Erik Griswold

Erik Griswold's Biography

Eclectic Australian-American musician Erik Griswold fuses experimental, jazz and world music traditions to create works of striking originality. Specializing in prepared piano, percussion and toy instruments, he has created a musical universe all his own that is "sincere" (neural.it), "playful" (igloo magazine), "colourful and refreshingly unpretentious" (Paris Transatlantic). Griswold performs as a soloist, in Clocked Out Duo (with percussionist Vanessa Tomlinson), and collaborates with musicians from diverse backgrounds as well as visual artists, and writers.

In 2009 he has continued to draw inspiration from natural environments and flora. New compositions include the hour-long solo piano piece "Four Places in Queensland" (composed for Kylie Davidson, Stephen Emmerson, and Liam Viney), a suite of botanical miniatures for The Australian Voices choir titled "Grevilleas of Myall Park," and the site specific performance works "Trombones in Tinnies" and "Flutes of the Forest," both of which place the performers in a particular landscape.

He has also continued his interest in interarts collaboration, working with acclaimed author Rodney Hall in "Presidentsland," which posed possible futures for Queensland, and with longtime collaborators Sarah Pirrie and Craig Foltz in "The States."

Fianlly, in his role as co-director of Clocked Out, Griswold lead international tours of The Wide Alley (a 10 ten piece ensemble of Chinese and Australian musicians) and Clocked Out Duo, and developed the children's installation "Dream Percussion" at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra.

Griswold has lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, Melbourne, Adelaide, and now calls Brisbane home. He is currently director of Clocked Out, and teaches at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. He holds a PhD from University of California, San Diego.

"No matter how dense the sonic layers became, the effect was one of epic grandeur rather than mayhem. The horn players' harmonies began to blur as though they were playing under water, calling across the stage in soulful waves before the entire ensemble merged into a subdued, satisfying unison." - The Age (on Ecstatic Music)

"Startlingly fresh imagery...intelligent, intuitive and original." - The Courier Mail, July 2005, Luke Beesley

"Rewarding and intense...the alchemical transformation of furious, minimal clusters into eerie harmonics and distant half-heard melodies, sudden evocations of gamelan and marimba." - RealTime (on Other Planes)

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Erik Griswold's Biography Eclectic Australian-American musician Erik Griswold fuses experimental, jazz and world music traditions to create works of striking originality. Specializing in prepared piano, percussion and toy instruments, he has created a musical universe all his own that is "sincere" (neural.it), "playful" (igloo magazine), "colourful and refreshingly unpretentious" (Paris Transatlantic). Griswold performs as a soloist, in Clocked Out Duo (with percussionist Vanessa Tomlinson), and collaborates with musicians from diverse backgrounds as well as visual artists, and writers. In 2009 he has continued to draw inspiration from natural environments and flora. New compositions include the hour-long solo piano piece "Four Places in Queensland" (composed for Kylie Davidson, Stephen Emmerson, and Liam Viney), a suite of botanical miniatures for The Australian Voices choir titled "Grevilleas of Myall Park," and the site specific performance works "Trombones in Tinnies" and "Flutes of the Forest," both of which place the performers in a particular landscape. He has also continued his interest in interarts collaboration, working with acclaimed author Rodney Hall in "Presidentsland," which posed possible futures for Queensland, and with longtime collaborators Sarah Pirrie and Craig Foltz in "The States." Fianlly, in his role as co-director of Clocked Out, Griswold lead international tours of The Wide Alley (a 10 ten piece ensemble of Chinese and Australian musicians) and Clocked Out Duo, and developed the children's installation "Dream Percussion" at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra. Griswold has lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, Melbourne, Adelaide, and now calls Brisbane home. He is currently director of Clocked Out, and teaches at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. He holds a PhD from University of California, San Diego. "No matter how dense the sonic layers became, the effect was one of epic grandeur rather than mayhem. The horn players' harmonies began to blur as though they were playing under water, calling across the stage in soulful waves before the entire ensemble merged into a subdued, satisfying unison." - The Age (on Ecstatic Music) "Startlingly fresh imagery...intelligent, intuitive and original." - The Courier Mail, July 2005, Luke Beesley "Rewarding and intense...the alchemical transformation of furious, minimal clusters into eerie harmonics and distant half-heard melodies, sudden evocations of gamelan and marimba." - RealTime (on Other Planes)