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Chris Chalfant
About Me
CHRIS CHALFANT - PRODUCER, DIRECTOR
COMPOSER, ALTO (VOICE), PIANO
In 2001 I Founded the Lifetime Visions Orchestra which I co-direct with
Joseph Jarman. The LVO recently returned from performing at the Nancy
(France) Pulsations Jazz Festival with great acclaim from Les Republican. I
have directed the American Women Composers Marathon (Boston), and the
Festival of Women Improvisors - Boston. I have been composing
award-winning music since age 16, including Portraits for the Louisville
National Composers Competition (Merit Finalist). I have written extensively
for many different instrumental and vocal combinations, as well as poetry,
theatre, dance, live painting and multimedia. From 1986-1992 I was pianist
and singer for the Longy Improvisation Ensemble. My work in the 80's was
greatly influenced from the work of Meredith Monk and my workshop
experience with Pauline Oliveros. In 1992, I was fortunate to have a residency
at the Atlantic Center with Joan LaBarbara and Morton Subotnick.
My meetings with Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Steve Lacy, Joseph Jarman, and
Reggie Workman, mostly in 1990 were key to shaping my path in writing
creative music. In 1991 I arranged Mother Courage with Reggie Workman
and co-composed Ballade for bass and piano with him. As a result of my
work and studies with Joseph Jarman in Aikido, Buddhism and healing and
music projects, I have committed myself to working with the healing power of
music. In addition to the LVO project, I work with the Dojo Band and have
created and implemented the Sonic Meditations Retreat since 2001 in
conjunction with Joseph Jarman and the Brooklyn Buddhist Association.
I studied classical piano with Margaret Baxtresser and African Music and
Dance with Halim el Dabh at Kent State (BA in Music 1983). In 1988 I
received my MM at New England Conservatory where I studied jazz with
George Russell and composition with William Thomas McKinley. I also
studied Indian music with Abby Rabinowitz and Harriotte Hurie, and wrote for
Jimmy Giuffree's Jazz composer concert series. I work now in jazz
improvisation with Connie Crothers and recently studied Indian Raga with
Michael Harrison. I also had the rare opportunity of studying raga with the
great Mashkoor Ali Khan of Calcutta, India.
My most recent recordings include Love and Light, Convergence and All in
Good Time. I also composed and performed on the Lifetime Visions
Orchestra's recent release Live at the Vision Festival 2002. in addition, I have
performed at the New York Jazz Festival with Noah Howard, and the
International Composers Conference in Leukerbad, Switzerland as well as the
Darmstadt Festival.
Current concerts include:
Lifetime Visions Orchestra,
Jikishinkan Dojo,
211 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY,
Sunday, February 22, 7PM,
http:/www.directmind.com
Lifetime Visions Orchestra,
Metropolitan AME Church,
58 135th St, Harlem, NY,
Saturday, March 20, 3-5PM,
http:/www.directmind.com
Chris Chalfant Trio,
with Adam Lane and John McCutcheon,
The Uptown,
33 N. Front St, Kingston, NY,
Saturday, April 3,
[email protected]
Chris Chalfant Trio,
with Adam Lane, Lou Grassi,
Freddie's,
Dean and 6th Ave, Brooklyn,
Tuesday, April 6, 8:30 PM,
[email protected]
Lifetime Visions Orchestra,
Jikishinkan Dojo,
211 Smith Street,
Brooklyn, NY,
April Sunday TBA,
http:/www.directmind.com
Lifetime Visions Orchestra,
Barbes,
376 9Th Street @ 6th Ave,
Brooklyn, NY,
Wednesday, May 19, 7-9PM,
http:/www.barbesbrooklyn.org