Compositions

2009 (revised 2010)
“Ikaro” 24-channel sound. Performed at SMAC/SMA, Stockholm, Sweden 2013; Morelia and Guadalajara, Mexico, 2011; Sonorities Festival, Queen’s University Belfast, 2009; Northwestern University, 2009. Revised 2010. Audio & more. Also, read the 2011 paper “Bridging A Shamanic Worldview and Electroacoustic Art.”

2008
“Five-Leaf Rose / Redux 2008” Eight-channel sound. Originally premiered at the 1980 International Computer Music Conference. The new version is an recreation of the original now in 8 channels. Also, read the 1982 Computer Music Journal article, “Composing from a Geometric Model: Five-Leaf Rose.”

2006
“Qosqo” Eight-channel sound. Presented at AIMaako’11 Music Festival, Santiago, Chile, 2011; Performed at Queen’s University, 2008; the Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival 2008, SPARK 2007 (Minneapolis, MN), SEAMUS 2006 (Eugene, OR) and UC Santa Barbara. Audio & More. Also, read the paper: “Qosqo: Spirituality, Process and Structure.”

2004
“The Singing Brook” (Alternatively titled “Unu: Spirit of Water”) Eight-channel sound installation. Presented at the SEAMUS 2007 (Amies, IA), 2004 International Computer Music Conference (Miami, FL). Audio & More.

2002
“Wayda” Eight-channel sound installation. Presented at the Center for Art and Technology Second Annual Symposium: Art, Technology and Spirituality, Northwestern University. Audio & More.

1997
“August 15, 2056” for Chorus, Piano and Amplified Voices.

1995
“Sex/Window” Sound installation utilizing 3D sound over personal loudspeakers. Presented at the 1995 International Computer Music Conference, Banff, Canada.

” Angel’s Diary” for Chorus, Piano and Amplified Voices.

Background

Gary Kendall began composing in his early teens under the spell of his love for Stravinsky’s music. He studied composition at the University of Texas at Austin where he worked with Hunter Johnson and Karl Korte. His composition quickly shifted to studies of electronic music with Tom Wells. During his undergraduate senior year he wrote his first software package for sound synthesis. While he studied music theory for his doctorate, he continued to compose music and write software.

In 1976, he joined the faculty of Northwestern and established the Northwestern University Computer Music Studio. He both composed with an emphasis on spatiality and did research in spatial hearing. His compositional career was interrupted by an extended period of involvement in research and business development. He returned to composition in the 1990s producing both choral music and sound installations with an emphasis on spatiality.

Audio Production

In 1985, Gary Kendall collaborated with Mickey Hart, percussionist of the Grateful Dead, and the staff of the Computer Music Studio in creating the first use of three-dimensional sound in television: opening music of the “Twilight Zone” television series. The original version of the music was performed by the Grateful Dead. He went on to digitally process sound effects to create spatial illusions in the first nine episodes of the “Twilight Zone” television series.