Zack Merritt 218 7th Ave; Hinton, WV; 25951 (304)-673-4088; merritt46@gmail.com http://zackmerritt.com
Education 2012 – 2014 - Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, OH M.M. – Composition (GPA – 3.937) • Studio Teachers: Mikel Kuehn, Christopher Dietz • Thesis Advisors: Christopher Dietz, Elainie Lillios
2007 – 2011 - Marshall University – Huntington, WV B.F.A. – Music Composition (GPA – 3.86) • Studio Teachers: Mark Zanter, Ed Bingham
Teaching and Related Experience 2014-Pres. – Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia: Gallery Educator Assisted patrons in the art gallery (particularly with first-time museum attendees) with the skills to appreciate displays such as viewing the work within historical context or process • Facilitated guided art tours for school groups (30 patrons per group) • Executed “Wee Wednesday” activities which included reading a story to children and assisted with a related craft project • Developed and presented new science demonstrations/scripted shows including implementing cart-based science demonstrations that allow educators and patrons to have one-on-one interactions • Collaborated with three educators in the design and execution of a new science gallery 2012-2014 – Bowling Green State University: Arts Village • Implemented effective education/programming in an artistic-based “Living Learning Community” • Walked students to and from campus events such as concerts, gallery openings, and theatrical productions as well as provided effective pre or post-event discussions • Led biweekly workshops (5 to 25 students) related to different aspects of art including: performance studies, multidisciplinary studies, and stage presence • Held weekly fiber art circles (knitting, crocheting, other forms of fabric manipulation) that not only introduced students to other forms of artistic methods of expression, but also built community within the Arts Village • Cooperated with three other supervisors to lead educational trips to Detroit and Chicago including designing educational initiatives such as rewarding students for taking a “Selfie” in a certain location in the art museum that they have to locate • Organized and designed Arts Village presence in annual “ArtsX” showcase by compiling student work, contacting student performance groups, and creating a unified theme that linked desperate elements together 2013-2014 – BGSU MUCT Graduate Forum • Co-chair of organization • Worked on the Inaugural BGSU Graduate Forum Conference • Transmitted an external call for scores • Compiled scores and produced a New Music Concert 2009-Pres. – Ars Creo • Produced 7 original shows in collaboration with 35 local actors and artists • Created educational plan to teach young actors (15-19) how to apply aspects of theatrical performance into their everyday life such as positive work ethic, comprehension and understanding, and self-esteem • Composed and directed all music for show and coordinated orchestra for productions • Applied for and received 5 grants for production costs • Maintained budget for all performances • Managed advertising for all shows through flyers, social media, and community outreach 2009-2011 – Marshall University: Music Theory Tutor • Provided one on one instruction in o Music Theory o Music Appreciation o Music History o Aural Skills • Filled in class room instruction during professor’s absence •
Honors and Awards 2014 – ProMusica Travel Grant (BGSU) 2014 – Graduate Student Travel Grant (BGSU) 2014 – 15 Minutes of Fame – Piano Pinnacle 2013 – Toledo Symphony Orchestra String Quartet Reading Session 2011-2015 – HAF Grant – Ars Creo (theatre company) 2011 – Outstanding Senior in Music 2010 – Ovie & Jesse Cline John Marshall Scholarship 2007 – 2011 – Presidential Scholarship 2007 – 2011 – Promise Scholarship
Conferences and Festivals 2015 – SCI National Conference 2015 – Charlotte New Music Festival 2014 – Electro Acoustic Barn Dance 2014 – 37th Annual Festival of New American Music (Sacramento CA) 2014 – International Conference on Auditory Display 2014 – New Music on the Point Summer Festival 2014 – Threshold Festival 2013 – 14th BGSU Film and Media Festival 2012 – 2013 – ArtsX 2011 – 2012, 2014 – Festival of New Music (Marshall University) 2010 – SCI Student National Conference
Research/Presentations 2015 – Performance, Text, and Fluxus Februrary 23 – Marshall University (In conjunction with “dandelion” performance) 2014 – A Stylistic analysis of Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman” March 21 – BGSU Thesis Presentation Composition Techniques: Systems without notes March 7 – BGSU Composition Studio Presentation 2013 - “for internal use only – not authorized for broadcast.”: A new work based on György Ligeti’s “Poème Symphonique December 13 – BGSU 20th Century Analysis Glissandi, pizzicati and ponticello: A study of string techniques in Béla Bartók’s “String Quartet No.3 October 18 – BGSU 20th Century Analysis
2010 – “What Constitutes your Musical Universe?” A stylistic and biographical study of Pauline Oliveros December 3 – MU: 20th Century Music History
Produced Shows/Concerts Concerts: 2015 – dandelion, - 2/22/15 – Marshall University - Huntington, WV - 2/23/15 – Arts Village - Bowling Green, OH - 3/3/15 – “The Room Upstairs @ The RiffRaff Arts Collective” - Princeton, WV 2014 – sun/moon, - 5/1/14 – Eva Marie Saint Blackbox Theatre - Bowling Green, OH 2013 - simsies/muZack__, - 4/24/13 – Arts Village - Bowling Green, OH 2012 - warhol4president, - 10/5/12 – Jomie Jazz Center - Huntington, WV 2012 - (re)awakening, - 3/18/12 – Central Baptist Church - Hinton, WV 2011 - ceci n’est pas zack merritt, - 4/1/11 – Marshall University - Huntington, WV M usical Theatre: (Ars Creo) 2015 – The Heart of the Forest • 8/7/15 & 8/8/15 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 2014 – Resting Place • 8/9/14 & 8/10/14 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 2013 - The Tragic Account of Joseph Much 2012 - Catch
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8/2/13 & 8/3/13 – Summers County High School - Hinton, WV
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8/10/12 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 8/11/12 – The Turnaround – Princeton, WV
2011 - To The Egress
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8/12/11 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 8/13/11 – The Turnaround – Princeton, WV
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8/13/10 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 8/15/10 – The RiffRaff Arts Collective – Princeton, WV
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8/11/09 – Summers County Memorial Building - Hinton, WV 8/14/09 – Appalachian South Folklife Center - Princeton, WV
2010 - After Ruby Jones 2009 - A Thorn by Any Other Name
Recent Performances A complete list of performances is available at zackmerritt.com
2015: 6/22 – The man sits, waiting – New Gallery of Modern Art – Charlotte, NC 6/17 – imagine how he felt – Petra’s Piano Bar – Charlotte, NC 3/3 – dandelion – “The Room Upstairs @ The RiffRaff Arts Collective” – Princeton, WV 2/23 – dandelion – Arts Village – Bowling Green, OH 2/22 – Viola Sonata – Kalindi Bellach Graduate Recital – Bowling Green, OH 2/22 – dandelion – Marshall University – Huntington, WV 2014: 11/15 – the place where he is meant to be lost – Electro Acoustic Barn Dance 11/13 – the place where he is meant to be lost – 37th Annual Festival of New American Music 9/27 – On the Suicide of the Infamous DQ Diving Cardinal – *a very small consortium* 6/21- 6/24 – 3:58 AM – (stasis) – ICAD 2014 – New York City, NY 6/14 – June 29th, 2012 – New Music on the Point – Lake Dunmore, VT 5/1 – oscillations of the unadorned light bulb – sun/moon – Bowling Green, OH 5/1 – 10.24.2011; 4:57:09 – 5:07:14 – sun/moon – Bowling Green, OH 4/30 – caramel crème brûlée coffee; disorganized thoughts – Bowling Green, OH 4/29 – architecture {re – [sop.] sax.} – Utterance/Time Theory – Bowling Green, OH 4/24 – bacon grease; sputtering (with abandon) – World Percussion Night – Bowling Green, OH 4/8 – architecture {re-viola} – Student Composer’s Forum – Bowling Green, OH 2/28 – oscillations of the unadorned light bulb – 5th Annual Festival of New Music – Huntington, WV 2/14 – the place where he is meant to be lost – Threshold Festival – Oberlin, OH
Complete list of works Perform ance Art: Note: Each piece includes myself performing in some manner 2015 – untitled (Yellow) Performance with Flute (or pipe)
dandelion Video Projection and 2 Channel Audio
2014 – oscillations of the unadorned light bulb 4 Instrumentalists, Video, and 4 Channel Audio
2013 – imagine how he felt Audience Participation
12-20 (existence) Tenor Saxophone
2012 – emanation Performance resulting in instillation
10.24.2011; 4:57:09-5:07:14 Video Projection and 2 Channel Audio
Solo: 2014 – Sonata Viola
2013 – la mécanisme d’horlogerie permettrait de continuer si la marionette aurait écouté Indeterminate
2011 – le chien excité
Trombone
2008 – Three Pieces from the Tibetan Book of the Dead Tenor and Piano
Chamber/Large Ensemble: 2015 – The man sits, waiting Baritone, Bass Clarinet, Trumpet, and Trombone Written for loadbang ensemble
2014 – June 29th, 2012 Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Viola, Cello, and Piano
caramel crème brûlée coffee; disorganized thoughts Steel Drum Sextet/Ensemble
Bacon grease; sputtering (with abandon) Balinese Gamelan
2013 – String Quartet #1 – 21-33 (division) String Quartet
RED Piano Duet
2012 – diaspora Indeterminate
k. 465 Tenor Saxophone, Electric Guitar, Piano, and Percussion
2011 – please, don’t clap before the enxaneta makes the little wing Street performers
…everyone who does not agree with me is a traitor and a scoundrel Marching Band
Nature’s Symmetry Indeterminate
On the Suicide of the Infamous DQ Diving Cardinal Soprano and Soprano Saxophone
M ultim edia: 2015 – Space Bassoon and Fixed Video
Memory Series: Sunday Morning – Memory 1 Fixed Media Video Work
Out – Memory 2 Fixed Media Video Work
Commotion – Memory 3 Fixed Media Video Work
2014 – the place where he is meant to be lost Fixed Media Video Work
architecture series: architecture {re-bassoon} Bassoon and Interactive Media
architecture {re- sax.} (any) Saxophone and Interactive Media
architecture {re-viola} Viola and Interactive Media
2013 – 3:58 AM – (stasis) Interactive Instillation
regarding Marina Abramović Interactive Instillation
as I sit with my coffee, I see an army of locusts 2 Channel Fixed Media
heliotropism Fixed Media Video Work
t97he a8u-6to2moti15ve ch0as9si.s224; v0ol. 18G: com6po7n33en48t14s d0es208igV.n61741 Flute, Tenor Saxophone, and 2 Channel Fixed Media
0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate 2 Channel Fixed Media
2012 – warhol4president Cello, Tenor Saxophone, Live Electronics, and Video
2011 – ceci n’est pas Zack Merritt Piano and Live Video Projection
Professional and Student Organizations 2015-present – American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers 2013-present – Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States 2008-present – Society of Composers Inc. 2013-2014 – BGSU MUCT Graduate Forum (Co-chair) 2010-2011 – WVCMEA 2007-2012 – MENC 2008-2011 – Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
References: Gordon Ricketts – (Previous) Director of Arts Village (BGSU) 419-372-0558 gordonr@bgsu.edu
Mark Zanter – Coordinator of Music Theory/Composition (Marshall University) 304-638-3481 zanter@marshall.edu
Kayte Kincaid – Lead Educator & Volunteer Coordinator (Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences) 304-561-3529 kkincaid@theclaycenter.org
Christopher Dietz – Assistant Professor in Composition (BGSU) 419-372-2570 cjdietz@bgsu.edu