Music at MIT Oral History Collection » Interviewees

Claudia Von Canon

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:13:25 +0000

Claudia Von Canon (1923-2002) was born in Austria, and attended the Vienna Academy of Music, where she sang in the chorus under the noted conductor Ferdinand Grossmann, and studied harpsichord with Isolde Ahlgrimm. She was a vocal coach and harpsichordist for opera productions, and played chamber music. At MIT she was Lecturer in Music from 1974-1991, teaching courses in musicianship, music history, as well as courses in Latin. She was also the author of two historical novels.

Assisting with interview, 10/3/2001:
Lowell Lindgren, Professor of Music at MIT, joined the faculty in 1979. His research has focused on English and Italian opera and theater music. Subjects of courses taught include music from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as American music.

Barry Vercoe

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:07:02 +0000

Barry Vercoe (b. 1937) is Professor Emeritus of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT. Since 1985 he has been at the MIT Media Lab. And from 1971 to 1985, was Professor of Music at MIT in the Department of Humanities. He is among the first generation of engineers in the field of computer music. His achievements include creation of the widely influential Csound software and development of technology for real-time interactivity between live performers and computers. He is also a composer of orchestral, choral, and chamber music as well as notable works combining computer generated sound and live acoustic instruments.

Assisting with interview, 8/19/2011:
Mark Ethier is CEO of iZotope, Inc., an audio technology company he co-founded in 2001. He is a 2001 graduate of MIT with degrees in computer science and music.

Assisting with interview, 4/24/2012:
Christopher Ariza was Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at MIT, 2009-2012. He is a composer, software developer of musical tools for live electronics in algorithmic generative systems.

Robert Sprich

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:03:18 +0000

C. Robert Sprich (MIT class of 1960) graduated from MIT in 1961. He received his Ph.D. from Tufts University in 1971. While at MIT, he worked in the Music Library (1956–1961), was involved in the Lecture Series Committee, and had an active interest in music at MIT. He is Professor of English and Media Studies at Bentley College (now Bentley University), where he has taught full time since 1966.

Jamshied Sharifi

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:00:03 +0000

Jamshied Sharifi (b.1960) received an S.B degree in Humanities from MIT in 1983. He played piano in the Festival Jazz Ensemble, directed by Herb Pomeroy, and also studied composition with Edward Cohen and Barry Vercoe. After earning a degree in jazz composition from the Berklee College of Music, he returned to MIT and directed the Festival Jazz Ensemble from 1985-1992. Currently he is a keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer in New York, His work includes music for feature films, two audio CD recordings, and commissioned works for the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and the MIT Wind Ensemble.

Brian Robison

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:55:51 +0000

Brian Robison (b.1964) was Assistant Professor of music composition at MIT from 2002-2006. His teaching and creative work reflects his performing experience in a broad range of musical styles. He has written orchestral, chamber and vocal music; recent works have drawn on his interest in the electric guitar, the theremin, and the vocalizations of non-human primates.

Herb Pomeroy

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:53:45 +0000

Herb Pomeroy (1930-2007) was the founding director of MIT Concert and Festival Jazz Bands (1963-1985). He was a noted band leader, trumpeter, composer, arranger and music educator, teaching at the Berklee College of Music form 1955-1995. In his early career he played with the Lionel Hampton Band and Charlie Parker. The Herb Pomeroy Orchestra was an integral part of the New England jazz scene. His later years were devoted to solo and small ensemble performances. Three interviews: 12/14/1999, 4/5/2000, 4/26/2000

Assisting with interviews, 12/14/1999 and 4/5/2000:
Frederick Harris, Jr. has been the Music Director of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and the MIT Wind Ensemble since fall of 1999. He was a student of noted jazz drummer Alan Dawson. Herb Pomeroy was guest conductor of the FJE in 2000, 2003 and 2005. Beginning in 2008, the band has held an annual Herb Pomeroy memorial concert.

Richard Orr

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:20:22 +0000

Richard Orr received three degrees from MIT in electrical engineering, B.S 1962, M.S 1963, PhD 1973. An accomplished trombonist, he played with the young high school aged Chick Corea, and has played professionally with Herb Pomeroy, Buddy Rich, Rick Henderson, among other. He was a member of the MIT jazz band, known then as the Techtonians, when Herb Pomeroy became director in 1963. For much of his engineering career he has been with ITT Industries (formerly Stanford Telecom).

Rajesh Mehta

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:16:48 +0000

Rajesh Mehta received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Humanities from MIT in 1986. He is a trumpet player and composer active in Europe. At MIT he played in both the Concert Jazz Band and the Festival Jazz Ensemble. Jazz courses with Mark Harvey were critical in his musical development. He has developed extensions to the trumpet, and works to mix jazz with Indian Classical Music and other genres. In April 2001 he was MIT artist-in-residence.

Everett Longstreth

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:15:13 +0000

Everett Longstreth (b.1930) was director of the MIT Concert Jazz Band from 1968-1995. He is a well-regarded trumpet player, arranger and leader of the Everett Longstreth Orchestra. His credits include performances with bands led by Woody Herman, Herb Pomeroy, and singers such as Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett. He has taught at the Boston Conservatory, Lowell State University and The New England Conservatory of Music.

Assisting with interview:
Frederick Harris, Jr. has been the Music Director of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and the MIT Wind Ensemble since fall of 1999. He was a student of noted jazz drummer Alan Dawson. Herb Pomeroy was guest conductor of the FJE in 2000, 2003 and 2005. Beginning in 2008, the band has held an annual Herb Pomeroy memorial concert.

Karl Kornacker

Darcy Duke — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:10:11 +0000

Karl Kornacker received two degrees from MIT, S.B. in physics, 1958 and a PhD in biology, 1962. He studied with noted cellist Janos Starker. While at MIT, he played in the Orchestra under conductors Klaus Liepmann and John Corley, appearing twice as concerto soloist, and was very active in chamber music. During his years at Ohio State University, Division of Biophysics, he continued playing chamber music and also had played with the Columbus Pro Music Chamber Orchestra. His scientific interests span biophysics, cognitive physiology, statistics and computer science.