Ranta, Michael

Michael Ranta

Biography

Born: 1942

Country: Minnesota, U.S.A.

Studies: University of Illinois (B.M.1966)

Teachers: Jack Mackenzie, Thomas Siwe, Lejaren Hiller, Herbert Brün

Website:

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Ranta studied from 1960 to 1967 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign drums with Jack Mackenzie and Thomas Siwe and composition with Lejaren Hiller and Herbert Brün . In addition, he participated in productions of his teacher Harry Partch , whose studio assistant he was from 1964 to 1965. From 1967 to 1970 he lived in Cologne and worked u. a. with Mauricio Kagel , Helmut Lachenmann , Josef Anton Riedl and Karlheinz Stockhausen .

As a member of the Stockhausen group, Ranta participated in the 1970 Osaka World Expo . In 1971 he worked in the electronic studio of Japanese radio. As a soloist he played Jean-Claude Eloys Yo-In at concerts in Europe and Japan and Lachenmanns Air at the Steirischer Herbst in Graz; In 1970 he was involved as a performer in the recording of Riedl's Paper Music . In the Improvisationsensemble Wired he worked in 1973 with Karl-Heinz Böttner and Mike Lewis (LP for the Wergo -Box Free Improvisation ). From 1973 to 1979 he lived in Taiwan, Here he taught at the Art Academy, the College of Chinese Culture, and was a professor of music history at the Gwangren Academy .

Since 1979 Ranta lives as a composer and drummer in Cologne. He founded the percussion ensemble Transit here . a. at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in 1980 and at the Cologne Drum Festival in 1981. He also collaborated with the Tanzforum and the Urania Theater in Cologne, wrote the Ballet The Wall as commissioned work of the Ulm Opera in 1989 and composed the music for Jaroslav Poncar's film Tibet's Gate to Heaven . For the 750th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral in 1998, he performed with Günther Oeller 's The Stones of the Singers.

Works for Percussion

Algol Rhythms - Percussion Duo (Vibes/Drumset)
Aspects 2 - Percussion Trio (Quartet?), Electronics
Horinouchi - Percussion Octet, Guitar, Solo Wind Instrument
I-SHR - Percussion Quartet, With Tape
Mharuva - Marimba
Mu 3 - Multiple Percussion, with Tape
Seven Pieces for Three Percussionists - Percussion Trio
Three Pieces for Seven Percussionists - Percussion Septet
Transits II - Percussion Duo (Indeterminate Instrumentation), with Tape
Transits II (Solo) - Multiple Percussion (Indeterminate Instrumentation), with Tape
Yüen Shan - Percussion Quartet, Electronics