Oakland, CA
Born 1957, Paris, France
Since 1976 I have pursued my interest in the fields of electronic music and technology as it applies to performance. My main interest has been in developing ways to use new technology in live performance and create environments which engage the audience and reveal the magic embedded in these (sometimes very frustrating) tools.
I compose with electronic sounds from existing equipment and from electronic instruments I build, together with natural sounds from everyday life, and sounds from discarded mechanisms. I often use a narrative element in my compositions. These stories are writeen by Melody Sumner Carnahan and represent facets of a woman's life. For the past few years I have been using the "lady's glove," a very feminine controller studded with sensors which I designed and which allows me to control the sonic environment with the movement of my body. This ability to affect the sounds while I narrate allows me to become a wired storyteller. Lately I have been interested in mechanically animating iconic objects such as light bulbs and bags and embedding them with sounds, thus allowing them to mirror the silent thoughts we project onto them.
1980 M.F.A., Center for Contemporary Music, Mills College, CA
1999 Guest Lecturer, San Francisco Art Institute
1982 Recording engineer and audio producer
2000 Conversation with a Light Bulb, for voice (text by Jocelyn Robert), data sounds and light bulbs; premiered at Santa Fe International Festival of Electro-Acoustic Music.
1998 Why_dreams like a loose engine(autoportrait), for voice (text by Melody Sumner Carnahn), live electronics, and computer controlled servo-motors; premiered at Gaudamus Music Week, Melkweg, the Netherlands.
1997 She Came Back, Again, for voice (text by Melody Sumner Carnahan) and electronics; premiered at The Kitchen, New York.
1991 Wilfred wants you to remember us, for electronics (text by Melody Sumner Carnahan) and piano sequence by Jerry Hunt; premiered at Roulette, New York.
1987 What Happened, with electronics and voice (text by Melody Sumner Carnahan).
Compositions on:
Imaginary Landcapes (Nonesuch)
Another Coast (Music and Arts Program of America)
Jewel Box (TellUs 26, NYC)
The Time is Now (Frog Peak Music)
2001 CalArts/Alpert Ucross Residency Prize
2001 Civitella Ranieri Foundation Fellowship
2000 Creative Work Fund Award for collaboration with Nick Bertoni and Tinkers Workshop
