Complete realization of John Cage's "Song Books" in celebration of his centenary
Collaborations with choreographers and dance companies
Performance in Purcell's opera as Francis Flute (Tenor).
Stills from film scores and performances
Performance in Kristin Erickson's doctoral thesis as Blortus (Tenor).
From Lollieworks contemporary dance performance for Celebrate Dance 2014
Deena Selenow's Greek myth mashup
From the workshop performance of my urban fantasy rock musical, Lunatic Sun
Social media promos and a few shots from an early recording session
A few other images, mostly gratuitous selfies.
Opera Performance in Alex Vassos's opera as Doctor (Tenor)
Performance in Chaz Underriner's avant garde opera, Prosper Springs, as Tenor
Cyber Cypher with NYC & Tabla workshop with Korea
Not from any performances, just shots of me backpacking and traveling around the world.
Complete realization of John Cage's "Song Books"
The John Cage Centenary Celebration occurred at California Institute of the Arts during the month of February, 2012. On February 5, students performed different selections from his work "Song Books," which he composed using chance operations, Walden, and Zen Buddhism as source materials and inspiration. During this performance, I became the only person in history to realize at least a section of each of the 90 works during a single performance.
MFA Graduation Recital
This is my MFA Performer-Composer Graduation Recital, presented by the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in the Roy O. Disney Concert Hall. All performers are CalArts students or alums. Special thanks to Marc Lowenstein, my composition professor and conductor of the third movement, as well as to Barry Schrader, Vinny Golia, and David Rosenboom. It's dedicated to the memory of Shane Summers, a colossal talent and good friend who performed on fifth piano. The composition exhibits five meditations on the numeral five, which is the smallest possible sum of different real prime numbers. These two primes happen to be the building blocks of all rhythm in the human experience, 2 & 3, yet 5-meter is markedly rare in popular music.
The full movement list and credits are as follows:
All electronic processing was produced by two guitar pedals: a Digitech Whammy pitchshifter and a Boss DD20 Giga Delay.
Asterozoa is a subphylum in the phylum Echinodermata. Characteristics include a star-shaped body and radially divergent axes of symmetry. The word is Greek for "star animal", but in modern vernacular zoa is also an insult, and so can also be interpreted as "dumb person of the stars", a phrase which in my opinion covers a lot of ground. When threatened, asteroidea may also sever their own limb to escape a predator. This defense mechanism is called autotomy, a process I find remarkably similar to engaging in music. These lyrics from the opening movement are lifted from my music theater work, Lunatic Sun, Performed December 1, 2012 in the Coffeehouse Theater at CalArts.
The oldest echinoderm fossil is Arkarua adami, dating back roughly 530 million years. The imprint preserves a five-lobed central region representing five ambulacral grooves, which are characteristic of echinoderms. It was discovered in the Flinders Ranges of Australia, home to the Adnyamathana people for tens of thousands of years and counting. It takes its name from Arkaroo, their version of the enormous Rainbow Serpent that inhabits the Dreamtime. Referred to as either male or female, Arkaroo came from far beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains, rivers and gorges as it pushed upward. It battled other mystic spirits, protecting the region from drought and famine, drinking dry and then replenishing the water of the salt flats. As it rests, Arkaroo’s belly rumbles, shaking the Flinders Ranges to their core. The instrumentation for Ambulacral Groove is for five Ghanan Ewe drums.
The purpose of this recital composition is to take an open approach to my personal rhythmic aesthetic while diversifying from 3 and 4 metered exploration. I grew up with electronic music, but (just like you don’t need an oud to make Arabic music) you don’t always need electronics to make electronic music. If there’s one thing I’ve learned at CalArts, it’s that my aural landscape isn’t tied to any specific timbre, genre or instrumentation. It’s tied to something more fundamental that I haven’t found any suitable name for yet (but it seems to have a lot to do with post-minimalism). From RJD2's remix of Steve Reich to Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works, the only thing I'm sure of is that music is just another path toward deeper understanding. Video here.
Collaborations with solo choreographers and dance companies.
Stills from live performances of collaborations with contemporary choreographers and dance companies.
Performance as Francis Flute in Purcell's opera.
A performance of Henry Purcell's "Fairy Queen," a Baroque opera following the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Stills from film performances and scores.
A performance of Henry Purcell's "Fairy Queen," a Baroque opera following the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Performance in Kristin Erickson's doctoral thesis as Blortus (Tenor).
A fun and completely bonkers immersive theater experience in which the audience tried to play a game of mini-golf as performers inhibited their progress in various ways along the way. My character was Blortus the Chef, who cooked a giant hotdog with the help of the Condiments Chorus.
From Lollieworks contemporary dance performance for Celebrate Dance 2014.
Stills from two different performances of Interval, by the Lollieworks dance company.
Deena Selenow's Greek myth mashup.
Greek myth meets Britney Spears in this group-composed musical mashup. Performed at REDCAT.
A workshop performance of my original urban fantasy rock musical, Lunatic Sun.
My first original musical performance was a feature-length workshop of Lunatic Sun, peformed at the Santa Clarita Coffeehouse Theater at CalArts in December 2012. Putting this together was without a doubt one of the most difficult endeavors of my life. It had been in the works for several years and the experience was a landmark for me. I will never forget the friends and geniuses that worked together to make it happen.
My band.
Social media promos, a live shot or two, and an early recording session of my hard folk blues burlesque band, Mad Apple.
Random photos. Mostly selfies.
Various promos and experiences along the way. Also just fun some stuff that didn't fit anywhere else.
Opera Performance in Alex Vassos's opera as Doctor (Tenor).
The groundbreaking debut work The House Is Open by Alexander Vassos. This work was later selected by The Industry as part of their First Take series.
Performance as Tenor in Chaz Underriner's avant garde opera.
The operatic debut of Prosper Springs, written by DMA candidate Chaz Underriner. The work, set in the Old West town of Prosper Springs, features an old broken down saloon, a gold rush, a dust bowl, and an epic gun fight.
Cyber Cypher with NYC & Tabla workshop with Korea.
Live interactive collaborations with various international institutions, including a performance with the Cyber Cypher with Hip Hop Re:Education in New York and a North Indian tabla workshop with Randy Gloss and the Korea National University of the Arts.
Hiking, backpacking, traveling, etc.
I come from an international family and have both lived and traveled extensively abroad. Like my dad, I'm an avid hiker and backpacker, and I've taken several treks up mountains with my brother Jon.
Los Angeles-based Composer-Performer, Interdisciplinary Artist, Author
C O M P O S E R
Film Scores
2018-Current Ways of Forgetting, feature art film produced by
FLOCK
•
Funded in part by Moise A.
Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies grant
2015 Rigor Mortie, promotional audiovisual materials for literary marketing company
2013 The Next Step Is, dance film by Victoria Sendra and choreographer Lindsey Lollie
•
Selected for CalArts Film/Video
Showcase at REDCAT in Los Angeles
•
Selected for Out of the Box
Festival at Jam Jar in Dubai
•
Selected for Dance For Camera
Festival at the Lincoln Center in NYC
•
Selected for Dance Camera West at
the Getty Museum in Los Angeles
•
Selected for Dance on Film Series
at Jacob Burns Film center in NYC
•
Selected for Dance on Film Tour
at Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver
•
Selected for Dance on Camera
Festival 2013 at University of Michigan
•
Selected for Moving Sounds
Festival
•
Selected for Spontaneous
Disruptions
2012 Cahuenga: Place on the Hill, for Christopher Coppola's PAH Fest
• Winner, grand prize
• Winner, best score
2012 A Taste in the Afternoon, film short by Fiona Li
2011 Cactus Cooler, score and sound design for experimental animation short by Andrew Hutton
2010 Eden's Embrace, score for short film by Nishan Hagop
•
Selected for Sundance Shorts Film
Festival
2006 Crash Bandicoot Promo, for online marketing short
2005 Fresh Imports, opening theme for TV pilot by Alpine Productions
2005 Kidzonline, intro theme for online interactive site
2004 Alaawiat, library music for BK Productions
2004 Ripples, for Project Pioneer 48-Hour Film Competition by Sloane Korach & Tony West
•
Winner, grand prize
2004 Jigsaw, online interactive film by Sloane Korach
2004 Daydreamer, film short by Scott Nowlin
2004 Katana Blues, film short by Morgan Hanner
2004 Treehouse, film short by Doro Zuleger
2004 Playback, film short by Greg O'Bryant
2004 The Box, film short by Meredith Higgins
2003 Crush, film short by John Lang
2003 Minute Man, film short by Stephen Broussard
2003 Sarah, film short by Rashi Bahri
Theatrical Scores
2018-Current Trains Keep Passing, original chamber opera inspired by my Syrian grandfather's poetry
2018-2019 On Death, multimedia work by Allison Keating, with Thymele Arts & Wild Art Group
2014 Road Kill Giant, by award-winning playwright Aleshea Harris & directed by Marina McClure
2013 Katastrofi, pop culture/Greek tragedy mash-up conceived & directed by Deena Selenow
2013 Toxikos, conceived & directed by Deena Selenow
• Selected for NOW Festival
2013 at REDCAT
2013 Flight, acrobatic opera by Katie Gardner, for string duet
and fixed-media, with Chaz Underriner
2013 Plushtopia, musical performed for Alice Tuan's Flash Theater Challenge
2010-2012 Lunatic Sun, original feature-length rock musical
• Winner of Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award (with Michael Yichao Wang)
Dance Scores
2019 Éxtasis Digital, by Yanina Orellana with Yvonne Lacombe, Fernando Orellana, and Jesse VanDenKooy
• Selected for "Best of New Shoes" series at Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica
2016 As occurred, as recalled, with Whyteberg Dance Company
• L.A. Arts Exchange 2016 featured work
2014 Interval, with choreographer Lindsey Lollie.
•
Premiered at Celebrate Dance 2014
•
Selected for REDCAT Spring Studio
2014
•
Selected for CalArts Commuter
Festival 2014
2013 Yes is Not Passive, with CalArts professors Stephanie Nugent and Robin Cox
•
Director's Choice Award at Santa Cruz Fringe Festival
•
Performed at REDCAT
• Performed
at ARC Pasadena
2013 Bee-Eaters, with Cameron Hicks and Gregory Dorado of Dancing Grounds
•
Long-form electroacoustic dance
production integrating jazz and ambient music
2012 I Am, with choreographer Mersiha Mesihovic of CircuitDebris
•
Selected for NYC10 Dance
Initiative showcase
•
Selected for Dance Soirée by Sobers and Godly
•
Selected for Brooklyn NY Dance
Festival organized by Fresh Peach Dance
•
Selected by the nonprofit 92Y as
part of Roots in Revolution
2012 Bits of Mind, with choreographer Yanina Orellana
•
Selected for CalArts Accepted
Student Event
2012 Memory is a Movie, with CalArts dance professor Laurence Blake
•
Performed at REDCAT
2012 Quadratic, with choreographer Ariana Daub of ATE9 Dance Company
•
Framework for free improvised
performance piece
•
Performed at CalArts Incoming
Students Event
2012 Breathe, with choreographer Daniel Charon of Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
•
Electroacoustic framework in
which the score is generated in real time by the dancer's breath
2012 Above It All, with choreographer Cesilie Kverneland of COMA Performance Group
•
Drawing inspiration from Japanese
Buto, dubstep, and the Norwegian countryside
2011-2012 The Next Step is to Go Back, with choreographer Lindsey Lollie.
•
Selected for Pasadena Dance
Festival
•
Selected for California
Electronic Music Exchange Concert (CEMEC) at UCSD
•
Selected for American College
Dance (ACDFA) Festival Association Showcase 2012
2011 Female Dog, with choreographer Chelsea Conwright
•
Exploring the world of drugs and
deviant sexuality through a young woman's eyes
2011 The Lamp Piece, with choreographer Michelle Sagarminaga
•
Electroacoustic performance using
the body's bioelectric signals through a touch lamp
2008 I Am Here Now: A Process, with Nicole Durfee
•
Performed by iN.D.dance company in
NYC
2006 Artifacts of Lost Moments, with choreographer Nicole Durfee
•
A study in nostalgia through the
exploration of familiar space
2004 Rooms & Reasons, with choreographer Nicole Durfee
•
Master's Exhibition featuring
real-world sounds blended with symphonic instrumentation
2003 A Propensity For Orange, with choreographer Kendra Andrews
•
Produced and performed for the
Dance Repertory Theater of Florida
Chamber Works
2019 The Bird People (Theme from Ways of Forgetting)
• For voice, clarinet, and hand pan drum, performed by Dan Ogrodnik and
Samantha Hopkins
2013 ASTEROZOA (long form production for multiple ensembles)
• I. Autotomy
(To Write a Song), for voice, banjo and guitar
pedals
• II. Arkarua, for string quartet
• III. Asteroidea, for five pianos
• IV. Ambulacral Groove, for five
African Ewe drums
• V. Abyssal, for voice
and guitar pedals and ensemble
2012 Lazybones
• Theme-and-variations in improvised multi-instrumental framework for any
performing ensemble
2012 There In the Old City
• For symphony orchestra, conducted by Mark Menzies
2012 Swarm of the Raxion Gruntle Bugs
• For prepared and unprepared piano, performed by Christoffer Schunk
2012 Fantasie for Harp and Violin
• Harmonic series etude
2012 Orwell's Cupcake Emporium (for woodwind quintet)
• Hocket etude
2012 Pebbles on the Beach (for prepared vibraphone)
•
Performed by Tony Gennaro
2012 Proa (for percussion ensemble)
•
For deconstructed drum kit,
recorded by Rhein Percussion Ensemble
2011-2012 $4.33
• For coins and electronics
2011 A Series of Unfortunate Events (for solo cello)
• Extended techniques etude
• Recorded by Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick
2011 The Train From Canaan To Sodom (for cello and double bass)
•
Arabic maqamat exhibition
2004 Eye Yam Cereal, (for solo piano)
•
Serialism study
2003 Mortemis Rodentia (for solo flute)
•
Selected for FSU Incoming Student Concert
P E R F O R M E R
Chamber
2013 Asterozoa, Graduate MFA recital movements I. and V.
2013 Tango Alemàn, by Maurico Kagel, as tenor with Shane Summers, Yu-Ting Wu, and Lucié Vitkova
•
Featured on the CalArts home page
2013 Untitled Duet for Voice and Violin, composed by James Tatti, performed with violinist Nic Salas
2013 Bobo, improvisation vocal framework for a large crowd with Claire Gendler
2012-2013 Georgian Sextet, as tenor with Linnea Sablosky and Bobby Halvorson
2012 Either/Or, by John Eagle, as tenor
•
Performed at the Inner Beast
Concert
2012 Auto-Tune Choir, multimedia composition by Kristin Erickson Galvin
2012 John Cage Centenary: The Long Books, a performance of John Cage's Song Books
•
Only full realization of the Song
Books during a single solo performance in history
2012 ILXI, algorithmic choral piece by Denis Kolokol
•
Made possible by a grant from CEC
ArtsLink
2012 The Eyes Are Not Here, by Chris Schunk and Lauren Frias
•
Long-form vocal and dance
production utilizing extended techniques in the style of Roy Hart
2011-2012 Advanced Improvisation Series, with Suzie Allen
•
Performing with renown
improvisers such as Peni Candrarini and Roman Stolyar
2011 Prague, a just-intonation vocal composition by Christoffer Schunk
Theater
2018-2019 On Death, multimedia work by Allison Keating, with Thymele Arts & Wild Art Group
2015 Hopscotch, immersive multimedia opera that takes place in cars, by The Industry L.A.
•
Emmy-winner
•
Nominated for Pulitzer Prize
2013-2014 Hush-A-Bye, with Aleshea Harris, voice and beatbox for spoken word performance
•
Performed at African American Shakespeare
Company in San Francisco
2013 Die Fledermaus, as Eisenstein in a selection of scenes from Johann Strauss's classic farce
2013 Mini-Golf, as Blortus in the premiere of Kristin Erickson's absurdist immersive musical
2013 Hip Hop:Re:Education Cyber Cypher, digital interactive collaboration, with CultureHub
2012 The Fairy Queen, as Francis Flute in Henry Purcell's opera based on A Midsummer Night's Dream
2012 The House is Open, as The Doctor in the premiere of Alex Vassos's electroacoustic opera
2011-2012 Music Theater Improv, long form musical improvisation directed by Michael Yichao Wang
2011 To Kill A Mockingbird, providing various recorded a cappella spirituals
2011 Prosper Springs, as Tenor in the debut of Chaz Underriner's avant-garde opera
Film & Popular Music
2016-Current Mad Apple, personal band
• Former residents at Sassafras Saloon in Hollywood, CA
2019 Erica Dawson Comedy
• Producer and engineer for live comedy album
2014 Lunatic Nail Cut, Serge synth player,
• Included on the album "Stroboberries" by Julian Valdi-Vieso
2014 Kepler X-47, as Alien Vocalist for short film by Erin Li
•
Best Short Film Nominee, The
Geekie Awards
•
Grand Jury
Golden Reel Nominee – Excellence in
Short Film, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Fest
•
AFI Directing Workshop for Women Showcase,
at the Directors Guild of America
•
The Caucus Foundation for
Writers, Producers and Directors Grant Recipient
•
ARC Center for Cultural
Innovation Grant Recipient
•
Panavision New Filmmakers
Production Grant Recipient
•
Selected for SHOOT New Directors Showcase
•
Selected for SITGES International
Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia
•
Selected for LACMA Young
Directors Night
•
Selected for American
Cinematheque – Outta This World: Sci Fi
and Other World Shorts
•
Selected for Sci-Fi London, at
the British Film Institute (BFI)
•
Selected for Sarasota Film
Festival
•
Selected for Comic-Con
International Independent Film Festival
•
Selected for Stan Lee's
Comikaze Expo
•
Selected for Boston Sci-Fi Film
Festival
•
Selected for Philip K. Dick Film
Festival
•
Selected for US China Film &
TV Industry Expo
•
Selected for Dragon Con
Independent Film Festival
•
Selected for New Filmmakers Los
Angeles
•
Selected for Capital City Film
Festival
•
Selected for Portland Oregon
Women's Film Festival
•
Selected for Etheria World Tour
2012 Gas Banjo, original song for rock band and modified banjo
•
Selected for CalArts
Singer/Songwriter CD Project
2010 Eden's Embrace, vocalist and pianist for short film by Nishan Hagop
• Selected for Sundance Film Festival
E V E N T P R O D U C T I O N
Castaic Days Outdoor Festival
MC, Assistant Event Director Castaic Lake Recreation Area, May 4-5, 2013
• Curator, assistant director, and
Master of Ceremonies for fundraiser event by Castaic Days Civic Association.
ASTEROZOA
Composer, Producer Roy O. Disney Concert Hall, March 19, 2013
•
Coordinated
large-scale, multi-ensemble performance of an original composition.
Lunatic Sun, Jazz/Hip Hop Musical
Writer, Composer, Co-Producer Coffeehouse Theater, December 1, 2012
•
Workshop
premiere involving musician and actor rehearsals, lighting, sound design,
marketing and outreach, scheduling, and administrative duties.
P A N E L S
Storytelling Through Music, World Fantasy Convention 2018
• Panel description: Stories have long been set to music. Whether a song
has been written to accompany words or used to inspire a scene, panelists
discuss how music impacts their stories. Copanelists: Deanna Sjolander (M),
Linda Robertson, and L. E. Modesitt Jr.
Calamity Jane Defeats Conan: the Persistence of American Folklore in Fantasy Literature, World Fantasy Convention 2017
• Panel description: English language fantasy literature traditionally
draws heavily on European history, mythology and folklore. Many contemporary
writers have worked to integrate the myths and literatures of non-European
cultures and other underrepresented groups. But little attention has been given
to the strong and persistent threads of American folklore running through our
fantastic literature -- and how antebellum tales of frontier women,
backwoodsmen, Yankee peddlers, myriad American tricksters and other popular
archetypes inform contemporary fantasy narratives by North Americans. Some
historical people lend themselves to becoming fantasy characters more than
others. We can imagine Abe Lincoln killing Vampires, JFK surviving to help
Elvis fight mummies, even Davy Crockett riding on a comet (a popular folk tale
in the mid 1800s). What are the qualities which make
such a hero so compelling in the transition between reality and fantasy? Copanelists:
Christopher Brown (M), Stephanie Feldman, and Steve Saffel.
P U B L I C A T I O N S
Ishaya, fantasy short story
• Published in Purple Prose magazine, October 2017
Cleaver Learns a Lesson, fantasy short story
• Published in the Champions short story anthology, July 2016
C I T A T I O N S
My Parody and How to Avoid YouTube Content ID Detection
• Cited in "You(Tube), Me, and Content ID:
Paving the Way for Compulsory Synchronization Licensing on User-Generated
Content Platforms", 81 Brook. L. Rev. (2016)
O T H E R W O R K E X P E R I E N C E
Hodgepodge Records
Owner Los Angeles, CA, April 2014–Present
• Netlabel distributing recorded materials, creating and marketing
promotional tools including video and online social media content
GoDaddy
Premium Technical Support Los Angeles, CA, November 2015–November 2018
•
Advanced analyst for WAF, CDN,
and DDoS mitigation. Web administration for LAMP stack. Database management,
general CMS implementation, DNS configuration, ICANN administration, site migration. Writing and editing technical support
material.
California Institute of the Arts
Graduate Recording Assistant Valencia, CA, September 2011–May 2013
• Managed and coordinated the Dizzie Gillespie Recording Studio at
CalArts, including maintenance, troubleshooting, scheduling and administrative
duties
EFILM
Data Management Operator Los Angeles, CA, July 2006&-March 2007
• Operated the largest digital storage facility on the west coast.
Implemented and wrote UNIX scripts, allocated space, recorded digital tapes,
created paperwork, and scheduled filmouts.
The Boat Studio
Assistant Sound Engineer Los Angeles, CA, January 2007–Aug 2007
•
Designing and implementing
recording setups, scheduling clients, administrative duties, all session duties
for high profile bands like Stanley Clark, Beck, Tenacious D and the Sex
Pistols
Barry Kirsch Recording
Intern Dubai, UAE, Summer 2004
• Assisted sessions, produced beats, recorded singing and voiceovers
Chris Bell & Mike Recording
Intern Los Angeles, CA, Summer 2003
• Assisted sessions, produced music, runner, administrative duties
Vallhalla Motion Pictures
Intern Los Angeles, CA, Summer 2003
• Covered scripts, runner, administrative duties