Click to read Interview for Faculty Spotlight
of University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance
of University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance
THE SEER for Vocalist and Symphony Band was commissioned by Michael Haithcock for Scott Piper and the University of Michigan Symphony Band.
A “Seer” is one who, through supernatural insight, can see what the future holds, and see through to unseen truths.
Who is the seer? What does the seer see?
“…I’m sitting here in the center of my house this quiet morning. Through the windows, in the outer corners of my eyes, I can see full moon setting on my left and new sun rising on my right. Both gloriously happening now, however, I can only see one or the other if I turn my head. Can’t see both simultaneously. I sit here trying to sum it all up, and see it all at once, but I can’t. There’s a lesson here somewhere in between. The difference between sleeping dreams and waking dreams is difficult to explain…“
This musical mandala weaves together many disparate strands of creative inspiration – i.e., the work of Langston Hughes and Rainer Maria Rilke, Nina Simone, Howlin’ Wolf, Killing Joke, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Rod Serling, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the stories of Parsifal and Ulysses. As much as possible, I let the subconscious lead, as my conscious mind struggled to render dream dictation into a linear language that might resonate with another. In this liminal state, in between both and neither, the answers lie.
live sound by Roger Arnett, recorded and filmed by Dave Schall and Cory Robinson (www.daveschallacoustic.com)
Poetry by Langston Hughes is used with the kind cooperation of the Estate of Langston Hughes.
A “Seer” is one who, through supernatural insight, can see what the future holds, and see through to unseen truths.
Who is the seer? What does the seer see?
“…I’m sitting here in the center of my house this quiet morning. Through the windows, in the outer corners of my eyes, I can see full moon setting on my left and new sun rising on my right. Both gloriously happening now, however, I can only see one or the other if I turn my head. Can’t see both simultaneously. I sit here trying to sum it all up, and see it all at once, but I can’t. There’s a lesson here somewhere in between. The difference between sleeping dreams and waking dreams is difficult to explain…“
This musical mandala weaves together many disparate strands of creative inspiration – i.e., the work of Langston Hughes and Rainer Maria Rilke, Nina Simone, Howlin’ Wolf, Killing Joke, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Rod Serling, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the stories of Parsifal and Ulysses. As much as possible, I let the subconscious lead, as my conscious mind struggled to render dream dictation into a linear language that might resonate with another. In this liminal state, in between both and neither, the answers lie.
live sound by Roger Arnett, recorded and filmed by Dave Schall and Cory Robinson (www.daveschallacoustic.com)
Poetry by Langston Hughes is used with the kind cooperation of the Estate of Langston Hughes.
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New song.
Here's an Assortment of my
solo tunes and collaborations. Many styles, hope you find something you dig! In honor of my father, I've opened a new Soundcloud site for my classical music, featuring my Symphony No. 1 - "Shards" for orchestra.
Since 2001, I have been collaborating with Butoh dancers. This mysterious and transfixing underground artform drew me in, and inspired me to make much music for their mesmerizing performances.
My amazing band, October Babies
One privilege of marrying a great artist, is that you become part of their lifework, and they become part of yours..
And here's my amazing mother
Harriet Lorena Santos My family, gave her a concert on her 80th birthday. Please visit http://rosendosantos.com to learn more about my family history Erik & the Happy Seeds
This wonderful performance of my "Consolation" for solo piano,
by Lisa Emmenheiser, and the 21st Century Consort in Washington, D.C. Enter the PAT.202 Soundcloud Archive! If you've had this class with me in the past, I'd love to add your 202 projects to this mind-opening archive - Please send your Soundcloud link to esantos@umich.edu. |
Doctor's Inn, welcome to my Youtube universe.
Variety's the spice of my life. Please click in and rummage around, lots of surprises await you... Here's my newest piece, PAN for Oboe and Orchestra (2022)
Welcome to OCTOBER BABIES Music world!
Here's our newest release, wishing you powerful peace in 2020. Toko's lovely tribute to her lovely mother Chii Shiiki,
with my father's beautiful music underneath. (When Toko and I had our first date, I played this music for her. She began to weep, and I thought, "Wow, my Dad's still schoolin me!") And this fun walking project made in our hometowns of
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, MI, just prior to pandemic 2020, feat. dancer Maurice Archer, and an ensemble of mugical strangers that we hope to meet again someday. 'Til then - we can still DANCE and SING!! Here's a strange single,
Based upon Toko's dream - "I was walking in a night forest, and sang a song, and all the creatures sang and danced along." In the morning, she sent me a rough demo of the song, and I e-rranged the rest of the forest-chestra around her. Then she asked me to draw a lot of creatures, and helped them dance. En-joy! New collaboration!
Toko, and I, and the Japanese illustrator COCORO, put this animated story together for children and adults to know about the legendary Zen monk Ikkyu. (This is the first time I've done voice-over work - such fun!) (Apparently, COCORO drew the characters based upon the sound of our voices, how cool!) Special thanks to Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati for their gracious support. One of Toko's earlier animation projects, based on the life of
the great Japanese artist Shibata Zeshin. Produced in conjuction with University of Michigan Museum of Art, Many Voices project. Here's a fantastic performance of my percussion duo "KATA KATA",
by musical samurai Andrew Grossman and Colin McCall at University of Michigan. Toko has used my music for many of her projects, giving it fresh recontextualization.
Here's KATA KATA presented in a way I never expected - a videoglimpse of our friend, the famous Detroit photographer Eric Perry & friends The 2016 UM Residency of the Yamakiya Taiko Ensemble from Fukushima, Japan,
lead to The Power Center premiere of my "Armadillo Flow" for 2 percussion ensembles - introducing Yamakiya Taiko & the UM Armadillo Cadre Below are trailers for Toko's films. As her spouse and collaborator,
I've become more than a composer and performer and teacher, but now also a sound engineer (recording, mixing, mastering, and everything in-between!) "We Women Weave". feat. the Moon Seed Movement Troupe and Brent Lewis on drums Movie #1 of our Fukushima Series - "Threshold: Whispers of Fukushima"
Movie #2 of or Fukushima Series - "Over the Sky"
feat. the inspiring story of Abe Kazuo sensei and the Haramachi Jr. High School Brass Band (warning: this moves me to tears everytime!) Movie #3 of our Fukushima Series - "Passing the Baton"
feat. the delicious magic of Niidahonke Sake Brewery, wsg, singer/songwriter Satchel Jones Movie #4 of our Fukushima Series - "Go Up the Mountain"
feat.the Yamakiya Taiko Ensemble This short film features the story from the diary of Afran-san,
a writer and friend from Fukushima Uplifting Collaboration with Toko Shiiki & Collin McRae Leix.
This led to our first foray into Fukushima: I've been doing these cool musical hangs with the legendary Frank Allison,
always in a different location. Ichi-go Ichi-e. First takes and tea breaks. We have about 8 of these little music conversessions in 4 seasons, to infuse your afternoon mood with some groovy gratitude: produced by Toko Shiiki, Two songs from "Dreamer: 7 Poems of Langston Hughes - Mr. Sandman/Birth"
performed by Lonnie Reed, Jennifer Ellis, and John Elam at Kerrytown Concert House, 4/22/2015: This incredible film project documents the 50-year anniversary of
the International Writing Program, at the University of Iowa in 2017. This project of the Japan Foundation features the legendary poet Gozo Yoshimasu, Here's a taste of the magical first meeting of The Crossed Lines:
Recommend --- "The Katies" - I listen to this over and over and over:
ENCORE! Here's a few more tremendous performances for you...
Such a beautiful song by Yoshimitsu Takuki for our ailing world.
I'll never forget being there while you sang it. |