Les Mizzell Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Back in the mid 70s, the college I was attending in Albany, Georgia brought in a female artist-in-residence to work with the music program students. Though this person made a big impact on me, all these years and dead brain-cells later, I can't remember her name! Clues: 1. She performed a number of pieces for prepared piano, including a few using contact mics triggering a small suit-case sized synth. I'm pretty sure it was a Buchla Music Easel, but not 100% sure! 2. We performed several orchestral works she had written, some using serial techniques and one with each section of the orchestra having their own tempo and time signature - and by the end it all synced up ... think Piano Phase by Steve Reich, but for orchestra. 3. I vaguely remember some musique concrète type tape/electronic pieces ... ... and I can name any number of folks it might have been up to this point, but here's the kicker, and probably biggest clue ... 4. She was an expert in ragtime (including graduate studies I think...), and played a seriously mean Scott Joplin on piano... Ideas as to who this might be? By the way, the stuffy "WTF is this noise?? Only CLASSICAL is REAL music" faculty there HATED HER and couldn't get her out the door fast enough when the residency ended... Les Mizzell ---------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 By the way, the stuffy "WTF is this noise?? Only CLASSICAL is REAL music" faculty there HATED HER and couldn't get her out the door fast enough when the residency ended... Typical... When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorgatron Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Suzanne Ciani used a Buchla. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Ciani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 As soon as you said Buchla, my first thought was also Suzanne. She was the only woman composer publicly ever associated with Buchla AFAIK, and in the mid 70s was one of the few women in electronic music, along with Wendy Carlos. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 You Buchia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Suzanne Ciani doing serial orchestral pieces and musique concrete?! Ummmm. On the other hand, I'd be glad to be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 As soon as you said Buchla, my first thought was also Suzanne. She was the only woman composer publicly ever associated with Buchla AFAIK, and in the mid 70s was one of the few women in electronic music, along with Wendy Carlos. I thought of Suzanne as well, although never heard she was into ragtime. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Suzanne refused to play "switched on" pieces because she didn't want to copy Carlos. There were other female Buchla composers of the 70s but they were much more avant garde style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 So the mystery continues. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorgatron Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Spiegel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Laurie Spiegel, yes - that seems to make more sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rod76 Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Laurie Spiegel wasn't a performance artist and too much into using synthesizers. I've tried googling about the mystery composer and found some plausible matches but nothing about ragtime piano playing. Here's one guess: Joan LaBarbara? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Mizzell Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 I actually wrote Ms. Spiegel and received a wonderful reply back. Sadly, it wasn't her. Les Mizzell ---------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael W Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Perhaps it would be easier to track down people who were on the faculty there, especially if they have not-too-common names. People in academia can be easy to find online because they're typically listed on university websites. Anyhow, maybe one of those professors who despised the music would remember her name. Michael Montage 8, Logic Pro X, Omnisphere, Diva, Zebra 2, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Mizzell Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Trying to contact the college and/or former professors was a good idea, but seems the school no longer exists, and everybody from the music department at the time is now deceased. But, I got some additional search ideas from the thread here. I THINK I've figured it out and I believe it to be Sorrel (Doris) Hayes. Searching for an email or mailing address now! If I manage to contact her, I'll let everybody know! The synth looks right - it's a Buchla 200 series, not an Easel. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onSycqOS-nc/UhpJd2WqkVI/AAAAAAAHcXQ/98hlPg_MrWs/s640/southern-voices.jpg Sorrel Hays Les Mizzell ---------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Good work so far. Keep us posted... When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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