School of Music Visiting Artist
Thomas Buckner’s presentation is based on works that were written for and dedicated to him by the major American pioneers of electronic music. He analyzes their compositions, giving insights into their creative processes and methods of work which one can only gain through direct professional collaboration and friendship. Thomas Buckner has worked with such artists as Pauline Oliveros, David Wessel, Alvin Lucier, Robert Ashley, Annea Lockwood and more.
Thomas Buckner, recipient of the American Music Center’s Letter of Distinction, has for decades championed music of the avant-garde in America and throughout the world as a performer, producer, and advocate. A former student of the legendary Metropolitan Opera baritone, Martial Singher, Buckner has continued throughout his career to broaden the scope of his vocal styles, specializing in a wide range of experimental music and collaborating with a host of “new music” composers including Christian Wolff, Robert Ashley, Noah Creshevsky, Earl Howard, Matthias Kaul, Leroy Jenkins, Bun Ching Lam, Annea Lockwood, Roscoe Mitchell, Phill Niblock, Wadada Leo Smith, Chinary Ung, and many others.
His professional life as a musician began in the 1960’s with the founding of 1750 Arch Concerts and the 23-member Arch Ensemble in Berkeley, California, which presented hundreds of musical events yearly. These two institutions provided a venue for a wide range of experimental music by a wide range of composers, and included the baritone’s own innovative vocal performances. In conjunction with these activities, 1750 Arch Records was founded, and produced over 50 record albums including works of Villa-Lobos, and Dallapiccola, as well as many established and emerging composers from part of the world.
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