About this Artist
GLENN BRANCA is a symphonist. In the last 25 years he has composed 13 symphonies: six for guitar ensemble (1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 12), three for harmonic series instruments (3, 4, 5), three for conventional symphony orchestra (7, 9, 11), and one for 100 guitars. He has also composed many shorter pieces for a wide variety of instrumentation. He’s written an unproduced opera, a film soundtrack, and two ballets. Recent compositions have been Compositional Recreations for the Bang on a Can All-Stars; In Perpetuity, a special commission for MTV staff; a new performance of Guitars d’Amour by the Fireworks guitar ensemble; a recent string quartet adaptation of the 1981 guitar piece Light Field for Kronos to premier in NYC on April 7th; and this fall’s Naked Christmas for the French group Artzoid. As well as the very occasional performances of the band Branca-Bloor. He is the inventor of the Harmonics Guitar. Later this year Atavistic will release for the first time Indeterminate Activity Of Resultant Masses (for 10 guitars and drums) recorded in 1981. This is the piece of music that “disturbed” John Cage and has rarely been heard since that time.