (2011)

Thick & Thin (2011)

Snow Falls on Beowulf (2011)

By My Own River I Know (2011)

Altarwise by Owl Light in the Halfway House (2012)

Kites & Toes & Autumn Roses (selected poems with French translations by Christine Pagnoul)

Rimbaud’s Neighbors (2012)

The Mouse & The Pear Tree (2012)

Southwest the Wild Geese Fly (2013)

Leaves of the Gypsy-Scholar (2013)

Blabs of the Pave (2014)

Chasing the Ghost of England (2015)

Sailing Paper Airplanes at the Moon (2016)

A Lamp for Any Fool’s Feet (2017)