Michael William Gilbert

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Michael William Gilbert
Born	August 17, 1954 (1954-08-17) (age 53)
Origin	New York, New York, United States
Genre(s)	Electronic music World Music Avant-garde rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, Computer Research Analyst
Instrument(s)	Synthesizer Percussion Flute Guitar
Years active	1978–present
Label(s)	Gibex Recordings Palace of Lights
Website	Michael William Gilbert website MySpace: Michael William Gilbert

Michael William Gilbert (1954 - ) is an American music composer working in the genres of electronic music and world music.

[edit] Biography

Michael William Gilbert was raised in Connecticut and Brussels, where he first heard the music of Africa and East Asia, as well as the electronic music of Edgard Varèse and Pierre Henry. Once he returned to the U.S., Gilbert studied electrical engineering at MIT and electronic music at Boston School of Electronic Music, where he later worked as an instructor and director of custom synthesis systems. He went on to become a teacher and technical director of electronic music for several colleges, including Smith College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts.

He is currently a computer research analyst at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, where he is engaged in investigating internet media technologies, streaming protocols, multimedia, and supporting the Office of Information Technologies' provision of Internet services.

Gilbert's first album, Moving Pictures, was released in 1978 by Gibex, the label that released his subsequent work through the '80s. His follow-up album, The Call (1981), included percussionist David Moss, among others. Gilbert has since collaborated with a variety of accomplished musicians including master percussionist Tony Vacca.

Two subsequent releases on compact disc, Light in the Clouds and Point of Views. A collaboration with percussionist Tony Vacca, acoustic bassist Salvatore Macchia, and synthesist Roy Finch, The Light in the Clouds brings together African, Jewish, Christian, and Shinto musical traditions. Point of Views is a recording realized with a MIDI-based studio, with collaboration by Tony Vacca.

His most recent CD, Other Voices, includes both unreleased works with contributions by Tony Vacca and Roy Finch, and more recent compositions.

Gilbert's music has been played in concerts and festivals in North America and abroad and has been used by choreographers in conjunction with modern dance works. Among these choreographers are Susan Waltner, Valerie Feit, Jan Wodynski, and Paula Josa-Jones. Gilbert has also scored films by independent filmmakers, and worked on music for "The Nightingale Princess", a film by Chris Dreisbach, Owen Granich-Young, and Daniel Gilbert.