![Davidfirst](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Davidfirst.png)
David First (born August 20, 1953) is an American
composer. His music most often deals with
drones and interference
beat
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery (c ...
s, the latter aligning his music with that of
Alvin Lucier. He usually plays
computer or
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
and has led the
World Casio Quartet,
Joy Buzzers and
The Notekillers which originally existed from 1977–81 and reformed in 2004. He is also a member of
Matter Waves
Matter waves are a central part of the theory of quantum mechanics, being an example of wave–particle duality. All matter exhibits wave-like behavior. For example, a beam of electrons can be diffracted just like a beam of light or a water wav ...
, which includes
Kid Millions
''Kid Millions'' (1934) is an American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth, produced by Samuel Goldwyn Productions, and starring Eddie Cantor. Its elaborate "Ice Cream Fantasy Finale" production number was filmed in three-strip Technicolor, one ...
on drums and
Bernard Gann on bass, and the music collective
New Party Systems.
His albums include 1991's ''Resolver'', instrumental pieces influenced by
minimalism and 2002's relatively pop-oriented ''Universary'', which consists of "songs and drones". More recent releases include 2010's ''We're Here to Help'' (Prophase Records) by The Notekillers and ''Privacy Issues'', a 3-CD set of droneworks on the XI label.
In 1995 First, along with visual artist Patricia Smith created an opera, ''The Manhattan Book of the Dead'', which was presented at
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club's Annex Theater in 1995 and The Washaus in Potsdam, Germany in 1996.
First received a 2001
Foundation for Contemporary Arts
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA), is a nonprofit based foundation in New York City that offers financial support and recognition to contemporary performing and visual artists through awards for artistic innovation and potential. It was ...
Grants to Artists Award.
In January 2012, the music collective, New Party Systems, an ensemble containing First, released a song First wrote (C2011 Silent Graph Music ASCAP), "We Are" –– an anthem for
the 99%, with a video by director,
Toni Comas
''Bag Boy Lover Boy'' is a 2014 comedy horror film that was directed by Andres Torres. The movie had its world premiere on July 23, 2014 at the Fantasia Festival and stars Jon Wachter as a hotdog vendor who finds himself becoming the muse of a mani ...
.
Sources
External links
The Music of David FirstKyle Gann's blog review of Privacy Issues
New Music Box review of Privacy Issues
interview with David First in
Pitchfork Media, PitchforkKyle Gann recommended composer: David First
New Party System
Listen/Watch: Members of TVOTR, Liturgy Record an Occupy Wall Street Anthem, ''PitchFork.com''.
1953 births
Living people
21st-century classical composers
20th-century classical composers
American male classical composers
American classical composers
21st-century American composers
20th-century American composers
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians
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