Vic Rawlings

Vic Rawlings is a Boston-based musician, artist, filmmaker, and teacher. He performs and teaches across North America and Europe.

Music

As a musician, he is primarily active as a free improvisor. Rawlings performs using instruments of his own design and construction, including an amplified/prepared cello and an electronic instrument.^[1] Though primarily a soloist, Rawlings also performs and records in small and large ensembles.^[2] He frequently collaborates with Mike Bullock^[3] and Tim Feeney.^[4] His performances and compositions have been featured in several films, including Black Diamonds: Mountaintop Removal and the Fight for Coalfield Justice, a feature-length film by Catherine Pancake, as well as numerous theater and dance productions, including live score for choreographer and dancer Gwen Welliver.

Installation

Rawlings' Sound Installation, featuring words and voice by the poet Susan Howe, was presented at Bennington College (Bennington, VT) and at Mobius Gallery (Cambridge, MA).

Film

Rawlings is currently making a documentary^[5] about the banjo player, Lee Sexton, with Jeff Daniel Silva.

Teaching

Rawlings has authored curricula for music and sound-based music instruction. He teaches fretted instruments privately in the Boston area. He teaches improvised music, sound, and instrument-building privately and in elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, as well as homeless shelters, correctional facilities, music festivals, etc.

Education

Rawlings has studied privately with master musicians in several genres; these include Jon Damian (guitar; Berklee College of Music), Chand Khan (sarangi; Varanasi, India), George Neikrug (cello; Boston University), Tony Trischka (banjo), and Lee Sexton (banjo).