Past Events

5/3/08 - TONEBURST 7 - Presented by Church of the Friendly Ghost & FUSEBOX
Salvage Vanguard Theater - 8pm - Come and see the video that Nathan Wood and Brent Fariss did here (it's a big file, so allow time to download). TB 7 featured Rick Reed, Brent Fariss / Nathan Wood, Steve Marsh, James Eck Rippie, Josh Ronsen / Jacob Green, Bright Duplex, Dromez, and Naught for 3. As always, expect flashing lights, video projections, sounds that are harsh, strange and beautiful. Be sure to pack your bags, because we're going on a trip!

4/12/08 - New Music Coop presents The Universal Instrument: An Evening of New Music For Voice
Featuring works by Brandon Young, Keith Manlove, Holland Hopson, Chris Cuellar, Josh Ronsen, Travis Weller, and Brent Fariss. The new piece by Fariss is for 5 vocalists, 2 contrabasses, 2 percussionists, and choir chimes! Before the concert, Fariss and Weller will each give a fifteen-minute talk about their pieces as part of the Meet the Composer grant. They will discuss creative approach, notation, instrumentation, and compositional process.

4/05/08 - 1010 Willow Street; Austin, TX 78702 - 5-8pm. Open Rehearsal / Workshop for vocal pieces by Travis Weller & Brent Fariss. Weller and Fariss are recipients of a Meet the Composer Grant!!! Curious how larger works are rehearsed, scheduled, and put together? Now is your chance! This is the first in several events that take place during the week leading up to the vocal show.

4/06/08 - Commercial Suicide Radio Show - KOOP 91.7 (koop.org) - 8:30-10:00 pm (CDT). Fariss and Weller go on the air to promote New Music Coop vocal show and play excerpts of pieces. Listen to it streaming on the web at koop.org.

3/28-29/08 - Princeton University - Sonic Fragments: Narrative and Mediation in Sound Art - Includes Brent Fariss' installation of East Pyne Archway (princeton). If you are in the area, check it out or just click on the link and experience yourself!!!

2/23/08 - Toneburst 6: Koop Benefit - Presented by Church of the Friendly Ghost & KOOP Radio
Salvage Vanguard Theater - 8pm - featuring Sarah Norris/Brent Fariss (premiering a new work entitled bliss), Thomas Fang, Nick Hennies, Aaron Russell/Sandy Ewen, Alex Keller, Travis Weller, Rick Reed, and more. As always, expect flashing lights, video projections, loud and soft sounds of a very weird, yet strangely beautiful tonality. Be sure to pack your bags, because we're going on a trip! Info here.

1/25/08 - Brent Fariss / solo bass + Peter Evans / solo trumpet - Willow Street House Concert - 8pm - Peter Evans will be joining us from New York performing improvisations for solo trumpet. We'll also have Brent Fariss with new works for contrabass. Fariss will open the show performing a series of works for solo contrabass, including the premieres of sept-II-embre (for contrabass scordatura and resonant unmanned snare drum) and With My Finger in the Middle (for prepared bass, foil, and other appendages). All works deal with the resonant relationships between the bass and its environment, as well as the slightest hint of double entendre.

1/20/08 - Sunday Sonorities - Ovations, Houston, TX - 7pm - Two premieres of chamber works for violin, viola, contrabass, percussion & owl by Brent Fariss and Travis Weller, plus a work by Houstonite, Richard Power. Fariss' I apologize, Julius, for judging you is a "dramaturgical environment in g minor: A man is judged by another…though the wrong assumption was made. Often people see the worse in others, but in reality are looking at themselves. Judgment turns to realization which then turns to self-loathing. Inspired by a true story." The piece incorporates electronics along with the string trio and percussion amplifying resonant qualities of the instruments and the room.

12/10-11/07 - Arnold Dreyblatt recording session - Orchestra of Excited Strings records Kinship Collapse for upcoming release.

12/8/07 - TONEBURST 5 - Ceremony Hall - 8pm - Another installment of Rick Reed's great Toneburst series featuring SIRSIT, Carlos Pozo, Scott Stark, Rick Reed, Greg Headley, Keith Manlove, Josh Ronsen and Tom Grzinich. A great night. SIRSIT performed a blissful journey towards outer space.

11/17/07 - New Music Coop presents Electrons and Phonons 2: Electric Boogaloo - Ceremony Hall (4100 Red River) - 8pm - The second annual concert NMC has put in to celebrate the SEAMUS month of electroacoustic music. I'll be doing a collaboration with fellow sound maker, Greg Headley, entitled The application of noble gases in lighting, welding and space technology.

11/09/07 - Percussion works at the SOUND Festival - Aberdeen, Scotland - Fariss' new quartet for percussion (en la búsqueda del sanchez...encontraron solamente fantasmas) premieres at the SOUND Festival in Aberdeen by the group, Paella. The piece is around 15 minutes long as is written for traditional and found percussive objects. This is Part One of the Mexican Minimalist Series. We hope to do a US concert of the works in early 2008.

10/20/07 - New Music Coop presents Arnold Dreyblatt - Ceremony Hall (4100 Red River) - 8pm - Arnold Dreyblatt returns to Austin after his appearance at SXSW '06 to work with an evening length program of his own music, featuring a new commission by the New Music Coop entitled Kinship Collapse. On a personal note, I am very happy to get to have my bass "excited" again. This was a phenomenal show and experience...working with Arnold again, learning to play in just intonation, playing with fabulous musicians.

8/25/07 - The Deep Dream Decoders (Rick Reed & Brent Fariss) - Salvage Vanguard Theater (2817 Manor Road) - 8pm - A new ongoing work by Reed and Fariss exploring the nature of dreams and ways to analyze them. How many bands can these two have...find out...Stuttering, popping, hiss...bass in your face...disembodied voices...dream-like imagery...coincidentally, this Brent's birthday too!

7/24/07 - FIELD (Rick Reed, Alex Keller, Brent Fariss) - Church of the Friendly Ghost @ Salvage Vanguard Theater (2817 Manor Road) - 8pm - Field is a collaboration between Brent Fariss, Alex Keller, and Rick Reed; three champions of Austin's underground music scene. Performances by Field feature the three players improvising with electronic instruments including vintage synthesizers, feed-back mixers and broken toys, while dodging half-full cans of beer lobbed at them by an angry audience. The show will consist of 60 minutes of solo sets, a brief intermission, and then a 45-minute set as Field. For his solo set, Fariss will be doing a live version of his piece Folk Song (for 27 oboes and acoustic guitar) along with oboe performer extraordinaire, Jacob Green. The acoustics of the theater, mixed with the light, slides, and stage set should make for an interesting evening. Expect unusual sights and sounds...

7/23/07 - S.I.R.S.I.T. (Cory Allen, Brent Fariss, Rick Reed, Josh Russell) release Colorblind Cycle (TRANS007) on TRANS>PARENT RADIATION. SIRSIT is the improvised electronics ensemble consisting of Rick Reed, Cory Allen, Brent Fariss and Josh Russell.  This is their first studio recording. Download the complete album here.

7/10/07 - GATES Ensemble - Church of the Friendly Ghost @ Salvage Vanguard Theater (2817 Manor Road) - Gates bids farewell to Holland Hopson who moves to Albany, NY with his family. We will miss them immensely. Gates will be performing improvised works as well as a new piece by Hopson.

6/30/07 - TONEBURST 4 - Ceremony Hall - 8pm - Featuring the Knob Jobs (Rick Reed, Nick Hennies, Brian Sookram, & Brent Fariss), Travis Weller / James Alexander, Josh Ronsen / Jacob Green, Visitor Q, and solo performances by Brent Fariss, Cory Allen, & Josh Russell. Fariss will present a new work for his solo set entitled VaLiuM (for electronics and modified percussion).

6/22-24/07 - Undectet Recordings - Travis Weller and Brent Fariss recording 2 undectet pieces (Weller's Mantle and Fariss' garden) at Premium Recording Studio. The recording to be released later on...

3/31/07 - Austin New Music Coop presents The Nonsense Company - Ballet Austin - 8pm - On March 31st, Austin New Music Co-op is excited to present special guests The Nonsense Company for an evening of edgy, thought-provoking contemporary theatre and new music performances. Along side new works by local composers, the Wisconsin-based interdisciplinary trio will perform inventive and compelling assemblages of word and sound. This show featured the premiere of The Magic Show.

3/15/07 - Sound On Sound Off - Singular Audio - 8pm - "Sound On Sound Off is a non-commercial, non-potable by-product of another, unrelated music festival, hosted by Singular Audio at the Lone Star School of Music. Where SXSW represents commercial artists looking for acceptance by the corporate music industry, SOSO celebrates free expression outside of the demands of a marketplace that is morally and creatively bankrupt" Featuring the return of Field with special guest Travis Weller (on the Owl, no less)!!! Field is a collaboration between Brent Fariss, Alex Keller, and Rick Reed, three of Austin's champions of weird music. Performances by Field feature Fariss, Keller and Reed improvising with electronic instruments including vintage synthesizers, feeding back mixers and broken toys, while dodging half-full cans of beer lobbed at them by an angry audience. Also on the bill, brekekekexkoaxkoax and Josh Russell.

11/18-19/06 - Lone Star School of Music / Singular Audio - Installation No. 11 (gates, rustle, sink) played all day Saturday and Sunday. The installation featured samples from Josh Russell, the Gates Ensemble (recreating performances recorded at Singular Audio, within the school of music, and a hundred year old house that may or may not be haunted). The exhibit also featured sound installations by Alex Keller and Christopher Petkus.

9/22/06 - Bill Thompson & Brent Fariss - august / september record release instore - End of An Ear (2209 South First Street) - 6pm - Come celebrate the record release of august / september at Austin's favorite indie record store! Don't forget to pick up a copy of the new release!!! Bill and Brent perform in a new duet written specificially for the event. The last show Bill plays before he returns to Scotland. A fun show, besides the fact that we almost started an electrical fire during the first 30 seconds...but after a few wire checks, it went off without a hitch.

9/16/06 - John Cage Birthday Concert - Hyde Park Methodist Church (40th and Speedway) - 8pm - Performances celebrating the work and birthday of John Cage, featuring the Austin New Music Coop, Michelle Schumann, the Gates Ensemble, and more. Cage's Concert for Piano and Orchestra (1957-1958) will be performed and should be quite an experience! Gates will perform Variations 2 and Sculptures Musicales.

9/15/06 - TONEBURST 3 - Ceremony Hall (Austin, TX) - 8pm - The experimental music series continues featuring a return performance by Bill Thompson (from Scotland), Rick Reed, Travis Weller, Alex Keller and the Gates Ensemble! Toneburst 3 will also celebrate the record release of Thompson & Fariss' august / september!!! A night of unusual sounds, flickering lights, madness, tranquility, as well as absolute sonic mayhem. Come and see for yourself..

9/14/06 - Bill Thompson & Brent Fariss @ Texas State - Texas State University (San Marcos, TX) - Returning back to the old stomping grounds, featuring a lecture by Thompson, and works by Bill Thompson, Brent Fariss, Dr. Russell Riepe, Ricky Hall, Stephanie Philips and more. Performances by the Gates Ensemble.

9/09/06 - Austin New Music Coop presents Fred Lonberg-Holm - Ballet Austin - 8pm - A performance of works by Lonberg-Holm (cellist / composer from Chicago), including a new commision by the ANMC and the Lightbox Orchestra. Fred Lonberg-Hom will be performing with members of the New Music Coop. Also on the bill, two original works by Gates members, Holland Hopson and Josh Ronsen.

8/26/06 - Red's Scoot Inn - experimental music show case featuring the Tom Grzinich / Cory Allen / Brent Fariss trio, Brekekekexkoaxkoax, and more. Experimental drones and a Tejano bar...what's not to love...

7/22/06 - TONEBURST 2 - Ceremony Hall - 8pm - featuring Rick Reed, Alex Keller, Ethereal Planes Indian, Josh Ronsen, James Eck Rippie, Josh Russell and the Cory Allen / Brent Fariss / Tom Grzinich trio.
About the trio, one patron said "It was like sticking your head in a subwoofer as a chorus of angels were singing very loudly". A great review if I have heard one myself! And a great night...thanks to Rick Reed for curating the Toneburst series. Let us know if you want a TONEBURST T-Shirt!

4/30/06 - Diverse Works - Houston, TX - Houston premiere of chamber pieces for 11 players by Brent Fariss and Travis Weller, featuring the Austin New Music Coop.


4/29/06 - Ballet Austin Academy - Austin, TX - World premieres of "garden" by Brent Fariss and "Mantle" by Travis Weller. Presented by Austin New Music Coop.

3/18/06 - TONEBURST: (non)SXSW Experimental Showcase - Ceremony Hall - 8pm - featuring Rick Reed, Brent Fariss, Alex Keller, Tom Grzinich, Scott Smallwood and Josh Russell.

3/16/06 - SXSW: Table of the Elements showcase - Playing as part of Arnold Dreblatt's group. A dream come true! Also on the bill: Tony Conrad, Rhys Chatham, Zeena Parkins, Thurston Moore, Jonathan Kane, and San Augustin.

11/12/05 - Beyond the Past: New Works for Extinct Instruments
In an ambitious program more than two years in the making, the Austin New Music Co-op will resurrect innovative instruments designed at the turn of the century (the 20th century, that is) for an exciting concert of new works. Modeled after the inventions of Luigi Russolo, these hand-crafted instruments will be premiered alongside other traditional instruments in eight new works by member composers of the NMC. This combination performance, art exhibit, and history lesson is a rare opportunity to experience "futuristic" music of the past. Included the premiere of Brent Fariss' operetta der Idiotprinz (for male vocalist, 3 intonarumori, oboe, saxophone, and piano).

der Idiotprinz - A megalomaniacal monologue inspired by Futurist thought, absurdist prose and over-the-top early 20th century German opera. Players are grouped together (or singled out) by their instrument class, staying in that class for the duration of the piece. Each scene asks the instrumentalists to create an aural environment that enables the idiot prince’s delusions. Libretto by John Ertel.

9/10/05 - 10/29/05 - UNSILENTLY - The Contemporary Artists Center - North Adams, MA
Brent Fariss' Caesura (installation) is included in the Unsilently exhibit.

"This group exhibition features a variety of audio works composed of sounds derived from "silent" spaces (i.e. the hiss of a blank tape, the hum of an empty room, intricate artifacts, occasional crackles). The sound recordings and compositions are presented together throughout the galleries of the Contemporary Artists Center: darkened spaces with only minimal light for navigation purposes. Sound isolation between the pieces is not the intent of the show, consequently an entire environment of sound is created. Bleed between the sounds can encourage a conversation amongst the different elements as one walks through the space. If the listener were to focus on one sound source, the other pieces in the space, constructed of "background noise" (the natural hum of time passing, crackles, hisses, pops) can also provide/become background noise for eachother. "Unsilently" is an experiment, an accident, a chance for 'silence' to be unsilent, a place to listen."

Featured Artists: Steve Bradley, Che Chen, Chop Shop, Joshua Churchill, Joe Colley, Cria Cuervos, Frans De Waard, Blake Edwards, Brent Fariss, David Gross, Benjamin Gwilliam, Mike Hallenbeck, Jeff Jerman, Gintas K, Jason Kahn, Nick Knouf, Labycz/Spirkut Duo, Stephane Leonard, Roel Meelkop, Thomas Moore, My Fun, Matthew Sansom, Svstriate, David Wolf, Kelly Xintaris, Nick Zammuto

Curated by Ven Voisey

9/16/05 - CINEMATEXAS presents Rick Reed and Ensemble - The Hideout
Local experimental musician and visual artist Rick Reed will make a return appearance to Cinematexas after last year's successful collaboration with New York filmmaker, Ken Jacobs. This time around, he will present another exciting evening of strange sounds with visual accompaniment, again featuring a hand picked group of some of Austin's most creative players.

The first section will be Reed and composer Brent Fariss performing as The House of Wolves. This will be a set of electronic sounds, both live and sampled, inspired by the music of Swedish avant garde composer, CM Von Hausswolff. Projected behind the musicians will be a hand painted film by Reed from 1996 entitled, The Light Blue Colors of the Moon.

A second set will feature a swirling, live electronic music composition by a quintet consisting of: Travis Weller-violin/electronics, Brent Fariss-double bass/no input mixer, Josh Russell-no input mixer/electronics, Cory Allen-Moog synthesizer/computer and Rick Reed also on Moog synthesizer. The group will be performing a soundtrack to a Nervous Magic Lantern display, again provided by Ken Jacobs. Sound engineering will be by Alex Keller.

8/14/05 - GATES ENSEMBLE - LIVE - Commercial Suicide - KOOP studios, 91.7 FM
Hear the Gates Ensemble--Brent Fariss (contrabass), Holland Hopson (banjo, electronics), Josh Ronsen (guitar, clarinet), and Travis Weller (violin, electronics)--perform on the radio as part of Commercial Suicide’s new monthly live program.

8/7/05 - Commercial Suicide - KOOP RADIO - "Weird Contrabass Night"
Brent Fariss joined host, Nick Hennies, to present a night of music dedicated to the BASS! Brent performed Witchcraft, Minutiae, and Other Rhythmic Inconsistencies live in the studio. Other great bass music on the program was 7 Year Rabbit Cycle, The Homosexuals (playing one of my favorite bass lines ever on Soft South Africans), Jandek, Giacinto Scelsi, Julio Estrada, Mike Bullock/Nick Hennies/Tucker Dulin trio, Werner Dafeldecker, Gerard Staebler, William Parker, Herbert Brun, Iancu Dumitrescu, Fernando Grillo, Phill Niblock (Yam Almost May performed live in Austin by Brent Fariss), and The Thrones (the might Joe Preston...former bassist of the Melvins/EARTH). For more info on Commercial Suicide.

8/6/05 - MANLOVE MANIA - Austin, TX - Church of the Friendly Ghost - 8pm
Farewell concert/party for local composer, Keith Manlove, who is leaving Austin to study at the University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana. This concert will include the premiere of a new work by Brent Fariss entitled Witchcraft, Minutiae, and Other Rhythmic Inconsistencies (for amplified contrabass and optional accompaniment). The program will also feature works by Keith Manlove, Brandon Young, and Hatim Belyamani. Organized by the Austin New Music Coop. Listen to the entire concert from that night here!

7/9/05 - Gates Ensemble @ End of an Ear - 6PM - Austin, TX
The Gates Ensemble play their first live set in a year (as well as the first one without Bill Thompson) to celebrate the opening of Austin's newest independent record store, End of an Ear (2209-C South 1st Street; Austin, TX 78704). Iron Kite plays at 8pm.

6/23/05 - Net release of the GOLDEN MEAN compilation (TRANS002) on the TRANS>PARENT RADIATION label. Brent Fariss' track leaves (golden) is included on this, as well as tracks by Josh Ronsen, Alex Keller, Dale Lloyd, Josh Russell, Toshiya Tsunoda, Toy Bizarre, and more. Download the complete album here!

6/3-17/05 - Pittsburgh, PA
The Cicada Recordings (treated and untreated) included in SOUNDSCAPEpgh, a street installation presented in conjunction with the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh, PA. SOUNDSCAPEpgh is presenting soundworks from all over the world that relate to, address, contrast, or bring attention to the city/urban soundscape. The recordings will be played through several audio devices installed outside along a city block in downtown Pittsburgh during the first two weeks of June. The Cicada Recordings are currently available for free download here.

6/4/05 - Houston, TX - Brent Fariss (solo electronics)
The Station Museum - 4-6pm
Brent Fariss performs black on red / red on white / white on white at the Station Museum (1502 Alabama; Houston, TX 77004) as part of the sound series in response to their exhibition, Hermann Nitsch: The Orgies Mysteries Theater. Also performing throughout this series: Rick Reed, Aaron Dilloway (ex-Wolf Eyes), Carlos Pozo (Pitchphase Records), Kevin Novak (TEF), James Eck Rippie (elevator bath), Concrete Violin, and others. More info here.

5/21/05 - New Music Coop Presents - John Cage Song Books
AMLI DOWNTOWN APARTMENT BUILDING (201 LAVACA ST; AUSTIN, TX)
The Austin New Music Co-op proudly presents John Cage's landmark composition, Song Books: Solos for Voice 3-92, on May 21. In this, the New Music Co-op's first program of vocal music, ten Austin-area musicians (five vocalists paired with five electronic artists) began working early this year. In addition to solo vocal performances, the program will feature voices modified or accompanied by electronic devices ranging from laptop computers to vintage reel-to-reel tape recorders. Other solos involve the extreme amplification of typewriters, checker boards, table tops and even the sound of swallowing.

4/4/05 - Vincent Clive Fariss born at 9:15am (CDT) - 10lbs, 1 oz / 21 inches.
Seton Medical Center; Austin, TX

3/19/05 - Rick Reed, Brent Fariss, Alex Keller, Josh Russell / brekekekexkoaxkoax - Anti-SXSW show
Church of the Friendly Ghost - 10pm
This event is a response to Austin's annual South by Southwest festival, during which commercial music acts vie chaotically for market success. We will reply to SXSW with an eye on good art in a calm spirit, rejecting pandering, greed, despair and gluttony.

3/2-3/05 - AMODA PERFORMANCE 5 - PHILL NIBLOCK
Ceremony Hall (4100 Red River; Austin, TX)
What more can you say? My final show as curating the AMODA Performance Series! A non-stop drone extravganza! Plus, I got to play bass on 2 pieces!!! Three days of hanging out and getting to know Phill. A dream come true!!! - gbf

2/28/05 - THE PIERRE BOULEZ PROJECT
Church of the Friendly Ghost
A once-in-a-lifetime event: see 100 Pierre Boulez records destroyed, smashed, burned, cut, sawed, irradiated and who knows what else? Josh Ronsen (implements of destruction), Brent Fariss (turntable), Rick Reed (turntable), Alex Keller (CD players), and Nick Hennies (percussion/lecture). For more info.

2/18/05 - BRENT FARISS-JAMES ALEXANDER-TRAVIS WELLER TRIO
Rhizome Collective
Performing Fariss' Trio (act ii, scene 3), Weller's String Trio, and collective improvisations as part of Carl Smith's improv series.

12/11/04 - Backhoe Ballet (choreography - Kate Scherer / music - Jacob Green, Brent Fariss, and Travis Weller)
8604 FM 969; Austin, TX
Yes, Backhoes.

12/6/04 - AMODA Performance 4
OLIVIA BLOCK / IMBROGLIO STRING QUARTET + WILLIAM MEADOWS / JOSH RUSSELL
The Arthouse; Austin TX
This show was a blast. Taking place in a gallery with swings installed all around the musicians, it was a phenomenal experience. - Brent Fariss, curator AMODA Performance Series

11/15/04 - FRONTAL SPANKING  //  WEIRD WEEDS  //  EJOUTO DYNAMATO  //  TAIWAN DEATH
Church of the Friendly Ghost
==Frontal Spanking is genre hopping, terror inducing new project by local experimental music fixtures Brent Fariss and Jacob Green.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.
==Taiwan Death is "human voices, altered electronic circuitry, clattering percussion and honking alto sax."
==The Weird Weeds are from Austin, TX but have roots in Louisville, Nashville, and Toronto. A common love of interesting and unusual sounds brings together four seemingly incompatible musical personalities for a surprisingly unified and singular musical vision. Incorporating influences as varied as folk, modern composition, pre-war blues, free improvisation, and heavy metal, the band plays music that defies all categorization.
==Ejouto Dynamato is an ever-expanding improvisation/noise collective spearheaded by local musician and engineering wizard, Doug Ferguson.  This performance finds the group in octet form with a selection of some of Austin's finest experimental musicians.

10/15/04 - BRENT FARISS (solo and with guests)
1010 Willow Street; Austin, TX
Brent Fariss performs a rare solo contrabass set, a percussion/bass duet, and premieres a new work, Caesura. Caesura is a "song cycle" featuring an additive ensemble in which there are no words or voices. The piece seeks to focus on the intentional interruptions in a natural sound environment that is often the case in musical performance. Joining Fariss will be Nick Hennies (percussion), Josh Ronsen (clarinet), Jacob Green (oboe), and Travis Weller (violin).

10/9/04 - FRONTAL SPANKING // GOAT  //  TEF  //  PECHUGA  //  BREKEKEKEXKOAXKOAX
Church of the Friendly Ghost, 209 Pedernales, 8pm
Frontal Spanking is a shocking new project from Jacob Green and Brent Fariss.
GOAT is Andrew Sullivan from Dallas.
Pechuga is Carlos Pozo (Angbase, Price Taggery) from Houston.
Brekekekexkoaxkoax is Jacob Green (oboe), Glen Nuckolls (guitar, banjo), Jason Pierce (cello), Josh Ronsen (clarinet), and Genevieve Walsh (flute).
Visuals by Eye Against Eye.

10/8/04 - CHRIS IMMEL and TRAVIS WELLER
1010 Willow Street; Austin, TX
The Austin New Music Co-Op presents the Willow Street Fall 2004 Concert Series: Chris Immel (piano) and Travis Weller (violin) "will showcase some of the fruits of their collaboration which began by preparing Wolff's "For Violinist and Pianist" on last spring's "New York School" program. This evening will feature "Profondo Rosso" (live premiere) by Brent Fariss and a new work by Travis Weller. Also on the program is a live soundtrack to a film by Chris Immel which will be projected during the performance."

07/03/04 - BOOBAPALOOZA
The Clubhouse; Austin, TX
bill thompson's good bye concert at rick reed's clubhouse in the windridge apartment complex. performances included an installation by alex keller, a solo performance by brandon young, a duet with brent fariss & nick hennies, a duet with doug ferguson & trey smith, and more performances by brekekekekexkoaxkoax (with josh ronsen, bill thompson, jacob green, and vanessa arn), field (rick reed, bill thompson, brent fariss, clark crawford), and finally gates (travis weller, josh ronsen, brent fariss, jacob green, holand hopson, clark crawford, and bill thompson) in their last performance with thompson (so far)...

06/26/04 - The Gates Ensemble in Houston!
Commerce Street Artist Warehouse; Houston, TX
Performed as part of commerce street artist warehouse concert series in houston. also on the bill: price taggery and juan garcia , josh russell, and james eck rippie. "A great trip to Houston...I even got to buy my trusty knife on the way...and pulled it on everybody in Gates...good times." - gbf

06/11/04 - AMODA Performance 3
Ballet Austin
Featuring Xiu Xiu, The Weird Weeds, and Alex Keller. Brent Fariss was curator of AMODA Performances 2-5.

06/11/04 - AMODA Performance 2
Ballet Austin
Featuring richard chartier, rick reed, jacob green & josh ronsen. Brent Fariss and Bill Thompson acted as curators for this concet.

05/25/04 - Video of bill thompson and brent fariss's 'august' premiere at AMODA's first performance series shown at Chicago's Lumen Eclipse.
Chicago, Ill.
Brent Fariss & Bill Thompson are composers/performers out of Austin, Texas who have collaborated on several modern music ensembles. The duo also runs a CD-R label and cohosts a monthly house concert (The Loft Series) with Clark Crawford under the name of Thomfaricraw.

4/2-4/04 - New Music Co-op Presents: Works of the New York School ( John Cage, Morton Feldman, Christian Wolff, and Earle Brown)
Ballet Austin
"In early April 2004, we presented an ambitious program of selected works by John Cage, Morton Feldman, Earle Brown, and Christian Wolff known collectivly as the "New York School" composers. Our ensemble of 30 local musicians performed 24 groundbreaking works spanning half a century (1940-1990) presented over three evenings."

1/24/04 - Mary Olivier with Brent Fariss, James Alexander and Travis Weller.
Church of the Friendly Ghost; Austin, TX
Internationally acclaimed Amsterdam violinist Mary Oliver will perform new solo work January 24th at the Church of the Friendly Ghost. An American expatriate working in Europe for the past 10 years, Oliver has collaborated with many world renowned improvisers and performed some of the most challenging new music of our time. In addition to her solo performance, Oliver will be joined by local string players James Alexander, Brent Fariss, and Travis Weller for improvisation as a quartet.

12/6/03 - AUSTIN NEW MUSIC CO-OP PRESENTS "ROCK MUSIC:" INSTALLATIONS AND PERFORMANCES USING ROCKS AND STONES
Ceremony Hall + grounds
"Join the New Music Co-op in exploring the sonic possibilities of natures most commonplace objects in a two-part presentation featuring sound installations by local composers and visual artists followed by performances of works by Jon Gibson, Pauline Oliveros, Christian Wolff, Charles Wood, and local composers." Included Cathy and Brent Fariss' collaborative effort, Installion No. 8.

10/16/03 - Gates Ensemble - Live at Ballet Austin.
Ballet Austin. This show lead to sh 006.

5/29/03 - Austin New Music Coop plays Pauline Oliveros' "Four Meditations for Orchestra", plus original works
Ceremony Hall
Collaboration between New Music Co-op, Pauline Oliveros Foundation Houston and Epistrophy Arts will culminate in a spectacular 31 piece orchestra performance of Oliveros' "Four Meditations" along with premieres of three new works by local composers. Featured the premiere of shining white air.

4/12/03 - Imbroglio Quartet perform ThomFariCraw
1010 Willow Street
Debut of quiet fugal states.

4/10-24/03 - Gates Ensemble performs in 4 week Robert Frank tribute.

4/5/03 - Loft Series # 5

3/10/03 - Gates Ensemble performs "gates" and "Brackhage"
Ceremony Hall

2/22/03 - Loft Series # 4 (displaced)
1010 Willow Street

1/18/03 - Loft Series # 3 (folk song premiere)

10/31/02 - ThomFariCraw's Thriller - Halloween Extravaganza
The Loft
One of the most danceable and fun shows that we have ever done! Clark Crawford, Bill Thompson and Brent Fariss (all in costume), playing Michael Jackson's Thriller, over and over again. As well as clips from Bigga Than Deth and more!

10/19/02 - New Music Coop performs Terry Riley's "In C" and new works by local composers.
Ceremony Hall; Austin, TX
Included premiere of "4 flies on grey velvet". The Riley show also was instrumental in bringing back my tendonitis! - gbf

9/21/02 - Loft Series # 2

8/10/02 - Loft Series # 1

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