Talented musicians, composers, and arrangers, Miller and Donahue have performed individually and collectively in celebrated music and art festivals as well as preeminent cultural institutions around the globe. These include SNF Nostos Festival in Athens, Greece; IDFA in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Lincoln Center (NYC); Pordenone Silent Film Festival (Italy); The Academy of Motion Pictures (Los Angeles); The Louvre (France); The San Francisco Silent Film Festival (S.F.); MASS MoCA (Massachusetts); National Gallery of the Arts (Washington DC); The Institute of Contemporary Arts (Boston, MA); New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, MA); The Telluride Film Festival (Colorado); and All Tomorrow’s Parties (international), among others.
Terry Donahue
Terry Donahue grew up in Connecticut and has long been fascinated by “found sound”. This curiosity has led him to be an integral part of Boston’s percussion scene as a founding member of the Concussion Ensemble, Alloy Orchestra, Zero Zero, and Arcade Ambo. He plucks his 4-string in country music in a country setting in his country home in Bennington, VT.
“Terry Donahue’s list of accomplishments could fill a whole book, but let’s just say his musical partners have ranged from Roger Miller to Ottmar Liebert (The New Age Flamenco King).” said Jon Bonni (The Pit Report, 1993).
For more about Terry Donahue, visit TerryDonahue.bandcamp.com.
Roger Clark Miller
Roger Clark Miller studied composition at California Institute of the Arts and piano at the University of Michigan. In 1979, he moved to Boston and co-formed Mission of Burma. Since 1980 he has released over 50 albums, ranging from the aggressive avant-punk of Burma to piano-based music of Maximum Electric Piano, The Binary System and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. His chamber music has been performed at the New England Conservatory, Tufts University, and other venues.
Miller is also a conceptual/sound artist. His first art installation in this direction, “Transmuting the Prosaic”, was at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Brattleboro, VT from March 15 – October 12, 2020. He is also a visual artist utilizing Max Ernst’s Frottage technique, and has been in numerous shows.
In addition to The Anvil Orchestra, Miller is currently active in Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar, The Fourth World Quartet, M2, The Trinary System, and his chamber music.
For more information about Miller, visit his website at: www.rogerclarkmiller.com.
Lawrence Dersch
Lawrence Dersch fills out the ensemble when a second percussionist is required. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and has been playing percussion longer than he can remember, possibly before he was born. When Miller wrote out a complex drum score for his duo Binary System, Dersch came back three days later and nailed it. Miller was so stunned he had to go upstairs for a beer. In Concussion Ensemble, he frequently knew the parts before he saw the band. Dersch has drummed in so many styles no one can keep track of them all. Hence: silent film accompaniment is a natural. Plus, he shows up when he’s needed!
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The Anvil Orchestra 