John Holland (born 1944) is an American composer, author, performer, and recording artist. He is Professor Emeritus in the Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Holland headed the Electronic Music Studio and taught music and performance classes before he retired from teaching in 2009.
Holland's music has been performed largely in Boston and New York. He has produced a number of recordings, and has published musical scores for most solo instruments (with and without digital modification), chamber music, songs, music for orchestra, concertos, operas.
For a number of years Holland has produced a ‘live’ music series in Boston, New Music at the Pozen Center, that mixes contemporary and electronic music with innovative performative features. In addition he is founder and producer of The Chocolate Ear online music series.
Holland founded the American Soundgroup in 1974, which was in residence at Massachusetts College of Art and Design from 1975 to 1985. In 1986 he founded and directed the Text-Sound Chorus in Boston.
John Holland is a pioneer of the modern intersection between art and science. In the early 1980s Holland co-founded Nature and Inquiry, an artists group that met weekly to discuss ideas in art and science. The group has presented work at the MIT Media Lab, the Harvard Smithsonian Observatory, Habitat Institute, Copley Society of Art, and Axiom Gallery. He also taught a class for three decades that introduced artists to leading-edge ideas in science. (see http://www.artscience.org)
Holland has produced many online recordings, including Symbiotica - A Cross-Cultural Mixup Vols. 1 and 2., The Continents, Listen, and The Musical Landscape. The Adam and Eve Diaries, A Web Opera based on Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve is perhaps the first opera of its kind to be composed for the Web.
In many of these recordings, there are original complementary texts that precede various musical pieces and that were intended to be read aloud in a ‘live’ setting. The texts complement the music in ways that may change the way we hear the music.
Writings, including The Chicken and the Egg - A Collection of writings on Nature, Science, and Art, Curious: An Introduction to Big Ideas in Nature, Science, and Art, If A Tree Falls In The Forest: Simple Descriptions of Complex Phenomena, Quantum Wave Theory: A Model of Unity in Nature, and Ten By Ten: Artificial Intelligence Models Accompanied by True or False Statements have been designed specifically as online artworks.
Published books include: The Nature of Music for the Performing Musician, Time, Sound Waves and Their Properties in the Surrounding Media, Studies on the Human Ear, and a book that explores the perception of music, The Musical Brain. The last three books form an online trilogy: The Path of Sound.
Holland has created performance texts designed to be read aloud, including Phenomena: Simple Descriptions of Complex Phenomena, Complete Short Texts for Speaking Voice, Strategies for Survival (with Complementary Music), and Facts of Life (with Complementary Music), all of which contain subjects related to nature, science and art.
In 1997 Holland produced the first comprehensive full color poster-size Acoustic Wave Spectrum. It was later presented at the MIT Media Lab and in 2007 producer and composer DJ Spooky attached it to his audio CD companion to Sound Unbound.
John Schaefer, host of New Sounds on WNYC Radio in New York cited Holland’s Natural Phenomena as “one of the notable CD’s of 2005.”Richard Perry, music critic, writes “Mr. Holland’s music has a compelling, insistent fascination…” Tia Kimberk says “John Holland’s music is often based on extra-musical ideas related to science and nature. Listening to the music informs us about ourselves and our larger context in the world.” In 1982 Holland was interviewed on National Public Radio for his recording of Music for a Small Planet in Three Parts.
The composer's scores and texts are published by American Sound Press.
All of Holland’s online music recordings and writing projects are free, and whenever possible presented without advertisement.
John Holland grew up in midwest Ohio where he was surrounded by music and athletics. In the 1950's he was a boy soprano, soloing regularly in church and on television. His father Kenneth was a well-known conductor and composer, and a famed basketball star in high school and college. Before retiring from teaching in 2010, his brother David, a Big Ten quarterback at Indiana University in the 1960s, taught viola at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and was conductor of the Traverse City Symphony Orchestra. Holland’s sister, Marla Rathbun, is a professional violinist specializing in contemporary music.
Growing up, American conductor Dennis Russell Davies, a contemporary and friend of Holland, renowned conductor of the Stuttgart Chamber orchestra and principal conductor of the music of Philip Glass, was a regular at the Holland house, studying music theory with Holland’s father, and playing chamber music. In the early 1960's, Holland befriended Joseph Kossuth, also a Toledo native, one of the pioneers of American conceptual art.
Holland’s artistic influences include Charles Ives, Elliott Carter, John Cage; music, literature, science, art.
Holland has produced a variety of acoustic, digital, and electronic music. In the 1970s he developed a compositional technique known as 'Integer Music' that features integer groups in which an integer represents a group of musical tones, each operating independently of other groups. The integer groups generally range from 1 thru 26 tones, which conveniently correlates with the English alphabet, making it possible to construct musical scores that are based on specific non-musical ideas. The player is asked to provide specific tones within each group, while the composer creates the form and structure of the work, typically supplying remarks as to how each group is to be expressed. Many of the composer’s scores, including music for solo instruments (with and without signal processing), chamber music, and music for voice, involve the use of integer notation.
In much of his piano music, integer notation is combined with fragments of standard notation, creating a mix of complexity and order, a theme found throughout Holland’s music.
There is also music with standard notation that explores the theoretical aspects of the western musical scale, such as Mapping the Musical Genome, and String Quartet No. 4.
Holland has composed electronic music since the 1970s. Some of it is what we would call, today, ‘mixups’, often mixing unlikely musical elements, such as in the piece New and Ancient Voices, where traditional African Pygmy music is mixed with fragments from Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and Quasi Moto’s hip-hop wizardry. Many of these kinds of pieces can be found in the two volume online recording of Symbiotica. The popularity of some of these ‘mixups’ is due to their reflection of current world issues in which we are still learning to live together with people and cultures that are different from our own.
The online recordings (mp3’s) are freely available to libraries on audio CD’s (.aif’s) with liner notes linked to the online sites.
The Continents http://jhthecontinents.wordpress.com
Change is Here To Stay Music for Fixed Media http://changeisheretostay.wordpress.com
Listen Music for Fixed Media http://jhlisten.wordpress.com
Incidents of Sudden Awareness Music for Fixed Media http://jhincidents.wordpress.com
The Musical Landscape http://themusicallandscape.wordpress.com/
Symbiotica - A Cross-Cultural Mixup, Vols. 1 and 2 http://musicasymbiotica.com/ (Vol. 1) http://musicasymbiotica2.wordpress.com (Vol. 2)
Space and Time Music for Violin and Piano http://violinandpiano.wordpress.com
Pioneers of Electronic Music / Symphony of Etudes http://pioneersofmusic.wordpress.com
The Adam and Eve Diaries A Web Opera http://adamandeveopera.wordpress.com
The Nautilus An Online Video Opera http://thenautilusopera.com/
Keyboard Etudes for Synthesizers Nos. 1-24 (Enhanced 2012 Version) http://keyboardetudes.wordpress.com
Robotic Dances / Inquiries for Computer-controlled Synthesizers http://roboticdances.wordpress.com
Music from a Small Planet (in Three Parts) http://musicfromasmallplanet.wordpress.com
The Chocolate Ear An Online Classical Music Series - Music of Interest Mixed with the Sublime http://chocolateear.com/
The Path of Sound - A Trilogy http://thepathofsound.wordpress.com/
Curious: An Introduction to Big Ideas in Nature, Science, and Art http://naturescienceart.org/
If a Tree Falls in the Forest: Simple Descriptions of Complex Phenomena http://jhifatreefalls.wordpress.com/
The Chicken and the Egg: A Collection of Writing on Nature, Science, and Art http://explanatorytexts.com/
Quantum Wave Theory: A Model of Unity in Nature (with Amy Robinson) http://quantumwavetheory.wordpress.com/
You’re Too Smart for Your Own Good: Why American Culture is So Uncomfortable with Knowledge http://youretoosmart.wordpress.com/
Ten by Ten: Artificial Intelligence Models Accompanied by True or False Statements http://jhtenbyten.wordpress.com
Time Expanded http://timeexpanded.wordpress.com
Natural Phenomena Sets 1 – 4 for Digital Piano (2005) (ASR 1007)
Music for Modified Digital Piano (2000) (ASR 1006)
Words To Music Text-generated Music for Digital Piano (1996) (ASR 1004)
Keyboard Etudes Nos. 1 – 24 for Computer-controlled Synthesizers (original 1989 Version) (Titanic Records)
Paths of Motion Sets and Simulations for Small Computer (1985) (2-record set) (ASR 1002-2)
Music From A Small Planet in Three Parts (1981) (ASR 1001)
ASR = American Sound Recordings
(#) standard notation (*) includes optional signal processing
PIANO SOLO (Standard Notation)
(#)URGED ON BY LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE, GESUALDO MURDERED HIS CHEATING WIFE for Piano Solo (2017)
(#)THREE BAGATELLES for Piano Solo (2017)
(#)STALKING THE UNKNOWN, CHASING THE SUBLIME for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)ENCORE for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)STEVE STEVE STEVE REICH REICH for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)RIGHT-HANDED ETUDE for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)LEFT-HANDED ETUDE for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)CHORALES AND EPISODES for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)DID YOU KNOW WOODY GUTHRIE'S PARENTS TAUGHT AT THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL OF MUSIC? for Piano Solo (2016)
(#)MOTIONS OF THE LANDSCAPE for Piano Solo (2015)
(#)BOSTON'S EMERALD NECKLACE for Piano Solo (2015)
(#)RESONANT BODIES for Piano Solo (2015)
(#)THE ONLY GOOD COMPOSER IS A DEAD COMPOSER for Piano Solo (2015)
(#)WHATEVER HAPPENED TO J. S. BACH'S SKULL THAT ONCE SAT ATOP THE PIANO IN NICOLAS SLONIMSKY'S MUSIC STUDIO? for Piano Solo (2014) (complementary text)
(#)QUANTA for Piano Solo (2014)
(#)QUANTUM VARIATIONS for Piano Solo (2014)
(#)MUSIC ON A POPULAR THEME for Piano Solo (2014)
(#)SOIREE for Piano Solo (2014)
(#)MAPPING THE MUSICAL GENOME Nos. 1–6 for Piano Solo (2011)
(#)MAPPING THE MUSICAL GENOME Nos. 7–12 for Piano Solo (2011)
(#)GARDEN OF MUSICAL INTERVALS AND TONES for Piano Solo (2011)
(#)FORCES WITHIN for Piano Solo (2009)
(#)THE AGE OF SYNTHESIS for Piano Solo (2008)
(#)VARIATION ON THE SONG ‘AH MY BELOVED’ BY BELA BARTOK for Piano Solo (1974)
PIANO AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC (Standard Notation)
(#)ELEMENTS for Piano and Electronic Music (2013) (audio CD) (12:00)
(#)MEDITATION ON THE NATURAL HARMONIC SERIES for Piano and Electroacoustic Sounds (2009) (with optional movement artist) (complementary text) (audio CD) (8:29)
PIANO SOLO (Integer Notation)
TIME LINE for Piano Solo (2011)
THERE IS NO SPACE BETWEEN for Piano Solo (2011)
STALKING THE UNKNOWN, CHASING THE SUBLIME for Piano Solo (2009)
CITIES OF THE WORLD (New York) for Piano Solo (2008)
CITIES OF THE WORLD (Paris) for Piano Solo (2008)
CITIES OF THE WORLD (Beijing) for Piano Solo (2008)
CITIES OF THE WORLD (Prague) for Piano Solo (2008)
CITIES OF THE WORLD (Rio de Janeiro) for Piano Solo (2010)
TEN STUDIES on Musical Texture for Piano Solo (2007)
AMERICAN SONGBOOK for Piano Solo (with Themes of George Gershwin) (2007) (some standard notation)
COCKTAIL MUSIC for Piano Solo (2007)
INTEGER SET NO. 1 for Piano Solo (2007)
SALTATION for Piano Solo (2006)
EARTH'S SEASONS 2000 for Piano Solo (Books 1-4) (2006)
(*)THE SEVEN VALLEYS OF SIMURGH for Piano Solo (2004) (optional signal processing)
PORTMANTEAU for Piano Solo (2004) (Books 1-3)
PALIMPSEST for Piano Solo (with Recorded Piano) (2004) (includes audio CD)
THE HAMADRYADS for Piano Solo (2004) (text by George Eliot)
REVOLUTION SONATA for Piano Solo (2003) (includes audio disc with excerpts of colonial American songs and sounds)
NINE PERMANENT EMOTIONS for Piano Solo (2002)
THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC for Piano Solo (2002) (optional recitation)
THE BIOLOGICAL ORIGINS OF LOVE AND DEATH for Piano Solo (2002)
CHATHAM BARS for Piano Solo (2002)
50 COMPOSERS for Piano Solo (1990)
THE UNKNOWN for Piano Solo (1989)
MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO 1 (1989)
MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO 2 (1989)
MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO 3 (1989)
MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO 4 (1989)
SOUNDS AND SILENCES ON 3 TEXTS BY DONALD BURGY for Solo Piano (1987)
FOUR SONATAS (1976)
THREE SONATAS (1975)
FIVE SONATAS (1974)
(the above Sonatas are part of a three-part series of 12 Sonatas, any of which may be performed in combination with any of the others)
PIANO SOLO WITH SIGNAL PROCESSING (Integer Notation)
CHANGE IS HERE TO STAY for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
EULER’S TRANSCENDENTAL NUMBER e for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
NOW OR FOREVER for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
PRIME for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
THE FLOWERING ARTICHOKE for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
THE UNKNOWN SEQUENCE for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
THE VALUE OF PI for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS for Modified Piano Solo with Signal Processing (2011) (CDROM containing signal processing software)
PIANO WITH ELECTRONIC MUSIC (Integer Notation)
ANIMALIA for Piano and Electronic Sounds (2010) (with animal folk song themes) (some standard notation) (performance disc) (15:00)
THE MOBY DICK IN ALL OF US for Piano and 'Live' Electronic Sounds (2009) (optional complementary text)
THE CAPACITY FOR RESISTANCE for Piano and 'Live' Electronic Sounds (2009) (some standard notation) (optional complementary text)
WORLD RADIO for Digitally Modified Piano and 'Live' Radiocast (2008) (some standard notation) (optional complementary text)
PIANO SOLO WITH THEATRICS (Integer Notation)
ENERGY AND MATTER for Piano Solo (with Lighting Design) (2011) (optional rotating podium)
ALIEN for Digitally Modified Piano (with Animated Marionette) (2008)
VARIATIONS BIOLOGIQUE for Piano Solo (2008)
LAMENT FOR A DEAD COMPANION for Piano and Viola Obbligato (with Seductress) (2006) (viola part in standard notation) (based on a scene from Gilgamesh)
GREEN PIECE for Piano Solo (with Eco-Friendly Fashion Models) (2006)
STILL LIFE NO. 1 for Piano Solo (with Fruit, Wine, Flowers) (2006)
STILL LIFE NO. 1 for Piano Solo (with Sitting Figure) (2006)
INVENTIONS for Piano Solo (with One-Wheel Cyclist) (2004)
APPLES for Piano Solo (2004) (with Woman in Red Dress)
CHIC et MUSICALE for Digitally Modified Piano (Four Hands) (with Original Fashion Designs) (2008) (optional complementary text)
PIANO SOLO WITH PROJECTIONS (Integer Notation)
A NATURAL LIFE for Piano Solo (with Nature Sounds and Projections within a Frame) (2005) (includes audio CD, photos on CDROM)
GALAXIES for Piano Solo (with Images) (2004) (includes photos on CDROM)
FRUIT AND ROSES for Piano Solo (2000) (includes 10 glossy color photos plus 10 screen images on CDROM)
8 NEBULAE for Piano Solo (1999) (includes 8 glossy color photos from NASA’s Hubble Space telescope) (plus 8 screen images on CDROM)
TWO OR MORE KEYBOARDS (Integer Notation)
CHIC et MUSICALE for Digitally Modified Piano (Four Hands) (with Original Fashion Designs) (2008) (optional complementary text)
KEYBOARD CONCERT for Diverse Keyboards (Five Players) (2004) (10 movts.)
(#)KNOWN AND UNKNOWN for Two Pianos (2004) (standard plus integer notation)
PALIMPSEST for Two Pianos (2004) (Piano Two is positioned off-stage)
ARTIST'S VOICES for Recorded Voices and Digital Keyboard Instruments (2004) (One Player) (18:36) (includes audio disc with recorded voices of e.e. cummings, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, John Cage)
MUSIC FOR TWO PIANOS (2002)
MUSIC FOR PIANO AND HAMMOND ORGAN (2002) (with Leslie speaker)
KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER INQUERIES Book 1 for Keyboard Synthesizer(s) (1989)
INQUERIES Book 2 for Keyboard Synthesizer(s) (1989)
OBSERVABLE EVENTS for Digital Keyboard Player (1985)
MEASURED EVENTS for Keyboard Synthesizer (1985)
SOLO VIOLIN
(#)WATER VARIATIONS for Solo Violin (2015) (10 pgs.) (one movt.) (standard notation)
(#)SOLO MUSIC No. 2 for Unaccompanied Violin (1998) (16 pgs.) (3 movts.) (standard notation)
(#)SOLO MUSIC No. 1 for Unaccompanied Violin (1991) (revised 1997) (17 pgs.) (5 movts.) (standard notation)
(*)MUSIC for Solo Electric Violin (1991) (integer notation)
VIOLIN AND PIANO
THE for Violin and Piano (2011) (integer notation)
(#)SONATA for Violin and Piano (2010) (standard notation) (10 movts.) (53 pgs.) (28:00)
(#)A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF STEPHEN CRANE for Violin and Piano (2007) (vln. part - standard notation) (pno. part –integer based)
VISITATIONS OF J. S. BACH for Violin and Piano with Electronic Music and Photo Projections (2007) (integer notation)
TWO INTERLUDES for Violin and Piano (2006) (integer notation)
SALTATION for Violin and Piano (2006)
(#)MEMORY for Violin and Piano (2002) (2 separate parts) (pno. 27 pgs. ./ Vln. 13 pgs.) (standard notation)
OBSERVATIONS for Violin and Piano (2003, 1994) (optional recitation)
THE SUN GARDEN for Violin and Piano (1997) (integer notation)
FIVE KINGDOMS for Violin and Piano (1996) (integer notation)
STATES OF MIND for Violin and Piano (1992) (integer notation)
STARRY NIGHT for Violin and Piano (1991) (integer notation)
(#)THREE MELODIC SONGS for Violin and Piano (1994) (original songs for voice, 1967) (standard notation)
(#)THREE SONGS OF SUMMER for Violin and Harp (1994) (original songs for voice, 1965) (standard notation)
VIOLIN AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC (Standard Notation)
(#)WATER for Violin and Electronic Music (2014) (audio CD) (12:36)
ELECTRIC VIOLIN AND KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER
STATES OF MATTER for Electric Violin and Keyboard Synthesizer (1991) (or Violin and Piano) (integer notation)
SHARED BOUNDARIES for Electric Violin and Keyboard Synthesizer (1989) (or Violin and Piano) (integer notation)
SOLO VIOLA
(#)MOTHER VIOLA for Solo Viola (2016) (standard notation)
(*)MUSIC for Solo Electric Viola (1992) (integer notation) (signal processing)
(#)SOLO MUSIC No. 1 for Unaccompanied Viola (1990) (24 pgs.) (7 movts.) (standard notation) (revised 2006)
EVENTS IN SPACE for Solo Viola (1987)
ALTERNATING SEQUENCES IN A UNIFORM BOUNDARY for Solo Viola (1988) (revised 1995)
VIOLA AND PIANO
(#)FOUR PIECES for Viola and Piano (2013) (standard notation)
AND for Viola and Piano (2011) (integer notation)
SALTATION for Viola and Piano (2006) (integer notation)
WHEN MUSIC SOUNDS for Viola and Piano (2002) (integer notation)
THE SHADE GARDEN for Viola and Piano (1997) (integer notation)
ELECTRIC VIOLA AND KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER
THE UNKNOWN for Electric Viola and Keyboard Synthesizer (1991) (or Viola and Piano) (integer notation)
MIDI VIOLA AND KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER
TRANSCENDENCE for MIDI Viola and Keyboard Synthesizer (1991) (or Viola and Piano) (integer notation)
SOLO CELLO
(*)EXOTIC ISLANDS for Solo Electric Cello (1997) (integer notation) (signal processing)
(#)SOLO MUSIC No. 1 for Unaccompanied Cello (1996) (15 pgs.) (4 movts.) (standard notation)
(*)MUSIC for Solo Electric Cello (1992) (integer notation) (signal processing)
ELECTRIC CELLO AND KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER
THE BIRD OF ANTIQUITY For Electric Cello and Keyboard Synthesizer (1991) (or Cello and Piano) (integer notation)
CELLO AND PIANO
SO for Cello and Piano (2011) (integer notation)
FIVE PIECES for Cello and Piano (2013) (standard notation)
DOUBLE BASS AND PIANO
SEVEN DEADLY SINS for Double Bass and Piano (1997) (integer notation)
SOLO FLUTE
(#)THE HUMA for Flute and Electronic Music (2013) (8:02) (standard notation) (audio CD)
AUDUBON BIRDS for Flute Solo (with Images) (2003) (includes 12 glossy color photos plus 12 screen images on CDROM) (integer notation)
(*)THE WIND for Solo Electric Flute (1996) (integer notation) (signal processing)
FLUTE AND PIANO
(#)SLEEP NOW for Flute and Piano (1995) (originally for voice, 1969) (standard notation)
(#)SERENITY for Flute and Piano (1968) (standard notation)
ELECTRIC FLUTE AND KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER
ENVIRONMENTS For Electric Flute and Keyboard Synthesizer (1991) (or Flute and Piano) (integer notation)
SOLO OBOE
CAN AN OBOE BE PASSIONATE for Solo Oboe (1992) (integer notation)
OBOE AND PIANO
THE APPLE I for Oboe and Piano (1997) (integer notation)
SOLO CLARINET
(*)CLOUDS for Solo Electric Clarinet (1996) (integer notation) (signal processing)
CLARINET AND PIANO
TEN EPISODES for Clarinet and Synthesizer (2010) (integer notation)
THE APPLE II for Clarinet and Piano (1997) (integer notation)
SOLO FRENCH HORN
(*)SACRED MONUMENTS for Solo Electric French Horn (1997)
(integer notation) (signal processing)
SOLO BASSOON
(#)ENTANGLEMENT for Bassoon and Electronic Music (2013) (10:23) (standard notation) (audio CD)
(*)GREAT RIVERS for Solo Electric Bassoon (1996) (integer notation) (signal processing)
SOLO TRUMPET
(*)BRIGHT STARS AS SEEN FROM EARTH for Solo Electric Trumpet (1997) (integer notation) (signal processing)
SOLO TROMBONE
(#)PERIODICITY for Trombone and Electronic Music (2013) (9:15) (standard notation) (audio CD)
(*)TOWERING MOUNTAINS for Solo Electric Trombone (1997) (integer notation) (signal processing)
SOLO TUBA
(*)OCEANS AND SEAS for Solo Electric Tuba (1997) (integer notation) (signal processing)
SOLO HARP
(*)BUTTERFLIES for Solo Electric Harp (1999) (includes 12 color images) (integer notation) (signal processing)
VOICE AND PIANO
(#)BLESSINGS for Voice and Piano (2015) (text by Ron Wallace) (standard notation)
(#)MASTERS OF LIGHT Song Cycle for Voice and Piano (20 songs) (2015) (texts from Pythagoras to Einstein) (standard notation)
(#)SIX SONGS for Voice and Piano (6 songs) (2014) (texts by Erica and John Holland) (standard notation)
(#)ONE SAD EGG Nursery Rhymes Transcribed and Elaborated by the Composer for Voice and Piano (15 songs) (2013) (standard notation)
(#)PHILOSOPHICAL SONGS for Voice and Piano (2012) (text from the Geographical History of America by Gertrude Stein) (5 songs) (standard notation)
(#)10 POEMS OF STEPHEN CRANE for Voice and Piano (2007) (standard voice part, integer piano part)
(#)EARTH, MY LIKENESS for Voice and Piano (2005) (12 poems by Walt Whitman) (standard voice part, integer piano part)
SONGS FROM THE TUNNEL for Speaking Voice and Piano (2003) (text by Russell Edson) (12 songs – 16 pgs.) (op: singing voice and piano)
(#)THIS IS MY COUNTRY for Bass-Baritone Voice and Piano (2003) (standard notation) (text by Benjamin Franklin from B. F. Opera)
(#)BENJAMIN FRANKLIN – Ten Arias from the Opera for Bass-Baritone (standard notation)
MORTALS’ SWEETEST PLEASURE for Voice and Piano (2002) (text by Musaceus 500 A.D.) (or speaking voice and piano)
THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC for Voice and Piano (2002) (texts from Arabian Nights, H.D. Thoreau) (or speaking voice and piano)
WHEN MUSIC SOUNDS for Voice and Piano (2002)
(#)SANDS OF A DISTANT SHORE for Baritone Voice and Piano (2002) (standard notation) (text by H. D. Thoreau)
(#)AGING GRACE for Voice and Piano (1999) (standard notation)
(#)THE TIDE for Voice and Piano (1999) (standard notation)
(#)TIME PRESENT for Voice and Piano (1999) (standard notation)
(#)TWO MYTHS EXPOSED for Voice and Piano (1999) (standard notation)
VOICE AND ELECTRONICS
(*)MARKS The Invention of Phonetic Writing by Abraham Lincoln for Soprano, Recorded Piano, Male Speaker, and Electronic Music (2015)
(*)EAT TO LIVE, LIVE TO EAT for Solo Electric Female Voice (1997)
(*)SMALL BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA for Electric Female Voice and Three Synthesizers (1998) (Score and Parts)
PERCUSSION
I FEEL THE AIR OF ANOTHER PLANET for Solo Percussion and Electronic Music (One Player) (2016) (performance disc) (9:15)
VOLCANOES for 4 Timpani, 2 timbales, Suspended Cymbal (One Player) (2000)
SOLAR SYSTEM for Solo Percussion (Three Players) (1997)
UNSPECIFIED INSTRUMENT (alone or with another instrument)
THE BRONZE PEACOCK AT THE WINTER CASTLE IN ST. PETERSBURG for Soloist and Electronic Music (2010) (performance disc) (10:00)
TWELVE EPISODES for Piano and Unspecified Instrument (2009)
THE MOTION OF SOUND IN AIR for Soloist and Electronic Music (1988) (performance disc)
CONTRADICTUM for A Solo Player (1986)
SMALL ENSEMBLE (any combination of instruments)
(*)EMERGENT FORMS Nos. 1-6 for Small Ensemble (1985) (a set of 6 separate pieces ranging from 10-25 min each) (Score and 5 parts)
MUSIC FOR SIX SOLO PLAYERS for Unspecified Instrumentation (1980) (6 parts)
(*)SOLO MUSIC I for Any Number of Players (1975) (4 min) (score and 4 parts) (revised 1985) (optional signal processing)
(*)QUIET MUSIC for Small Ensemble (1975) (score) (optional signal processing)
CHAMBER MUSIC
PIANO TRIO for Violin, Cello, Piano (2000) (3 parts, no score)
POETIC FORMS for Woodwind Quintet (2005) (Score and Parts)
LAST JOURNEY for Brass Quintet (2004) (Score and Parts)
THREE INFLUENCES ON FOUR PLAYERS for Piano, Viola, Accordion, Latin Percussion (2003) (4 parts)
NATURE for Keyboard Synthesizer, Computer, Optical Instruments, Acoustic Sounds, Boombox (Five Players) (2003) 12.00 TRIO for Violin, Cello, and Piano (2000) (Score and Parts) 15.00 #FIVE DUOS for Violin and Cello (1994) (standard notation)
STRING TRIO
STRING TRIO for Violin, Viola, Cello (2013) (Score and 3 Parts)
STRING QUARTETS
STRING QUARTET No. 6 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (2014) (12 sections) (4 parts)
STRING QUARTET No. 5 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (1999) (3 movts.) (4 parts)
(#)STRING QUARTET No. 4 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (1998) (12 movts.) (standard notation) (score and 4 parts) (25 min.)
(#)STRING QUARTET No. 3 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (1997) (4 movts.) (standard notation) (score and 4 parts) (22 min.)
(#)STRING QUARTET No. 2 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (1991) (4 movts.) (standard + integer notation) (score and 4 parts) (revised 2000)
STRING QUARTET No. 1 (2 Vlns. Vla. Vlc.) (1985) (Part 1, 5-10 min; Part 2, 1 min) (score and 4 parts)
SPEAKING VOICE AND PIANO
PHENOMENA Simple Descriptions of Complex Phenomenafor Speaking Voice and Piano (2013)
CONNECTION PLEASE for Two Speaking Voices and Piano (2006) (requires amplified telephone system, and digitally processed piano)
SONGS FROM THE TUNNEL for Speaking Voice and Piano (2003) (text by Russell Edson) (12 songs – 16 pgs.) (or singing voice and piano)
THE HAMADRYADS for Speaking Voice and Piano (2003) (text by George Eliot)
FROM PUDDIN HEAD WILSON’S CALENDAR for Speaking Voice and Piano (2003) (text by Mark Twain )
MORTALS’ SWEETEST PLEASURE for Speaking Voice and Piano (2002) (text by Musaceus 500 A.D.) (or singing voice and piano)
THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC for Speaking Voice and Piano (2002) (texts from Arabian Nights, H.D. Thoreau) (or singing voice and piano)
ALPHABETICA Three Pieces for Speaking Voice and Piano (1998) (texts by Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln)
TIME for Speaking Voice and Piano (with Violin Obbligato) (1998) (text by T.S.Eliot from Four Quartets)
ART AND SCIENCE Two Pieces for Speaking Voice and Piano (1998) (texts by James Joyce from Ulysess)
SYMBOLS OF AMERICA Two Excerpts from the Writings of Benjamin Franklin for Speaking Voice and Piano (1998)
FIVE STUDIES ON THE BRAIN for Speaking Voice and Piano (1998) (text by Gail Wight)
FIVE FABLES FROM AESOP for Speaking Voice and Piano (1998)
SPEAKING VOICE AND VIOLIN
(#)12 HAIKU for Speaking Voice and Violin (2006) (original text) (standard notation)
SPEAKING VOICE AND ELECTRONICS
PIONEERS OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC for Digitally Modified Speaking Voice
MUSIC FOR SPEAKING VOICE, DIGITALLY MODIFIED PIANO,AND ANALOG SYNTHESIZER (Vol. 1) (2007)
MUSIC FOR SPEAKING VOICE, DIGITALLY MODIFIED PIANO, AND ANALOG SYNTHESIZER (Vol. 2) (2007)
SPEAKING VOICE AND COMPLEMENTARY MUSIC
FACTS OF LIFE Essays and Poems on Symbiosis and Other Phenomena for Speaking Voice and Complementary Music (2006) (23 pgs.)
STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL for Speaking Voice and Complementary Music (2006) (7 pgs.)
CHORAL MUSIC
(#)INTO THE LIGHT for Mixed Voices (2016) (standard notation)
(#)THE BREATH for Mixed Voices (2013) (standard notation)
(#)HOW CALMLY DOES THE ORANGE BRANCH for Women’s Chorus (1974) (text by Tennessee Williams) (standard notation)
(#)THINGS WITHOUT NAME for Mixed Voices (1965) (text by e. e. cummings) (standard notation)
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
(#)WHAT IF? for Orchestra and Other Sounds (2016) (rental only) (standard notation) (11:24)
(#)THE SHAPE OF THE STREAM for Full Orchestra (2015) (rental only) (standard notation) (14:40)
(#)THE MUSICAL LANDSCAPE Suite for Orchestra (2012)(Score and Parts) (standard notation) (22:12) (rental only)
(#)WAR’S END for Portable Organ, Strings, Brass, and Percussion (2014) (Score and Parts) (standard notation) (8:15)
(#)THE MUSICAL MIND Suite for Orchestra (2012)(Score and Parts) (standard notation) (33:30) (rental only)
(#)PATH OF GREATEST RESISTANCE for Large Orchestra (2005) (Score and Parts) (24 min.) (standard notation for strings; integer notation for W.W, Brss, Perc.) (rental only)
(#)SPACESHIP for String Orchestra and Electronic Sounds (2005) (Score and Parts) (performance disc) (20 min.) (standard notation)
ECOSPHERE for Orchestra (2000) (Score and Parts) (10. min.)
ORBITALS for 16 Players (Without Conductor) (1974, revised and edited 1999) (Score and Parts)
CONCERTOS
CONCERTO for Piano and Orchestra (2000) (3 movts. separated by pno. cadenzas) (score + solo piano part) (21 mins.)
DOUBLE CONCERTO for Violin, Piano, and Orchestra (2000) (6 movts.) (score + solo violin, piano part) (28 mins.)
OPERAS
(#)THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE (Vocal Score only) (based on The Adam and Eve Diaries by Mark Twain) (standard notation) (audio CD with accompanying sounds)
(#)BENJAMIN FRANKLIN full-length Opera in Four Acts (2000) (Libretto by John Holland and Ron Wallace based on writings of B. F.) (full score and parts) (standard notation)
(#)Benjamin Franklin (Vocal Score)
(#)THE SANDBOX Chamber Opera in One Act(1973) (based on play by Edward Albee) (score and parts) (vocal score) (standard notation) (revised in 2005)
(#)THE SANDBOX (Vocal Score)
TEXTS FOR SOLO SPEAKING VOICE
A WALK IN THE PARK for Speaking Voice (2003) (from Invisible Ideas project) (4 pgs.)
EPOCHS OF CONSCIOUSNESS for Speaking Voice (1997) (with Amy Robinson) (6 pgs.)
3 MUSICAL TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1995) (5 pgs.)
THE VIOLIN PLAYER for Speaking Voice (1991) (14 pg.)
COMPLETE SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (compiled and edited 1999) (112 pgs. – includes 10 sets of texts listed below)
A SHORT TEXT for Speaking Voice (1994) (1 pg.)
2 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1990) (3 pgs.)
3 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1995) (6 pgs.)
4 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1994) (6 pgs.)
5 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1990) (12 pgs.)
6 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1990) (12 pgs.)
7 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1990) (14 pgs.)
8 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1994) (29 pgs.)
9 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1995) (14 pgs.)
10 SHORT TEXTS for Speaking Voice (1997) (19 pgs.)
TEXTS FOR MULTIPLE SPEAKING VOICES
QUARTET FOR MIXED SPEAKING VOICES “Nature and Inquiry” (2000) (4 parts)
NATURE AND INQUIRY for 4 Voices (2000) (4 parts)
NOW AND WHEN for 4 Voices (1990)
SINGULARITY for 4 Voices (1990)
QUIET MOON for Mixed Speaking Voices (1990)
3 TEXTS FOR 2 VOICES for Male and Female Speaking Voice (1990) (8 pgs.) (2 parts)
3 TEXTS for Mixed Speaking Voices (1990) (from 4 to any number of voices)
SYNCHRONY for One or Two Speaking Voices (1988)
IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST - Simple Descriptions of Complex Phenomena (2013) (84 pgs.) (pub. online)
CURIOUS - An Introduction to Big Ideas in Nature, Science, And Art (2011) (57 pgs.) (pub. online)
THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG - Collected Writings on Nature, Science, and Art (2010) (105 pgs.) (pub. online)
THE NATURE OF MUSIC for the Performing Musician (1999) (120 pgs.) (American Sound Press) (ISBN 0-9663690-0-9)
TIME (1990/revised 1995) (64 pgs.) (American Sound Press) (ISBN 0-9663690-1-7)
SOUND WAVES and Their Properties in the Surrounding Media (1987) (125 pgs.) (American Sound Press) (ISBN 0-9663690-2-5)
STUDIES ON THE HUMAN EAR (1993) (55 pgs.) (American Sound Press) (ISBN 0-9663690-3-3)
THE PATH OF SOUND - A Trilogy (ebook) (includes Sound Waves . ., Studies on the Human Ear, The Musical Brain)
