Stuart Dempster facts for kids
Stuart Dempster (born July 7, 1936, in Berkeley, California) is a talented musician. He plays the trombone and the didjeridu. He is also known for being an improviser, which means he makes up music on the spot, and a composer, someone who writes music.
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About Stuart Dempster
Early Life and Teaching
After finishing his studies at San Francisco State College, Stuart Dempster became a teacher. He taught at California State College at Hayward and the San Francisco Conservatory from 1960 to 1966. During this time, he was also part of a performing group at Mills College. From 1962 to 1966, he was the main trombonist in the Oakland Symphony Orchestra.
Working with Other Musicians
In 1967, Stuart Dempster worked at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He helped create the first commercial recording of a famous music piece called In C by Terry Riley. Stuart Dempster had also performed in the first show of In C in 1964.
The next year, he became a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. He continued teaching there and became a full professor in 1985. He also spent time studying at the University of Illinois and was a special scholar in Australia in 1973.
In 1979, he wrote a book called The Modern Trombone: A Definition of Its Idioms. He also received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1981.
Music and Collaborations
Stuart Dempster has asked many famous composers to write music for him. Some of these composers include Luciano Berio, Donald Erb, and Ernst Krenek. He has also worked with his former classmate Pauline Oliveros and another musician named Panaiotis. Together, they helped start a group called the Deep Listening Band. He even asked Pauline Oliveros to create a special piece for trombone and dance in 1966.
Stuart Dempster practices yoga and special breathing techniques. These techniques help him with his music, especially with something called circular breathing. He is also known for being the person who first brought the didjeridu instrument to North America.
Music Recordings
Stuart Dempster has recorded many albums. Here are some of his notable works:
- In The Great Abbey of Clement VI (1987)
- Underground Overlays from the Cistern Chapel (1995)
- Deep Listening (1989), with Panaiotis and Pauline Oliveros
- Lung Tree (2005), where he played trombone, didjeridu, and even a garden hose!
- Echoes of Syros (2009), where he played trombone, didjeridu, and conch shells.
He has also recorded music with other artists:
- Common Threads (1996), with Joe McPhee
- Raga for the Rainy Season (1999), with Greg Powers (as Pran)
See also
- List of ambient music artists
