Dana / Ben by SYLVIA SAFDIE
Dana Reason is a Canadian-born pianist, composer, improviser and musicologist.
As a pianist, composer and improviser, Reason has performed extensively throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe and can be heard on over eleven CD recordings. She has appeared at Frau Musica Nova, Banff Center for the Arts, Stanford University, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Spring Reverb, and Is that Jazz? Seattle, Festival among others. Reason was part of The Space Between Trio with Pauline Oliveros in 2000s. She has performed with Mark Dresser, Joelle Leandre, Lori Goldston, Bert Turetzky, Alex Cline, Barre Philips, Fred Frith, Cecil Taylor, Lisle Ellis, George E. Lewis, among others.
In 2012 she was commissioned by Oregon State University and Dr. Chris Chapman to write for the wind ensemble. Her piece Currents received outstanding praise at the University of Reno premiere and is published by Shattinger Music, St. Louis. Other commissions include Rova Saxophone Quartet, Jeffers-Carlson Duo and Meet the Composer Grant (NY). Her research on Women in Improvised and Experimental Musical Practices was awarded a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Her forthcoming album Angle of Vision features her compositions performed by: bassist, Glen Moore and drummer, Peter Valamis with Reason at the piano, and will be released fall 2012.
Reason holds a Bachelors of Music from McGill University; a Masters in Composition from Mills College, and Ph.D. in musicology/critical studies from the University of California San Diego. Her mentors include a brilliant array of musicians who specialize in 20-21st century music practices in composition/piano/improvisation or musicology and include the following outstanding musicians: George E. Lewis, Alvin Curran, Alcides Lanza, Pauline Oliveros, Aleck Karis, Anthony Davis, Muhal Richard Abrams, Julie Steinberg, Roscoe Mitchell, Frederic Rzewski, Louis-Phillippe Pelletier, Jon Rea, Natalie Pepin, Jann Pasler, Christian Wolff, Chaya Czernowin, Leslie Bassett and Boaz Sharon.
Dana Reason is currently the director of Popular Music Studies at Oregon State University in the School of Arts & Communication. The founder and artistic director of Between the Cracks Forum: music, sound & interactivity (2008-present); a cross-disciplinary initiative designed to foster contemporary and creative music performance and development and a new series for Improvised Music Practices at The Red Room at Interzone Cafe, Corvallis OR.