Role

:

Composer

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

Eric Lyon is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1969 in Burlington, Vermont. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Lyon began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He attended the University of Vermont, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. After completing his undergraduate studies, Lyon went on to earn a Master of Music degree in composition from the University of California, San Diego. During this time, he studied with renowned composers such as Roger Reynolds and Chaya Czernowin. Lyon also studied computer music with Miller Puckette, who is known for developing the Max/MSP programming language. Lyon's early works were heavily influenced by the experimental music scene in San Diego. He often incorporated electronic sounds and computer-generated sounds into his compositions. One of his early works, "The Book of Strange Positions," was a multimedia piece that combined live performers with computer-generated sounds and video projections. In the late 1990s, Lyon moved to Europe and began working with the Ircam (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique) in Paris. Ircam is a research institute that focuses on the intersection of music and technology. Lyon worked as a researcher and composer at Ircam, where he developed new techniques for computer music composition. During his time at Ircam, Lyon composed several notable works, including "The Complete Works of Art," which was commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain. This piece is a tribute to the composer Arnold Schoenberg and incorporates elements of his music into Lyon's own unique style. Another notable work from Lyon's time at Ircam is "Noise Variations," which is a series of pieces that explore the use of noise in music. Lyon uses computer algorithms to generate different types of noise, which are then manipulated and combined with live performers. In 2004, Lyon returned to the United States and began teaching at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He currently serves as a professor of music composition and is the director of the Rensselaer Arts Department. Lyon's recent works continue to explore the intersection of music and technology. One of his most recent works, "The Book of Strange Positions II," is a multimedia piece that combines live performers with computer-generated sounds and video projections. This piece is a continuation of Lyon's earlier work, "The Book of Strange Positions," and explores themes of identity and transformation. Another recent work from Lyon is "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," which is a series of pieces that explore the use of chaos theory in music composition. Lyon uses computer algorithms to generate chaotic patterns, which are then manipulated and combined with live performers. Lyon's music has been performed by numerous ensembles and orchestras around the world, including the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the Arditti Quartet, and the San Francisco Symphony. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Fulbright Fellowship. In conclusion, Eric Lyon is a contemporary classical music composer who has made significant contributions to the field of computer music composition.

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