Eric Simonson

Eric Simonson was born in 1964 in Denver, Colorado

Brief Biography

Eric Simonson received his Ph.D. from the University of California--San Diego in 1999. That year he joined the liberal arts faculty at Danville Area Community College and has been teaching all of the music courses there. His degrees are in composition, but his interests and teaching experience have involved computer music, music theory and musicology. He first studied piano with Boaz Sharon at the University of Tulsa. Later he studied composition with Harvey Sollberger at Indiana University and Roger Reynolds at UC--San Diego. His current creative project (entitled Geometries) is a group of chamber music pieces that incorporate electroacoustic and computer generated sounds. He has performed as soloist with the Tulsa Philharmonic, Oklahoma City Symphony and the Memphis State University Orchestra. Before turning his attention exclusively to composition and teaching, he enjoyed a busy career as an accompanist. Simonson has extensive experience conducting (especially in 20th century repertoire). Prior to coming to DACC, he was a part-time instructor at Tulsa University and UC-San Diego.

Recent Compositions and Performances

Recent Compositions and Performances

Towards an Interaction (2007) for guitar and tape, performed at:

● SoundON festival of Modern Music, La Jolla, CA, June 19, 2008

● Colin McAllister and Derek Keller duo guitar concert, Danville Area Community College, May 9, 2008

● New Music Festival, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL, March 3, 2008

Letter (2007) for bass flute and tape, performed at:

● SEAMUS Conference (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, April 3, 2008)

Organum (2005) for piano and computer generated sounds, performed at:

● International Computer Music Conference, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, November 10, 2006

Imaginary Cavern Study (2005) for 4-channel fixed media, presented at:

● Electronic Music Midwest (Kansas City, KS Community College, October 12, 2007)

● SEAMUS Conference (Iowa State University, Ames, IA, March 8, 2007)

Geometries (2001-present) a cycle of works for acoustic instruments and electroacoustic sounds

Geometry I for piccolo and electro-acoustic sounds, commissioned by Elizabeth McNutt, performed at:

● University of North Texas (Denton, TX, March 27, 2006)

● Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH, November 14, 2005)

● Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (Boulder, CO, April 22, 2005)

● SEAMUS Conference (Ball State University, Muncie, IN, April 16, 2005)

● Ball State University (New Music Festival, January 22, 2005)

● Third Practice Festival (University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, October 2, 2004)

Geometry III for piano and electro-acoustic sounds, performed by composer at:

● Society of Composers, Inc. Region IV Conference (Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, Nov. 13, 2004)

Geometry IV for marimba and electro-acoustic sounds, performed at:

● ArtEZ hogeschool voor de kunsten (Arnhem, the Netherlands, February 13, 2008)

● Butler University (Indianapolis, IN, February 28, 2006)

● University of Wisconsin, Whitewater (Whitewater, WI, February 9, 2006)

● Society of Composers, Inc. Region V Conference (Butler University, Indianapolis, IN, Nov. 12, 2005)

● Millikin University (Decatur, IL, November 11, 2005)

● Electronic Music Midwest (Kansas City, KS Community College, October 22, 2005)

● Northern Illinois University (De Kalb, IL, October 9, 2005)

Geometry V for flute, percussion and electro-acoustic sounds, commissioned by Due East

Compositions
Towards an Interaction
Towards an Interaction.mp3 - complete
Towards an Interaction.pdf - complete
"Towards an Interaction" is a work for guitar and tape. The tape part uses fft analysis/re-synthesis of recorded guitar samples, along with pitch shifting, frequency shifting, and delay effects. The "towards" of the title refers to the attempt to make a mindless tape part sound as if it is freely interacting with a live player. And, of course, how does a live player interact with something that is entirely fixed, frozen in time? The overall effect should be one of improvisation, as if the two forces were listening, suggesting, anticipating, imitating--all the things that improvisers might do, even though their personalities and temperaments may differ widely.
Geometry IV: Riches
Geometry IV: Riches.mp3 - complete
A performance done in October, 2005 at the Electronic Music Midwest festival in Kansas City, KS. The performer is Greg Beyer.