Amy Knoles, is a composer/performer who tours globally performing computer assisted live electronic music with percussion controllers and linear/interactive video. Her work has been described as being of “frightening beauty, fascinating, complex” -N.P.R. A “Los Angeles’ new music Luminary, infinitely variable, infinitely fascinating” – Los Angeles Times. Amy is the recipient of the 2005 American Composers Forum Subito Grant 2005, the Durfee Grant – 2003, “UNESCO International Prize for the Performing Arts – 2000”, the 1999-2000 “Indiviual Artist Fellowship” Award from C.O.L.A. , the 2001 Lester Horton Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Original Music for Dance”, and she was the 1996 ASCAP Foundation ” Composer-in-Residence at the Music Center of Los Angeles”, recently created a sound environment for the J. Paul Getty Museums’ walking tour, and is the composer for Collage Dance Theater. Co founder of the California E.A.R. Unit now @ REDCAT, has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, Kronos Quartet, Pierre Boulez, Rachel Rosenthal, NatPlast (with Marek Choloniewski), Squint, Ensemble Modern of Frankfurt, The Bang On A Can All Stars, The Paul Dresher Ensemble, Collage Dance Theater, Basso Bongo, and Squint performing with live electronics and interactive video. And has worked with John Cage, Elliott Carter, Morton Feldman, Louis Andriessen, Don Preston, Frank Zappa, Morton Subotnick, Steve Reich, Tod Machover, Flea, Quincy Jones, and many others.
Amy has recorded nearly 30 CD’s of new music and is proud to announce the release of her solo recordings “Men in the Cities” and 2 x 10 x 10 x 10 + 1″, on the Echograph Label.
MICHAEL SAKAMOTO (Writer, Director, Choreographer, Performer) is an acclaimed multidisciplinary artist whose works combining theater, dance, music, media and visual art display a truly unique breadth of technique and versatility. His ensemble and solo works have toured to San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Santa Fe, festivals in France and Mexico as well as venues throughout Southern California.
Fusing Eastern and Western influences, intense, minimalist imagery, historical depth and absurd humor, he creates global, multilingual experiences to evoke a benevolent multiculturalism. Sakamoto’s works question popular culture, media and common notions of authenticity and knowledge and blend complex structures through abstract, iconic texts.
Sakamoto’s work ranges from witty comic repartee, pop pastiche and B-movie caricature to poeticism and subversive kitsch in multiple languages. Sakamoto is also one of the most innovative dancers to emerge from butoh in recent years. His installation, graphics, media and photo works have been exhibited at Documenta, Siggraph and throughout the Los Angeles area, including at The Getty Center, Skirball Cultural Center, 18th Street Arts Center and numerous galleries
