Pamela Madsen; California State University, Fullerton

Pamela Madsen is acclaimed internationally as a composer, performer and scholar. Through her compositions, interactive opera/installations, writings, collaborative projects, collected archives of works by women in electronic music, teaching, performances and organization of events she has created a body of work with a profound breadth of vision. With a Ph.D. in Composition from UCSD with Brian Ferneyhough, doctoral studies in Music Theory from Yale University, and post-doctoral studies in Music Technology at IRCAM, Paris, Madsen has been honored with awards, grants, residencies and concerts internationally. Whether traveling with the Listening Room Project throughout the US, Europe and Canada, or working with artist Judy Chicago’s Envisioning the Future Project in Los Angeles, or the Arditti String Quartet in France, Zeitgeist Ensemble in Minnesota, CA Ear Unit at Arcosanti, Pauline Oliveros in California or as resident composer at Mills College, Madsen’s commitment to interaction and collaboration with the performer in electroacoustic music is evident. Madsen’s ritual interactive electroacoustic opera/installations works focus on the concept of transformation and transcendence in musical performance through intensive focus on the moment, voice, movement and virtuosity in conjunction with multi-media and spatialized electronics. She works collaboratively to create new works that challenge performers beyond their current technical, musical, and personal limitations. To engage in this experience requires focus, concentrated musicianship, strong improvisational skills, and willingness to reflect in the moment and engage with technology, which are the hallmarks of Madsen’s form.

Her large scale operas/music dramas for various ensembles, voices and electronics have been commissioned and premiered by such ensembles as: Zeitgeist, Ethel, SONOR, New York New Music Ensemble, California Ear Unit and the Arditti String Quartet. Current projects include: Sedna, multi-media opera commissioned by Zeitgeist for multiple performances in California and Minnesota, Spring 2007, Faraway (Within) for spatialized voices, ensemble and electronics composed for the 50th Anniversary of CSUF and Sensations of Unreality for piano and electronics commissioned by Winston Choi , Shannon Wettstein, and Ian Pace. She has been invited guest composer, researcher at major centers for contemporary music throughout the United States and Europe, namely: BIMHUIS, Gaudeamus, Amsterdam, Sparkfest, IAWM International Congress, Miami, Acrosanti, June in Buffalo, Darmstadt Ferienkurse fur Neue Musik, IRCAM, Paris, Acanthes Festival, Avignon-Villeneuve and Mills College. Her theoretical work focuses on issues of voice, women in new music, collaboration and the influence of technology on compositional thought and is published in Contemporary Music Forum and Musik Texte, “Resonances” at IRCAM, Pompidou Center, Paris. A frequent guest lecturer, performer and invited scholar at festivals and universities she is organizer of the Annual Women in New Music Festival, International Electro-Acoustic Women’s Listening Room Project and Director of the New Music Ensemble at Cal State Fullerton where she is an Associate Professor of Composition, Music Theory and Music Technology.

SELECTED COMPOSITIONS

Sedna (2006-7)

Sedna is a 45-minute electroacoustic opera/installation based on the myth of Sedna, the goddess of the artic sea creatures, composed by Pamela Madsen, in collaboration with multi-media artist, set designer, Snezana Petrovic. This work, commissioned by Zeitgeist will receive a preview performance by the ensemble Zeitgeist (2 percusssion, piano and winds) during Sparkfest at the Univeristy of Minnesota in February 2007 and the Annual Women in New Music Festival at Meng Hall, CSUF during March 2007. The work will be featured on Zeitgeist's season for 5 performances in June 2007. The work features the visual art work,set design and video projection of Snezana Petrovic and the electroacoustic spatialized sound design of composer Pamela Madsen. Images and sounds are based on the scenes of the opera, themes of domination, alienation, mutilation, with images of water, ice, and bird sounds.

To Bedlam and Part Way Back (2006-7)

Based on the First Book of Poetry by Anne Sexton, this collection of works features Lullaby for Zeitgeist ensemble (two percussion, piano, clarinet) and electronics based on Sexton's voice. To be premiered February 2007.

Sensations of Unreality (2007)

Based on the text from the Autobiography of a Schizophrenic Girl, this work is commissioned by pianist Shannon Wettstein for premiere in Summer 2007).

The Sibyl (1994 - 2004)
The Sibyl is a ninety-minute opera, this staged liturgical music-drama is based on ancient Sibylline chants and prophecies for solo voices, instrumental soloists, ensembles and spatalized electronics.

Based on The Sibyl, by Swedish novelist, Par Lagerkvist, this contemporary adaptation of an ancient form of music-drama emphasizes spectacular processions, music and drama to exploit architectural spaces. The Sibyl reenacts the spectacle of the liturgical ritual while evoking a confessional interior dialogue through the used of spatialized electronics.

Several of the works from The Sibyl have been premiered: O Mary, premiered by the Arditti String Quartet at the Acanthes Festival, 2002, and performed by the String Quartet Ethel in 2006. Rope premiered by Califronia Ear Unit, Demon for clarinet and electronics, premiered by Pat O'Keefe from the Zeitgeist Ensemble and Red Vertical premiered by the yesaroun' duo, Julliard School, New York City and Pnuema-Phrenesis-Abyss, by the New York New Music Ensemble. Plans for the completed opera and premiere performance for 2004-5.

The Sexton Cycle (1996-2002):
The Sexton Cycle is a ninety-minute cycle of pieces for soloists, chamber ensembles and electronics based on the work of Pulitzer prize-winning American "confessional" poet Anne Sexton. This multi-movement cycle explores the use of spoken, sung or chanted settings of voices and the manipulation of sound through digital editing techniques and spatialization to depict the multiple layers of thought in her poems.

The cycle was completed in 2002 and includes Consorting With Angels, a commission from SONOR ensemble at UCSD and the award-winning composition: The Red Shoes, commissioned by Patti Cudd for percussion and spoken voice. All works in the cycle have been premiered and recorded for a CD funded by grants from CSUF, UCSD, Mills College, The American Music Center, Subito Grant, and The American Composers Forum.