PROFILE
Thollem McDonas (b. 1967 - Palo Alto, CA) started studying the keyboard repertoire from the medieval to the 20th century at the age of 5. He attended San José State University twice, the first time with his mother, helping her study for her exams and 9 years later, to pursue his own studies with Aiko Onishi and Lou Harrison, among others. He is a founding member of several innovative ensembles all of varying and disparate musics. In the past 5 years he has added 18 albums to his discography on 6 different vanguard labels in 4 different countries. His music is diverse, with each album and every concert exploring a variety of approaches and paths, resulting in dramatically different outcomes.
SKILLS
Pianist/Composer/Improviser/Teacher/Accompanist/Performing Arts Collaborator
EXPERIENCE
Founder and Artistic Director, Estamos Ensemble, 2009-2010 This ensemble, made up equally of musicians from Mexico and the U.S., is one of two components of the Americas Comprovisers Exchange Network (ACEN), whose intention is to foster more communication and collaboration between musicians of our two bordering countries as well as a better understanding of and appreciation for the citizens of our countries in general. www.thollem.com/EstamosEnsemble
Full-time touring composer/improviser and instructor, 2006-present Performance/composition on Debussy’s piano, 2008
Thollem was invited by LaBenche Museum in Brive La Gaillarde, France, to perform the late works of Claude Debussy on the piano on which they were written, as well as his own comprovisations with Italian contra bassist, Stefano Scodanibbio. (This will be the first album ever recorded on Debussy’s piano.)
Co-founder of Bitahkiz Ayeli Movement and Sound, 2008
Composer, private piano teacher and professional accompanist, 1982-2006
• The Jose Limon Dance Company, 1996 - Thollem was commissioned by The Limón Dance Company for a large-scale piece in commemoration of their 50th year anniversary.
San Jose Cleveland Ballet, accompanist, 1996
• San Jose Opera, accompanist, 1996
• San Jose State University, staff accompanist, 1995-96
• Urban farmer and community activist, 1990-2006
Duo partners from last couple of years in no order of importance:
Stefano Scodanibbio, Rent Romus, Alex Cline, Amy Denio, Faruq Z. Bey, Arrington deDionyso, John Dieterich, LaDonna Smith, Vinny Golia, Ava Mendoza, Eduardo Ricci, Tatsuya Nakatani, Jacopo Andreini, Gino Robair, Joel Peterson, Ben Wright, Nicola Guazzaloca, Andrea Caprara, Rick Rivera, Marco Eneidi, Tim DuRoche, Bruce Ackley, Theresa Wong, Greg Saunier
Film makers I've worked with:
Martha Colburn, Matthew Barney, Peter Sparling, Tuia Cherici
Dancers (dance companies) I've worked with:
Germaul Barnes (Bitahkiz Ayeli), Gary Masters, Limon West Dance Company, James Brenneman, Viewsic Expressions, Katja Irvin, San Jose Cleveland Ballet
AWARDS
• American Music Center: CAP, 2010 - 'AllForNow' debuted at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
• Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, USArtists International (Estamos Ensemble), 2009 • MetLife Meet the Composer, 2007
EDUCATION
• San José State University, San José, CA - Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance and Composition, 1994