This site has been created in the visionary spirit of the composer, pianist, and performance artist J. Randolph “Randy” Hostetler (1963-1996). It is a cooperative site created by his many colleagues, friends and admirers. It is a place, together with its Facebook page (Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Project) where artists and their supporters, especially those interested in experimental music, new artistic ideas, performance art, multimedia performance, improvisation, and avant garde creative endeavors of all kinds, can exchange information, concepts, viewpoints, and samples of their works. The site is sponsored by the nonprofit Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Project and Fund.
Home Page is where you can read up to date announcements from this site. You may also sign up to receive in your own mailbox occasional announcements and updates from us.
The Reading Room provides links to some recently published articles, blogs, newspaper items and other writings about new music and other arts subjects that are especially interesting. There is a contact form on this page so that you may also suggest articles to be included in the Reading Room. We enthusiastically welcome your suggestions. You may subscribe to the Reading Room if you wish and receive these links in your own e-mail box on a weekly basis.
The Kitchen lists upcoming events, new publications, recordings, submission requests and other breaking news. You may add your own events on a continuing basis if you wish by getting a password. With a password you may edit or delete your event. Or, you may sign in as a guest without a password to post an occasional event but without the option of editing it afterwards. Finally, you may simply send your event to this site’s host who will post it for you.
The Resource Room provides extensive links to other web sites, artists and groups, recordings, libraries, arts organizations, funding sources and other relevant information.
The Music and Video Room is the room where “performance” takes place through the exchange of sound files, video files, drawings, animations and photographs.
Randy’s Room contains remembrances of Randy Hostetler from artists, friends, family members and others. It also provides information about Randy, his works, and his artistic philosophy as well as his bio, photographs and illustrative videos.
The Meeting Room was originally designed as a place for online discussion but online discussion now takes place on our facebook site. However, occasional essays, letters, and other writings will still be posted here. Archival postings of the early online discussions in the Meeting Room from 1997 to October 1999 can still be accessed on the Meeting Room page.
About the Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Project and Fund
For more information about the Project and Fund, to make a financial contribution in order to maintain this site, or to offer other assistance, write:
Julian Saenz, President
The Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Project and Fund
P.O. Box 71098
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20813
or email us at LIVROOMMEM [AT] aol [DOT] com.
What’s the story behind the bouncing 8 balls?
The design of livingroom.org incorporates bouncing 8 balls in memory of Randy Hostetler’s virtuosic piano piece, “8” which requires the pianist to juggle a billiard ball while playing the piano. “8” is carefully crafted in classic piano form. It was composed for Mel Powell in 1987 in response to Powell’s plea to Hostetler that he compose “something with notes” rather than his usual experimental scores utilizing such things as pine trees and Kraft macaroni noodles to guide the performers. “8” was the puckish student’s response, which delighted his mentor. It was subsquently performed at a memorable California Institute of the Arts concert celebrating Mel Powell’s 65th birthday. It has also been performed on both the east and west coasts, including a performance by Dan Cantrell at a 1996 Cal Arts Concert in memory of Randy Hostetler that was organized by faculty member Marc Lowenstein, by Jenny Lin at the Winnipeg Symphony Festival of New Music in 2010, and by Ingrid Lee at the Walt Disney’s Redcat Theater in March 2011.
A video of Randy Hostetler performing “8” posted by Zig Gron can be viewed in Randy’s Room and also on YouTube (by searching under the name Randy Hostetler). In addition, Jenny Lin’s performance of “8” in Washington, D.C. can also be seen on YouTube.
