User:Vjmanzo/Sandbox

V.J. Manzo (PhD Temple University, M.M. New York University) is an American composer, performer, pedagogue, author, and programmer. He is Assistant Professor of Music Technology at Worcester Polytechnic Insititute. He has composed and performed art music, electro-acoustic music, algorithmic compositions, and progressive/alternative rock. His research publications have focused on the creation and implementation of interactive music systems and algorithms related to composition, performance, music theory, instruction, and cognition.

Biography
V.J. Manzo earned the B.A. in Music Education from Kean University in 2005 with a concentration in classical guitar performance. In his graduation year, he was awarded the Who's Who Award as well as the Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year award. He later founded the KAMA School of Music & the Arts while teaching K-12 instrumental & general music. In 2007, he earned the Master of Music degree from New York University with a concentration in algorithmic composition and interactive music systems. It was during these years of graduate study that he published two open-source music technology projects, The Modal Object Library and EAMIR, in partial fulfillment of his thesis research. His teaching positions held at the time allowed him to integrate the technology he was developing to facilitate his teaching objectives in his own classroom. Upon graduating from NYU in 2007, he began teaching courses in music technology, theory/composition, music education, and more at the university level.

In 2008, he studied algorithmic composition with David Cope at the University of California at Santa Cruz where he further developed the Modal Object Library and completed a certificate in Algorithmic Computer Music. In the same year, he began PhD studies at Temple University in the Boyer College of Music concentrating on music technology, education, cognition, and interactive media. In 2010, he was awarded the Who's Who award for his research and scholarship in music education and technology. It was during this time that V.J. authored the book Max/MSP/Jitter for Music(2011), published by Oxford University Press, which explains how to develop custom software for composition, performance, theory, analysis, instruction, synthesis, multimedia processing, and research.

In 2012, V.J. became Assistant Professor of Music Technology at Worcester Polytechnic Insititute. He has also taught courses in traditional and electronic music and composition/theory at Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology , and Kean University , and has lectured on music technology, music instruction, and interactive music in professional and academic forums including CMS , ATMI , ACM , and ISTE.

Research
As a researcher, V.J. has focused primarily on the development and implementation of interactive music systems as an aid in composition and performance, particularly by individuals without formal music training or by those with disabilities  , and the development of computer models and algorithms related to concepts in music theory. He has been awarded several research grantswhich have led to the formation of music technology-based research projects including EAMIR (2007) and IMTCP (2010). He was the recipient of the 2009 Best Student Presentation Award at the College Music Society (CMS) and Association for Technology in Music Instruction (ATMI) National Conference in 2009 for his presentation on the implementation of interactive music system technology as an aid for composition and performance.

Compositions & Music
V.J. has composed art music and electro-acoustic music including works for chamber ensemble, musical theater, multimedia ensembles, and interactive music installations. His compositions have been performed in distinguished venues including the Peabody Institute, SEAMUS, and ASTA. V.J. has also composed a wealth of songs and albums in the progressive/alternative rock genres. His popular music works not only feature him as the composer and lyricist, but as a guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist. He is often the producer/engineer for the recordings of his popular music such as the albums by his rock band Clear Blue , a group for which Manzo was awarded an  IMA in 2007.

Interactive software
V.J. Manzo is the Oxford University Press author of the book MAX/MSP/Jitter for Music on the subject of developing interactive music systems for music composition, performance, instruction, and research. In 2006, he developed the Modal Object Library, a set of algorithms that define modality, diatonic harmony, and harmonic relationships within the Max/MSP/Jitter , PureData , and LISP programming environments for use in algorithmic composition, analysis, and computer music. This library provided the programming constructs to develop the EAMIR   project in 2007, an open-source endeavor for allowing individuals, including those with special needs, to compose and perform music through the use of  adaptive instruments, specialized controllers, and sensors. His work with EAMIR and other interactive systems has been referenced by music educators, music therapists, and computer scientists     Synolo Iketes (Game of the Suppliants): Analysis of a new paradigmatic creative process based on semiotic transductions Eufrasio