furious artisans

Dary John Mizelle (born 6.14.40 Stillwater Oklahoma) studied trombone theory and composition in California (B.A. Sacramento State University, MA UC Davis, PhD UC San Diego). Mentors include Larry Austin, Richard Swift, Jerome Rosen, Karlheinz Stockhausen, David Tudor, Roger Reynolds, Robert Erickson, Pauline Oliveros and Kenneth Gaburo. One of the New Music Ensemble (the first free group improvisation ensemble) and and a founding member of SOURCE Music of the Avant Garde magazine, he has specialized in the sonic and structural aspects of contemporary compositional practice. He works with electronic/computer/concrete materials, chamber, solo instrumental, large emsemble, choral, orchestra, opera and experimental combinations. He performs on the trombone, trumpet, shakuhachi, voice, performance art, jazz and intermedia idioms, and conducts. A prolific composer with over 300 works for all media, he is currently engaged in the QUANTA project with visual artist Jack Ox in both virtual reality (to open in Linz, Aurstia in 1999) and concert performance (large orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists in Dresden,Germany in 2000). His works have been performed locally, nationally and internationally since the sixties. He teaches theory, composition, orchestration and world music at Purchase College SUNY where he serves as head of the composition area. He makes his home in Mountaindale, New York. Dr. Mizelle's works were presented in a 25-year retrospective concert at Symphony Space in 1988 to critical acclaim, where he was compared with Ives, Cage, Messien, Bartok, and Xenakis. He is listed in Baker's International Dictionary of Music and Musicians and the Groves Dictionary of American Music and Musicians. He invents and builds electronic and acoustical instruments and makes sculptures, and visual arts in various media. His works are published by Composer Performer Edition, Lingua Press and Mizelle Publications: they are recorded on the Furious Artisans, Irida, Lumina and Nataraja labels.