^theBachWorks^™
1990 - current

In 1990 I began creating synthesized performances of the keyboard works of J.S.Bach.  This project has so far accumulated five hundred and fifty midi files and five hours of recorded music.  The recorded performances are distributed on tape cassettes and CDs; approximately 70 of the midi files are available at my website, with more being added each year.

2002 - Space.com contracts to use BachWorks selections in release 4.x of their astronomy program Starry Night Pro.

2001 - Contracted to provide the sound track for an independent film work by Mohamed Ragheb, Toronto, Canada.

2000 - Invited to participate in CPU Bach, a four-day Bach symposium at McGill University.

1995 - Released theBachWorks, volume 4

1994 - Released theBachWorks, volume 3

1992 - Released theBachWorks, volume 2

1991 - Released theBachWorks, volume 1

Further information on theBachWorks project is available at http://www.theBachWorks.com/.

 

 

The BOSTON SCHOOL OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC
1970 - 1979
Founder and President

BSEM was a pioneer developer of courses and instructional materials in audio synthesis, with an international reputation. BSEM graduates can be found today throughout the industry.

The school attracted students from Belgium, Denmark, South Africa, and Israel.  BSEM faculty and student groups performed several times a year; for several years we gave spring concerts at Massachusetts College of Art, then located at the corner of Brookline and Longwood. There were performances at Hampshire College, at Wesleyan University, and at Stockton State College in New Jersey.

In addition, we designed and sold custom equipment, and installed electronic music studios for many New England educational institutions. Among our clients were the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harbor campuses, the Swampscott Public Schools, the Pittsfield Public Schools, the Foundation School in Connecticut, Wesleyan University, and Newton South High School.

Lectures, seminars, and papers

• "The design of a general rhythm and timing sequencer", AES convention, NYC, 1976
• Audio synthesis in five lectures, at the Centro Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela (1972)
• Synthesis seminar and training, Electronic Music Studios of Amherst (1972)
• Teacher training in the ARP 2600, Swampscott Public Schools (1971)

Performances live and synthesized

• Hampshire College
• Massachusetts College of Art
• Stockton State College
• Bartok, Roumanian Folk Dances (tape)
• Bach, French Suite #5 in G major (tape)

Publications

• The Arp 2600 Owner's Manual
• The Arp Odyssey Owner's Manual
• The Oberheim SEM
• The Oberheim DS2 digital sequencer
• "How to Choose a Synthesizer"
• "Other Voices, Other Rooms", The Boston Phoenix, October 22, 1974
• "A Short Primer on Electronic Synthesis", The Boston Phoenix, March 18, 1975
• "The First Synthesizer", The Boston Phoenix, July 13, 1976
• "A Matter of Style", The Boston Phoenix, October 26, 1976
• "Sound Futures", The Boston Phoenix, December 12, 1976
• "The Customer is Sometimes Wrong", The Boston Phoenix, May 3, 1977

Installations

• The Foundation School, Orange, Connecticut
• University of Massachusetts Amherst campus electronic music studio
• University of Massachusetts Harbor campus electronic music studio
• Pittsfield Public Schools
• Swampscott Public Schools
• Newton South High School

Assistance

• Karlheinz Stockhausen
• Mary Bauermeister Stockhausen
• Ezra Sims
• Tzvi Avni
• Ivan Tcherepnin
• James Drew (in performance, Alice Tully Hall, NYC)
• Alvin Lucier

---

ARP INSTRUMENTS 1970 - 1971
Application Engineer

I struck up a relationship with this startup manufacturer of analogue modular synthesis equipment during the summer of 1970, and assisted the company at the autumn AES convention in New York City.  They were demonstrating a prototype of the Arp 2600 portable synthesizer; I made several suggestions about the normalled connection system, which were incorporated into the final design.  David Friend, then V.P. of development, responded positively to my observation that the product would benefit from a well-organized and provocatively-written owner's manual, and invited me to join the company and write such a manual.  I accepted, and wrote the ARP 2600 Owner's Manual.  It became an authoritative guide to audio synthesis and a textbook in the field.

It is still in use today, more than thirty years after its first publication.

SUNTREADER RECORDING 1967 - 1970
Owner

This small studio and location recording business recorded many New Haven area folk and rock musicians as well as recitalists from the Yale Music School community. Among my clients were

• The Yale Symphony, John Mauceri conducting
• The Capella Cordina, Alejandro Planchart
• The Yale Bach Society, Paul Althouse conducting, Raymond Erickson at the harpsichord
• Joan Panetti, piano
• Aldo and Elizabeth Parisot