Michael J. Schumacher
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Michael J. Schumacher (born May 30, 1961 in Washington, D.C.) is a composer of electronic and instrumental works utilizing spatial acoustics. He studied piano with Seymour Bernstein, John Ogdon, and Shigeo Neriki and composition with Stan Applebaum, Bernhard Heiden, John Eaton, Vincent Persichetti and La Monte Young, gaining degrees in composition from Indiana University, Bloomington and Juilliard.
In 1996, with photographer Ursula Scherrer, he founded Studio 5 Beekman, a gallery which was unusual in its ability to present multi-channel sound-installations, where he presented work by Matt Rogalsky, Ben Manley, Ian Nagoski, Phill Niblock, Tom Hamilton, David Behrman, Achim Wollscheid, Alvin Lucier, Alan Licht, Dean Roberts, Lee Ranaldo, Ellen Band, Maria Blondeel, John Hudak, Steve Roden and others. After the closing of 5 Beekman in 2000, he co-founded Diapason, a dedicated sound-art gallery which continues to present work by artists each month.
Schumacher's compositions have been characterized by an intense exploration of multi-channel presentation and minimal structures, influenced by Morton Feldman, Phill Niblock, James Tenney and La Monte Young. His work with perception and timbral relationships is exceptionally forward-thinking in his generation. His published works include Room Pieces (XI), Four Stills (Sedimental), Stories (Quecksilber) and Flood (in collaboration with guitarist Donald Miller, Warpodisc).
