Our everyday soundscape has changed because of the technology that we have created and and depend on. As John Cage once demonstrated, silence is impossible. In addition, we have continued to surround our lives with more and more noise. This has radically changed our way of hearing. How can we continue to limit ourselves to antiquated systems like tonality? As a composer in the 21st century, I believe it is essential to explore and harmonize with this modern landscape of sounds in this noise polluted world we have created.

With digital technologies the creative composer has the potential to create sounds never heard before, new rhythms, new music and new genres. I find this extremely exciting and liberating. The ability to use any medium and have absolute control over every creative and technical aspect with digital media has opened up entirely new worlds. Traditional art forms are all in the process of disintegrating and transforming by becoming more and more integrated and unified. The arts are currently in the most revolutionary period of all time. The music of the future will be created by artists who will realize that the supremacy of digital media requires no distinctions between traditional genres. I consider it limiting and antiquated to follow the role of the traditional musician and need to move forward by striving for something more universal.

Early experiments with video art as well as the use of interactive video scores in which musical information was displayed to performers in real time opened extra-musical possibilities for me. Merging graphic notation and real-time composition with performance art and installation started to radically alter my way of thinking as a composer. Also by attempting to break down the distinction between the audience, performer and stage, I have learned to always consider all areas within and outside of the performance space as usable, and by doing so create a whole(istic) experience for everyone.

These experiments led to seriously thinking about art as music and music as art. As a composer this especially forced me to think in a multi-dimensional sense and which was unfamiliar yet exciting. I wanted to compose experiences as opposed to traditional pieces of music.

In an effort to realize a new type of experiential composition, I worked towards creating a purely abstract visual music language with 3D applications called "assault compositions". I was interested in exploring the boundaries that lie between hypnosis and assault and presented these works as projected installations with sound environments. I also began researching avant-garde architecture and the use of projected 3d imagery to deconstruct and transform space. Deconstructivist theory even further developed my interest in synthesizing contemporary architecture with creative music.

Musical systems have contributed to a majority of my work which considers improvisation and employ a unique musical language that utilizes modular architecture for the performer. The objective is a language rigid enough to maintain control over the formal aspects of composition, yet still allowing the performer freedom to add their own voice and contributing to the compositional process. Intuitive operations can open the doorway for the performer to deeper meditative and spiritual connection and the investigation of the creative self.

I also took the idea of inner exploration and mediation further through the sport of ultrarunning. I began spending hours in the park daily running and trying to go further into myself. I ran my first ultra on November 30, 2002 in a 60k race (36 miles) and came in 9th place. The feeling upon finishing that race was beyond anything I had experienced before. Now addicted and wanting to attempt a longer distance, I completed my second ultra race, the Umstead 100 mile Endurance run on April 5, 2003 coming in second place with the time of 17:19:12. This changed my life forever. I gave up music for a while to devote myself fully to ultrarunning.

I have always refused to compromise the music/artwork that I create and will continue to do so. I will continue to develop more creatively/spiritually by always exploring new areas that challenge myself and others. I want to go deep within and really connect with my inner voice without getting blocked by the material superficial garbage that has polluted our lives. By exploring these unexplored territories I hope to contribute towards humanity by allowing people to see/hear something new and provide new visions and hope for positive change.

I believe the creative composer has an enormous responsibility as one who has the potential to channel from the spiritual world and realize mystical and spiritual truth. Music has the power to heal the world and show human potential, striving to expand consciousness and create a more enlightened and divine planet. We need this now more than ever.

My principal teachers have been Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith and Robert Carl. In addition, I have studied with Vinny Golia, Morton Subotnick, and Jackie MacLean. I hold an MFA in Integrated Media Composition from the California Institute of the Arts and a BM in Composition from the Hartt School of Music.