San Francisco Design

MERLIN COLEMAN

www.merlinman.com

abpwtk@r.postjobfree.com

EDUCATION

MFA, 1997, Music Composition, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA.

BFA, 1993, Music Composition, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA.

SELECTED RESIDENCIES, WORKSHOPS AND INSTRUCTION

2004

Meredith Monk Residency

Performed in Large and Small Vocal Ensemble as part of the Meredith Monk

Marathon, featuring a full day of Monk's music at Mills College, Oakland, CA.

2003

Engine 27 Residency

Composer in residence, invited to create a 16-channel sound installation

titled "Fern" to be premiered in their sound gallery in the Fall, 2003.

2002

Ragdale Foundation Residency

Composer in Residence, Lake forest, IL. March 15-April 10

1998-2000

Action Theater

Intensives in theater/sound/movement improvisation taught by Ruth Zapora,

five days a week, 4 hours per day, 5 months in total.

1998-Present

Private Instruction

Mathew Owens, cello; Lillian Loran,voice; Joan Jeanrenaud, cello; Alaudin

Mathieu, composition; Terry Riley, North Indian voice.

MAJOR WORKS

2002

An Evening of Songs

Merlin Coleman with guest artists, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, Feb 15.

2001

Song Set for Cello and Voice (Interwoven spoken text and vocals with cello

accompaniment)

21 Grand Community Performance/Gallery, Oakland, Feb 24.

Kimos, Carnival ad Nauseum Series, San Francisco, Jun 27.

The Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco, Nov 8.

Covered Wagon, San Francisco, Mar 18.

Women Hold Up Half The Sky

Radio series hosted by Gregory Sharpen, 90.7FM KALX, Berkeley, Oct 6.

2000

Float Songs Tilted House

A solo collage of live performance using a mannequin, cello and chair, with

recorded and live soundscapes incorporating sung voice, water, cello, a train

and piano sounds, Venue 9, San Francisco, Sept 12.

Song set for Cello and Voice

Cafe DuNord, San Francisco, Oct 30.

Performed in 4 different concert venues around Japan, Nov-Dec.

Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco, Aug 3.

1999

Fern

Solo cello voice condensed performance of developing Fern material, Meat

the Beat Series, Venue 9, San Francisco, Feb 10.

1998

Fern

Sexo Cabaret Series, Speakeasy, Seattle, Dec 11, 12.

1997

Profiles Excerpt

Solo performance using movement, props and experimental vocals with

overlaid film projections from Profiles of Sleep, Apparatus Film Series, Venue

9, San Francisco, Oct 20.

Water Stories

Solo performance piece, incorporating buckets of water, a child-like fantasy,

movement gargling and song, part of Multifarious Behavior, L.A.C.E.,Los

Angeles, May 30, 31.

1996

Profiles of sleep (Interdisciplinary MFA Thesis)

A full-length work centered around five live characters created from original

text, 16 mm film shot in collaboration with Filmmaker Catherine Hollander,

recorded and live text and sound, movement and prop manipulation, Cal Arts

Theater 2,Valencia, Sept 27, 28.

COLLABORATIONS, SELECTED PROJECTS

2001-Present

Woolsey St. Downstairs Gallery and Cold Cuts Sessions

A monthly gallery showing and performance series featuring visual artists,

local musicians, writers, and movement artists, plus an annual independent

film festival. Curated and hosted by Merlin Coleman and Christine Wolheim in

their home.

1999-2001

Progress Farm

A 17 minute film created from edits from Profiles of Sleep, ( see MFA thesis )

with a newly constructed sound track, screened at 848 Community Space,

San Francisco; 21 Grand, Oakland; Cold Cuts Film Festival, Berkeley.

2002

Blue Sofa

Sound design and cast member, Mary Armentrout Dance Theater, The LAB,

San Francisco, May 10, 11, 17, 18.

2001-Present

Lullaby

Live musical performance for a solo dance piece choreographed by Maxine

Moerman to three cello/voice songs by Merlin Coleman, Dance Mission

Theater, San Francisco.

The Psychopathology of Everyday Life

Sound design and cast member, Mary Armentrout Dance Theater, Dance

Mission Theater, San Francisco, June 1, 2, 8, 9.

1999

Small Bits of Progress Are Being Made

Co-produced and performed original work with Mary Armentrout, including a

choreographed cello/voice song cycle and video projection of Progress Farm,

848 community center, San Francisco, Oct 22, 23.

1993

Watch if One is Always Steady

Created and performed with Choreographer Erin Mitchell using original

poetry, five dancer/singers, and the Gamelan Pacifica Ensemble as part of

the Composer/Choreographer Series sponsored by Gamelan Pacifica, Ned

Skinner Theater, Seattle, June.

1992-1994

Gamelan Pacifica/Visible Religion

Performing and touring member of Gamelan Pacifica Seattle as a player and

singer 1992-94, including performances of the interdisciplinary piece Visible

Religion, at On The Boards, Seattle; Stepenwolf Theater, Chicago; Walker Art

Center, Minneapolis.

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