From 1978-85 composer/pianist Janis Mattox created and produced intermedia works merging live performance, experimental lighting and set designs, and interactive computer music technologies at Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). In 1984, she premiered a seventy-minute music drama, "Shaman" for drummer George Marsh, bassist Mel Graves, belly dancer, actor, live digital processing and computer generated tape. One of the first large-scale performance works utilizing the new medium of digital synthesis and live electronics, "Shaman" became the subject of a feature article in Smithsonian Magazine by Alan Rich, "A Composer Whose Music Has a Magical Twist."

In 1984, Mattox and composer/music technologist Loren Rush produced a compact disc entitled "The Digital Domain" (Elektra), featuring digital music by composers at Stanford's CCRMA. As one of the first generation of CDs, "The Digital Domain" was created to demonstrate the capabilities of the new medium. A best selling classical CD, "The Digital Domain" became an audio standard in the industry and remained in publication for over 10 years.

In 1985 Mattox, Loren Rush, John Grey, James Moorer and Pauline Oliveros co-founded Good Sound Foundation (GSF), a group of professional musicians, artists and technologists dedicated to revitalizing the experience of live performance. Soon to become commercially available, GSF's Virtual Acoustics is a sound enhancement technology that has applications for live concert performance, recording, film and media.

1992 marked the premiere of "Book of Shadows", a video ballet which Mattox conceived, produced, and scored featuring dancers Marci Javril and Riccardo Morrison. "This ground-breaking video ballet employs experimental techniques in sound, performance, video and choreography to create a new and moving work", comments one reviewer. "Book of Shadows" has received numerous international screenings and awards.

Mattox's work for the last fifteen years has centered around the digitally enhanced piano tuned in Just Intonation, an ensemble of collaborating soloists, and advanced digital audio technologies developed by GSF. Works she has created and directed for this ensemble and technology include "Seven Chakras" (1992), created in collaboration with vocalist/performance artist Linda Montano; "Memories of Fallen Angels"(1992), dedicated to those living with AIDS, featuring violinist Daniel Kobialka and Iranian vocalist Sussan Deihim; "Tempo Perdido"(1994) in collaboration with vocaist/composer Silvia Nakkach; "Canto de Luna Llena" (1996) with Colombian singer/guitarist Claudia Gomez; and "The Art of War" (1998) with jazz drummer Aaron Scott.

 

 Janis Mattox received an M.A. in Music from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. She teaches piano privately, specializing in creative approaches for kids. She served on the summer teaching staff at Stanford University and for six years produced monthly demonstrations of digital audio technology at CCRMA. She has presented papers on computer music at the AES National Convention in Los Angeles and at the International Computer Music Conference in Venice, Italy and served on the advisory committee for New Music America. Her music is published on the radio series "Composers in California" (1981, National Public Radio) recorded and produced by Alan Rich; the CD "The Digital Domain" (1984, Elektra); "West Coast Composers" (1986), a BBC film documentary; the cassette "Numbers Racket II" (1992, Just Intonation Network); her film "Book of Shadows" (1992, Facets Multimedia); the CD "Throne of Drones"(1995, Sombient Records); and the CD "Music for Enhanced Pianos" (1997, GSF).

Her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, four NEA fellowships (for music composition and production), and grants from the Santa Clara Arts Council, the Djerassi Foundation, the Rex Foundation and the Ross McKee Foundation (for music education).