Say Zero

Steven Ball, a Master's degree graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, holds the unique distinction of being the first organist in modern academic history to have proven his abilities as a performer on both the classical and theater organ. Mr. Ball has concertized and lectured around the world including solo performances and silent film presentations in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Ireland, England and Switzerland. He was also the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to the Netherlands in 2001 for his work in the world of Campanology and Carillon Performance. His unique perspective, energy, improvisatory abilities and performance style have kept audiences in theatres on the edge of their seats and have generated a new and unexpected excitement about the future of this instrument in America and elsewhere. Mr. Ball is currently Staff Organist at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, MI and organist at Plymouth Congregational Church in Lansing, MI where he can be heard on a regular basis. He also plays the carillons at the University of Michigan. A specialist in the rare and almost vanished art of live silent film accompaniment, Mr. Ball has participated in numerous festivals over years. Working with original instruments, materials and music he has either composed, arranged, re-created, performed and/or improvised scores for countless films both in solo performance and with orchestra. These have ranged from the familiar to the obscure. Just to name a few from recent seasons: -The Phantom of the Opera -Metropolis -The Hunchback of Notre Dame -Judith of Bethelia -Sunrise -One Week -The Shiek -Steamboat Bill Jr. -Nosferatu -He Who Gets Slapped -Amarilly of Clothes-line Alley -Faust (The Damnation of) -Cops -Steamboat Bill Jr. -His Marriage Vow -Bring Up Baby -IT -The Lamb -Our Hospitality -Habeas Corpus Mr. Ball will be appearing in various theater sponsored film events throughout the 2005-2006 season at the Michigan Theater and was also recently featured on National Public Radio's nationally syndicated program Pipedreams (program # 0447 11/22/2004). You can listen to this show on their online audio archives for free by going to www.pipedreams.publicradio.org

Cfr. nn. Arch. 183.3, 184.3 ZERO is a limited edition collection of one-minute soundworks by international sound artists, experimental composers, noise makers and other audio creators. Contributors were invited to create an original recording of one-minute duration for the CD on the theme of ZERO – whether through their stripped-down, low-tech aesthetic or a focus on themes of absence, abstraction, distortion or a sense of thereshold between one state and another. The CD contains a broad variety of one-minute soundworks and presents the results of artists working thematically in chance juxtaposition. By bringing together this calibre and range of contributions, ZETRO aims to stimulate further interest in the artist work and practice, debate and dialogue surrounding sound art. The artists on ZERO range from well known world figures, to individuals and groups making their first wirks in this field. ZERO was commisioned by the Foundation for Art & Creative Technology (FACT) and was published with the support from Liverpool Art School.