Jim Pugliese

Posted in News on February 27, 2002

photo by Dana Rodriguez

BMI composer Jim Pugliese (seated) is presented with a check by BMI Foundation officers Robbin Ahrold (VP), Gary Roth (VP) and Ralph Jackson (President) during his recent visit to the New York office. Pugliese is the BMI Foundation's Composer-in Residence at New York City's LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts, where he teaches composition. Funded by the Foundation, the program teaches young composers to express themselves and to use their own voices when composing music, to produce and rehearse music for a concert, and to write programs and notes. Their debut concert last year at the Hallmark in downtown Manhattan was so successful that the students have been asked to perform other concerts there. They will also perform two concerts at the high school in March and in May. In addition, senior Lauren Buchter has been selected to have her new string quartet performed by the New York Youth Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

Jim Pugliese's background includes 25 years playing drums and percussion, composing music and recording. He has performed and/or recorded with such artists as John Cage, Lukas Foss, Kent Nagano, Philip Glass and Carlos Chavez. He can be heard on over 60 CD’s of new music, jazz and rock, and is an accomplished performer and composer in the United States, Europe and Japan. Pugliese has performed at numerous international and regional festivals and venues including Bang On A Can, Victoriavillle, Tampere, Saalfelden, Nicolsdorf Jazz Festivals, Roulette, The Knitting Factory, Dance Theater Workshop, Symphony Space and Lincoln Center Outdoor Festival. He also spent 12 years as a member of Dean Drummond’s Newband and The Harry Partch Ensemble.

In 1997, Pugliese's collaborative trio, EasSide Percussion with Christine Bard and Michael Evans, released their first CD on Avant and are about to release a follow-up on the same label. He was also Artist-in-Residence at Harvestworks in New York City in 1998, where he recorded his solo CD Sonic Soul. He performs regularly with Philip Glass and his band Soultronix, and is preparing for a solo concert for extended drums and percussion at Roulette this spring.

SOURCENews TAGS Dance Jazz Musical Theatre Foundation International Avant Jim Pugliese Symphony Space