Michael Zerang, a first-generation American of Assyrian descent, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1976, Zerang has been a professional musician and composer. His focus is on improvised music and free jazz, contemporary compositions, puppet theatre, experimental theater and other international musical forms. Michael has worked with dance, contemporary theater and other multidisciplinary forms. He has been awarded three Joseph Jefferson Awards in theater for original music composition in theater in 1998, 1998 and 2000. Michael is a percussionist/composer and has more than 80 titles. He has toured internationally to 34 countries and has an ever-growing list of collaborators. Michael was the founder and artistic director of Chicago’s Link’s Hall Performance Series, where he produced more than 300 concerts of jazz, traditional folk music, electronic music and other forward-thinking music. Michael is a member of the Links Hall Board since 1989. From 1994-1996, he produced concerts at Cafe Urbus Orbis, as well as at his own venue, The Candlestick Maker, in Chicago’s Albany Park, where he performed from 2001 to 2005. Michael has taught as a guest artist at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in performance technique, sound design, and sound/music as it relates to puppetry; rhythmic analysis for dancers at The Dance Center of Columbia College, Northwestern University, and MoMing Dance and Arts Center; courses in Composer/Choreographer Collaborations at Northwestern University; music to children at The Jane Adams Hull House. Michael currently tours the country and holds workshops on improvisational music. He also teaches private lessons about rhythmic analysis, music composition and percussion technique. from http://www.michaelzerang.com
