Saturn Biographies:
Dan Plonsey

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Dan Plonsey was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a BA in math and music from Yale University (1980) and an MA in composition from Mills College (1988). His teachers have included: Anthony Braxton, Martin Bresnick, David Lewin, and more briefly - though making a large impact - Roscoe Mitchell and Terry Riley. Plonsey is the composer of over 150 works for large and small ensembles, his most recent commission coming from Bang on a Can (composition to be premeired in May, in New York). He is the resident composer and frequent librettist for El Cerrito's Disaster Opera Theatre Co. (13 one-hour operas since 1994), the co-founder of two defunct composers' collectives (New Haven's Sheep's Clothing and the Bay Area's Composer's Cafeteria), the journal Freeway (and co-editor), and the weekly Beanbender's creative music concert series in Berkeley (since March, 1995). Inspired by Sun Ra, Charles Ives, and the dadaists, his compositions "arise from the drama of conflict: at least two ideas, one sensible and one absurd, set in motion together or against one another. Other compositions require the invention of imaginary worlds." As a player, he professes "a liquid approach to intonation and phrasing which echoes the voice, birds, trains and other saxophonish sounds around me."

Plonsey's current projects include: a set of three CDs for solo and overdubbed saxophones (one released, the second completed); recording a set of music for small big-band; a commissioned puppet-opera for the Enormous Ensemble; recording a selection from among 144 short piano pieces; the aforementioned piece for the Bang on a Can All-Stars; and the creation of a compositional structure for full orchestra, to be recorded on multitrack tape, Plonsey playing all of the parts.

DISCOGRAPHY

As leader or co-leader
98 (untitled), solo and multiple saxophone compositions, vol 2. (unknown)
97 Ivory Bill, solo and multiple saxophone compositions, vol 1. (Music & Arts)
97 Child King Dictator Fool, The Great Circle Sax Quartet. (New World)
96 Another Curiosity Piece, Plonsey, Hinds, Hinds, Ben-Ya'akova. (Omni Sonic)
92 Dipping Into Color, The Manufacturing of Humidifiers. (yes.no.lp)
91 Dire Images of Beauty, The Manufacturing of Humidifiers. (yes.no.lp)
89 The Manufacturing of Humidifiers, The Manufacturing of Humidifiers. (yes.no.lp)

Contributions to compilations, as leader
96 Somethin' Else!!! (Somethin' Else magazine)
95 Wavelength Infinity - arrangements of Sun Ra compositions. (Rastascan)
93 (Y)earbook, Vol. 1 (Rastascan)

As sideman
98 Jungle Cookies, Eugene Chadbourne (Old Gold)
97 Wondering in Volume, Mumble and Peg (Vaccination)
96 Pack Small ``r'' Half Inch, Ron Anderson. (Rastascan)
95 Connections, John Hinds. (Omni Sonic)
94 God's Fools, Dreamland. (Caliban)
93 American Works for Balinese Gamelan Orchestra, Gamelan Sekar Jaya. (New World)

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