Kite Sites (1982)
by Gregory Theisen
Kite Sites is a celebration of sound and movement for dancers and musicians. A landscape of colors and shapes—diving, tailspinning, rising.
A composer and pianist, Gregory Theisen‘s original compositions have been performed at the International New Music Festival in Zagreb, the Lisbon Contemporary Music Festival, and concerts in Germany and Belgium. A former member of Zeitgeist, he worked with John Cage, Terry Riley and Frederick Rzewski, whose works were commissioned and performed by Zeitgeist. Gregory’s music has also been performed in numerous US concerts, festivals and symposia, and was included in the PBS program “The Greg Theisen Quintet (Jazz).”
As a music director, Gregory has directed musical productions including Ordway Music Theater (I Won’t Dance; Ruthless!; Into The Woods), Nautilus Music-Theater (many Rough Cuts), History Theatre (Cow Girls; Mesabi Red), Ritz Theater (Venus by Chan Poling) and Columbia Artist Management (An Evening of Lerner & Loewe; An Evening of Tony Sandler; Porter and Berlin). Gregory composed and music directed for Charm; Catch Me A “Z”; Raisin’ Cain at the Children’s Theatre Company.
He has performed for over 90 Broadway productions as keyboardist that toured the Twin Cities, including the world premieres of The Lion Kingand Aida. Also has performed with classical Orchestras such as the Minnesota Orchestra (European Tour played keyboard on Fearful Symmetries by John Adams; Nightmare Before Christmas) and Plymouth Music Series.
He has studied composition with Dr. William Latham and jazz with Dan Haerle, at the University of North Texas and currently teaches piano performance, jazz, and composition at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. He is also the Associate Music Director at Nativity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
Kite Sites appears on Zeitgeist’s album Zephyr, originally released 1982, re-released 2015.
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