David Behrman
Encyclopedia
David Behrman is a US
composer
and the producer of Columbia Records
' Music of Our Time series. He was also a founding member of the Sonic Arts Union
. He toured with the Merce Cunningham
Dance Company and has worked with Ben Neill
. He was a part of Robert Ashley
's Music with Roots in the Aether interview series. He is known as a minimalist composer.
His music has often involved interactions between live performers and computers, usually with the computer generating sounds triggered by some aspect of the live performance, usually certain pitches, but sometimes other aspects of the live sound, such as volume in QRSL (as recorded by Maggi Payne on The Extended Flute (CRI807). Many of his significant works, such as On the Other Ocean, Interspecies Small Talk, and others have been released on Lovely Music.
In 1994, he was awarded a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Grants to Artists Award.
He has been a member of the Avery Graduate Arts Program faculty at Bard College
since 1998. He was co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College
in 1975-1980, and has taught also at Cal ARts, Rutgers, and the Technical University in Berlin.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and the producer of Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
' Music of Our Time series. He was also a founding member of the Sonic Arts Union
Sonic Arts Union
The Sonic Arts Union was a collective of experimental musicians that was active between 1966 and 1976. The founding members of the group were Robert Ashley, David Behrman, Alvin Lucier and Gordon Mumma, all of whom had worked together in the instrumental performances of the ONCE festivals...
. He toured with the Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company and has worked with Ben Neill
Ben Neill
Ben Neill is a composer and trumpeter who has studied with La Monte Young. His music has been recorded on the Thirsty Ear, Astralwerks, Verve, and Six Degrees labels. Neill spent seven years as the music curator for The Kitchen in New York. He has collaborated with DJ Spooky, David Wojnarowicz...
. He was a part of Robert Ashley
Robert Ashley
Robert Ashley , is a contemporary American composer, best known for his operas and other theatrical works, many of which incorporate electronics and extended techniques. Along with Gordon Mumma, Ashley was also a major pioneer of audio synthesis.Ashley was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
's Music with Roots in the Aether interview series. He is known as a minimalist composer.
His music has often involved interactions between live performers and computers, usually with the computer generating sounds triggered by some aspect of the live performance, usually certain pitches, but sometimes other aspects of the live sound, such as volume in QRSL (as recorded by Maggi Payne on The Extended Flute (CRI807). Many of his significant works, such as On the Other Ocean, Interspecies Small Talk, and others have been released on Lovely Music.
In 1994, he was awarded a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Foundation for Contemporary Arts , originally known as Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, is a nonprofit based foundation in New York City founded by artists Jasper Johns , John Cage, Elaine de Kooning and others in 1963. FCA offers financial support and recognition to contemporary...
Grants to Artists Award.
He has been a member of the Avery Graduate Arts Program faculty at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
since 1998. He was co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in 1975-1980, and has taught also at Cal ARts, Rutgers, and the Technical University in Berlin.
Films
- 1976 - Music With Roots in the Aether: Opera for Television. Tape 1: David Behrman. Produced and directed by Robert AshleyRobert AshleyRobert Ashley , is a contemporary American composer, best known for his operas and other theatrical works, many of which incorporate electronics and extended techniques. Along with Gordon Mumma, Ashley was also a major pioneer of audio synthesis.Ashley was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
. New York, New York: Lovely Music. - 2008 - Roulette TV: David Behrman. Roulette Intermedium Inc.
External links
- Lovely Music Artist: David Behrman
- David Behrman Interview by Theresa Stern (August 1997)
- Volume Bed of Sound: David Behrman
- CDeMUSIC: David Behrman
- David Behrman at UbuWeb
- David Behrman page at WFMU
- David Behrman at the Foundation for Contemporary Arts
- David Behrman at Diapason Gallery
- David Behrman at Bard College
- David Behrman at Arcane Candy
Listening
- David Behrman interview from Kalvos & Damian New Music BazaarKalvos & Damian New Music BazaarKalvos & Damian New Music Bazaar is a contemporary new music program hosted by Kalvos and Damian, the alter egos of the composers Dennis Bathory-Kitsz and David Gunn...