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Erik Lindgren Resume


Erik Lindgren, Composer

Mr. Lindgren has an extensive and eclectic catalog (available online) of original compositions (see Works and Discography on this site). These range from contemporary classical works to popular songs to jingles to avant-garde music. A large percentage of these works have been professionally recorded and are commercially available on compact disc.

Recent commissions include: “Tango A-Go-Go” for the Chamber Orchestra of Boston (2014), “Dark Garden” suite for the Fuller Craft Museum (2013), “Extreme Spirituals” for orchestra & soloist for the Georgia Symphony Orchestra (2012), “50 Years of Excellence” for the Essex Chamber Players (2011), “Progressive Music for String Quartet” premiered by the Plymouth Philharmonic String Quartet (2007), “Le Rivage” for the South Shore Flute Symphony (2006), “Centennial Theme” for the Middleborough Public Library (2002), and an American Composers Forum Community Partners Project for Innovative Arrangements of Three African American Spirituals (2002). In addition, Mr. Lindgren has received annual funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (1993–2008, 2011–2014).

Sounds Interesting Productions, President

Commercial music production house and professional recording studio established in 1978. Client list includes CBS, PBS, the Christmas Tree Shops, Avco Embassy Films, Cumberland Farms, Showcase Cinema, Digital Equipment Corporation, Polaroid, The Boston Globe, Jordan Marsh, Cape Cod Bank & Trust, Prentice Hall, and Eastpak. For more info…

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Member

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic is a four-piece electric new music ensemble exploring and expanding the boundaries of contemporary music. Established in 1980, the group has earned wide critical praise and international recognition for its innovative music; an unusual mix of classical, rock, minimalism, jazz and free-form sound. Birdsongs has released eleven CDs of original material for the Rykodisc, Cuneiform NEARfest, Ace of Hearts, and PEL labels. Birdsongs has also collaborated with NPR correspondent/Duplex Planet editor David Greenberger on the show 1001 Real Apes, which has toured throughout the United States and was released on CD in 2006. The ensemble collaborated with Atlanta vocalist Oral Moses on Extreme Spirituals which was also released in 2006. In 2009, Cuneiform released a 2-CD retrospective Dawn of the Cycads which contains Birdsongs’ complete Ace of Hearts recordings circa 1983–’87 plus unreleased material. This release was supported by an East Coast tour that summer which included original member Roger Miller. For more info…

Erik Lindgren with Friends from the Brockton Symphony/The Frankenstein Consort, Member

These two performing chamber groups prove that art music can be both elevating and entertaining. Repertoire is centered around Lindgren’s works and arrangements, and selections are featured on the Frankenstein Consort’s Classical-a-go-go CD. For more info…

Arf! Arf! Records, Owner

Since 1990, ARF! ARF! has become an internationally respected reissue label with over six dozen releases focusing on Sixties Garage/Psychedelia, Incredibly Strange Music, and Radically Fresh Sound genres. From 1980–1990, ARF! ARF! produced, distributed and promoted over 60 records of regional New England talent including the Turbines, GingerBread Men, Willie Loco Alexander, the Brood and the Space Negros. For more info…

Foot Foot Music (bmi), Owner

Music publishing company administered by the Bug Music Group in Los Angeles with a catalog of over 400 recorded original compositions.

The Well-Tempered Music Library, Owner

A seven-cd set containing 427 fully-licensed tracks of “buy out” stock music available for use in all media. All original music composed and produced by Erik Lindgren. For more info…

Additional support materials available upon request.
Filed June, 2014

Personal Information

Date of Birth: December 15, 1954, Harrisburg, PA
Marital Status: single
Hobbies: horseback riding, swimming, skiing, record collecting, tango
Member: American Composers Forum, Brockton Symphony Board (2012–current), St Botolph Club (2006–2009)

Education

University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (1976–1977)

MA in Music Composition. GPA 3.57. Studied with Donald Jenni and Richard Hervig.

Guildhall School of Music, London, England (1974–1975)

Year abroad. Studied with Alfred Nieman (composition) and Birgette Wild (piano).

Tufts University, Medford, MA (1972–1976)

BA in Music. Magna cum Laude. Studied with T. J. Anderson.

Northfield Mt. Hermon School, Mount Hermon, MA (1969–1972)

Teaching & Residencies

  • 11th Annual Young Composers Festival, Community Music Center of Boston (2013)
  • Atlantic Center For The Arts, New Smyrna Beach, FL — Artist in residence (2004)
  • Bunker Hill Community College, Charlestown, MA — Instructor/head of Audio Department (1983–1984)
  • Camden High School, Camden, ME — Artist in residence with Birdsongs (1997)
  • Composers in Red Sneakers, Boston, MA — Guest composer (2000)
  • Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH — Artist in residence (1994)
  • Dartmouth High School, Dartmouth, MA — Visiting lecturer (1998)
  • Dekalb University, Dekalb, IL — Visiting lecturer (1996, 2004)
  • Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA — Visiting lecturer (1985)
  • Duke University, Durham, NC — Artist in residence with Birdsongs (1995)
  • Emory University, Atlanta, GA — Artist in residence with Birdsongs (1995)
  • Kalani Honua, Kona, HI — Artist in residence with Birdsongs (1990, 1993, 1994)
  • Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA — Visiting lecturer (1987, 2006)
  • Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA — Artist in residence (1995)
  • Middleborough High School, Middleborough, MA — Visiting lecturer (1997, 1998, 2003)
  • Northfield Mount Hermon, Northfield, MA — Artist in residence (2000, 2009)
  • The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada — Leighton artist in residence (2003, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012)
  • Tufts University, Medford, MA — Artist-in-Residence (2014), Instructor for independent project “Rock Music Aesthetics” (1981)
    Instructor for class “Rock Music 1964–’74,” in the Experimental College (1975) Piano instructor (1972–1973)
  • UNCA, Asheville, NC — Artist in residence with Birdsongs (1995)
  • University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA — Teaching Assistant in “Music Theory And Ear Training” (1976–1977), Visiting lecturer (1996)

Erik Lindgren — Recent Select Performances (2005–2014)

  • Beach Tree Park Summer Series, Sharon, MA (2010, 2011)
  • Christ Congregational Church, Brockton, MA (2013, 2014)
  • Dance Complex, Cambridge, MA (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
  • Depot Square Gallery, Lexington, MA (2008)
  • Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA (2012, 2013, 2014)
  • Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Zion Baptist Church, Marietta, GA (2013)
  • Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA (2014)
  • Jacob Sears Memorial Library, East Dennis, MA (2008)
  • Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA (2009, 2012)
  • Lakeville Arts Festival, Lakeville, MA (2007)
  • Longy School of Music, Pickman Hall, Cambridge, MA (2005)
  • Mansfield Arts Festival, Mansfield, MA (2007, 2008)
  • Mansfield Music and Arts Society, Mansfield, MA (2013)
  • Middle East Corner Cafe, Cambridge, MA (2008)
  • Middleborough Public Library, Middleborough, MA (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
  • National Basketry Association Convention, Easton, MA (2011)
  • Nemasket River Production Fundraiser, Middleborough, MA (2006)
  • New Rochelle Public Library, New Rochelle, NY (2008)
  • Northfield Mt Hermon School, Mt Hermon, MA (2009)
  • Pawtucket Film Festival, Pawtucket, RI (2008)
  • Plymouth Center for the Arts, Plymouth, MA (2010, 2012)
  • Progday Music Festival, Chapel Hill, NC (2012)
  • Rutman’s Violin Shop, Boston, MA (2007)
  • Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, MA (2014)
  • Shaw Center, Brockton, MA (2009, 2010)
  • St. Botolph Club, Boston, MA (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013)
  • Steve’s Backstage Pass, Taunton, MA (2008)
  • Stone, New York, NY (2011)
  • Unitarian Universalist Church, Middleborough, MA (2010, 2011, 2012)
  • Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge, MA (2005)

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic — Recent Selected Performances (2001–2014)

  • AS220, Providence, RI (2009)
  • Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA (2003, 2004, 2006)
  • Broad Theatre at MIT, Cambridge, MA (2007)
  • Children’s Museum, Boston, MA (2009)
  • Dance Complex, Cambridge, MA (2004, 2005) — Live collaboration with choreographers
  • First Night Boston (2007)
  • Forest Hills Educational Trust, Jamaica Plain, MA (2003, 2006) — with Oral Moses
  • Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA (2008)
  • Guimaraes Art Rock Festival, Guimaraes, Portugal (2001)
  • Herring Run ArtsFest, Middleborough, MA (2002)
  • Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA (2009, 2014)
  • Kennedy Center, Washington DC (2003)
  • Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA (2006)
  • Knitting Factory, New York, NY (2001)
  • Kungfu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA (2009)
  • Mercury Lounge, New York, NY (2009)
  • Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA (2014)
  • Music In Bloom Festival, Peterborough, NH (2010)
  • NEARFest, Bethlehem, PA (2001)
  • Outpost, Cambridge, MA (2008)
  • ProgDay Musical Festival, Chapel Hill, NC (2012)
  • Real Artways, Hartford, CT (2006)
  • Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA (2002)
  • Somerville Theatre, Boston, MA (2001) — 20th Anniversary Show
  • Strata Center at MIT, Cambridge, MA (2008)
  • Stone, New York, NY (2011)
  • Talking Head, Baltimore, MD (2009)
  • University of Pennsylvania/Rotunda, Philadelphia, PA (2011)
  • Wheaton College, Norton, MA (2002)
  • Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge, MA (2003) — Residency