Daniel
Plonsey
Saxophonist and ComposerEl Cerrito, CA
2009 USA Fellow
This award was generously supported by Eli and Edythe Broad / The Broad Art Foundation.
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Daniel Plonsey is a composer of new music for (in his words) “mostly unprocessed real instruments, played by real people I know who happen to be around.” He received an MA in 1988 from Mills College. Highly prolific, Plonsey began composing in 1978 and has completed several hundred pieces. Most of these works have been for Daniel Popsicle, his 10- to 20-person ensemble of varying instrumentation. He has also worked with Bang on a Can and has performed as a saxophonist with Anthony Braxton, Tom Waits, and others. Plonsey teaches math at Berkeley High School.
Portrait photo courtesy Mantra Plonsey.
Members of Daniel Popsicle in performance at the Ivy Room, Albany, CA, pictured left to right: Daniel Plonsey, Cory Wright, and Michael Zelner; photo courtesy Myles Boisen