Paul Dresher is an internationally active composer noted for his ability to integrate diverse musical influences into his own coherent and unique personal style. He pursues many forms of musical expression, including experimental opera and music theater, chamber and orchestral composition, live instrumental electro-acoustic chamber music performances, and scores for theater, dance, and film. His performances utilize progressive contemporary music technology and the theatrical works use the resources of experimental theater to examine diverse issues in contemporary American culture. As is typical of Dresher's solo works which involve the interaction with live electronics, “Retro-Disrespective” has a structure in which a sequence of sections are defined by the guitar techniques and/or sounds in combination with how the technology is used. Each section is improvised within defined limits and through multiple performances, and the work gradually evolves into a more defined and fixed form " a process that may take 2-3 years. In this case, Dresher began by exploring material from previous works that was then developed or transformed through the resources of the new technology, hence the title. |
