Ricks Bio & Info

Ricks early electronic works and conceptually-based instrumental compositions earned him the reputation early on in College as a pioneer within the Advance Front of New Music. Rick has been around since 1975, with various friends of the composer participating through out Ricks life-path. His works to date cover a wide and diverse spectrum of musical types embodying both conservative elements and radical innovations. The name of his Band 'American Christ' has its origins in the very unusual and extra-ordinary spiritual and supernatural experiences Mr. Strunk went through in the early '90s. This name was picked for a number of reasons:

• In a number of cultures including Hispanic culture naming the newborn after an angel, saint or even Jesus is a tradition of invoking that spiritual entity for guardianship and guidance through their life-path;
• The author of 'Black Music', Leroi Jones made an excellent observation that the early 'White' Rock Bands often chose destructive and derogatory names such as Beatles & Animals (even today: Smashing Pumpkins) unlike their 'Black' counterparts who actually had originated Rock (Rhythm & Blues) and who used positive and optimistic names like Stevie Wonder or The Supreme's etc.
• Rick was asked a number of times during the early '90s if he was indeed the return of Christ and/or other powerful deities such as the Sun-God. Depending on the persons cultural background.
• Rick has invested much of his life-path in understanding the mechanics of how to reverse inter-personal destructiveness among species members
• Rick has devoted and dedicated himself and his life choices at sometimes great personal cost to himself to understanding, maintaining and standing-under true and eternal basic ethics within this species.
• Although versed in a number of both East & West Major World Religions Rick is quite satisfied that the Christ Jesus was not a mad man and spoke the truth.
• The word 'Christ' refers to Anointment by the Holy Spirit through the Holy Oneness & the Holy Spirit creating a Holy One of the Holy Oneness; Recall no one is an Island but like Islands we are all interconnected by a continent under the oceans separating us from each other. A Holy One of the Holy Oneness has been chosen by above (Higher Dimensional Power in Higher Heavens; God) to have and maintain a conscious interconnections with much of humanity possibly both with the 'natural' aspect of the collective unconsciousness (as opposed to the unnatural & destructive aspects) and with the Holy Spirit providing guidance from higher dimensions (Heavens) and in Rick's case, also as a part of the-body-of-Christ.
• So since Rick was Anointed and his consciousness was greatly expanded spiritually in the Winter of '90 - '91 during the Gulf war and since he is an American and for the reasons stated above He chose to name his band 'American Christ';
• Shantih is the name he gave to the-child-within-his-heart and he associates that name with the Mystical Child that resides with Kundalini and is the wise guide for the power of Kundalini unleashed. Shantih means, 'The Peace Which Transcends Understanding' roughly translated and is used to cadence holy writings by Hindu Prophets and is equivalent to our term 'Amen'.

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Composer Bio:

Born in Casper,WY in the summer of 1957, Richard Byron Strunk by age 4 was taking piano lessons at his pre-nursery school. In the late ‘70’s & early ‘80s at Grinnell College he studied advance piano techniques with concert pianist John Jensen & musical composition with composers Alan Leichtling (Student of the great composers Darius Mihaud & Vincent Persichetti), and Jon Wellstead, and Lee Cloud (Students of the great experimental American composer Peter Todd Lewis). Rick’s early electronic works and conceptually-based instrumental compositions earned him the reputation early on in College as a pioneer within the Advance Front of New Music. His works to date cover a wide and diverse spectrum of musical types embodying both conservative elements and radical innovations.

"A true innovator, full of life and passion, Richard Byron Strunk's music embodies conservative elements and radical innovations. His repertoire includes Classical, Jazz, New Age, Minimalist, Rock & too many to list! Such diversity enables Listeners from all walks of life to relate to Strunk's works." * Sonic Awareness

Mr Strunk originated the kaleidoscopic music method in the late 1970's & very early 1980’s and it is essentially a way to make Cubist music in any genre. His purpose in doing this was because he saw a need in the fragmented craft of modern music of bridge building between the fragmented orientations of listeners.

The kaleidoscopic music method allowed for the expansion of the Musical Form Theme and Variations to Composition and Variations and was originated by Mr. Strunk. Unfortunately, like numerous other original contributions that Mr. Strunk has made through the years from the fringes of society accurate and appropriate accreditation will probably be long in coming if ever. Today it is not significance which makes for fame, but fame which makes for significance. Today one may originate an important idea and gain no recognition for so doing. either another at a later date derivatively comes up with a similar notion and successfully popularizes it; or by word-of-mouth it is eventually picked up by another who again is more adept at popularizing and advertising the idea 2nd hand then actually having any real substantive capacity for creating such an idea in the first place; but because of being well networked and so adept at being able to popularize this idea they actually are given the accreditation and acknowledgement of having originated the idea when this was not and is not the case. Today, Significance does not make Fame but sadly Fame makes significance.

Today to accomplish and originate a significant idea or work does not insure that accurate and appropriate accreditation or acknowledgement will follow; its politics in the Arts now and those who one knows and those that know you means much more then any significant accomplishment in ones work or inventive accomplishment in ones musical craft or Art. Sadly, Vincent in today's world would still be tragically left on the fringes and pretty much ignored. For more information on this sad state of affairs please see Rick's essay called 'Western Musical Culture.'

In the early ‘90’s Mr. Strunk was diagnosed with a severely functionally debilitating illness and his career seemed over. Yet even with being beset with both his illness, and being homeless for quite a number of months at several different times during this past decade, he continued to compose by gaining access to pianos in area churches. Much of the music he wrote during these difficult times reflects the beauty and joy of life rather than of only focusing on his suffering, and speaks to the heart, with substantive meaning for the mind, of one man’s triumph of hope persevering over despair.

Mr. Strunk believes that disability does not mean inability. Like many of the severely disabled, he is living proof that the disabled can and often do make valuable contributions to their communities and Society. All contributions from people at whatever level of development or recovery are valuable. Mr. Strunk's first steps in 1990 in occupational therapy of making a leather wallet and continuing on to his next projects that he had the then diminished capacity to do, helped him to redevelop and recover slowly over time his lost or damaged abilities necessary for the more involved and demanding musical constructions done in the late 1990's. The point is at whatever level of development one is currently at ones works are of value and even if ones life has not turned out for the best for whatever reason, life can get better and still be good with and even without our help for life is bigger then our understanding or aspirations; if one just keeps going.

Since 1990 after being diagnosed, he began treatment and steadily acquired new and useful skills for himself to better manage his illness. Prior to 1990 his ability to manage his illness and life was at best haphazard. Over the past 15 years he has salvaged the unfinished works of his young adult life and continued onward to further explore new intriguing musical possibilities and visual art too. Even with many needed breaks and working at a fairly slow pace due to his illness, he has over the long haul been able to accomplish much work. He has learned and is adept now in how to work within the limitations of his illness and how not to aggravate it unnecessarily. Today Mr. Strunk is quite successfully managing his illness, in part, thanks to some friends and family, a lot of patience, his medications, a number of helpful social programs, learning helpful skills and coping techniques to better manage his illness, constructive behaviors and productive projects, his commitment to Christ and church, his ethical sense, plus his own self-determination to recover, restore and make a good life for himself again.

When Mr. Strunk is not engaged in treatment for his illness; working on his Music and Visual Art projects or doing his household chores, he does enjoy watching a wide assortment of movies or playing computer games such as Baldurs Gate, Diablo, NeverWinterNights, and more recently EverQuest on the Mac server.

Currently Mr. Strunk has been exploring the New Salon Venue of performance for his works via Computer/Internet broadcasts and distribution of his music and visualizations now available for home listening and viewing on CD and DVD. Thus Like Chopin involved within the earlier tradition of the Old Style Salon recitals; Mr. Strunk's Music and visual works are being performed/played in the homey comfort of the modern audiences living rooms. To Date, Mr. Strunk has composed over 800 musical compositions.

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Composers Philosophy:

The focus of much of my work has to do with making use of the rich experimentation results of previous composers in this century in a non-eclectic organic exploration of the many diverse possibilities that the generation before has left to us. Thus, I have some minimalist 12-tone works, variations on Clementi sonatinas that sound more akin to Bartok at times, and other hybrid works of like sort in various genres (New Age; Jazz; Rock; Classical) that in sometimes unusual ways combine quite naturally what was once thought to far apart to combine sensibly and organically.

I originated kaleidoscopic music method in the mid 1980’s and it is essentially a way to make Cubist music in any genre. My purpose in doing this is because I see a need in our craft of music of bridge building between the fragmented orientations of listeners. ‘A house divided against itself can not stand.’ So my aesthetic position is to attempt to build works that can be related to by various listeners with diverse listening habits.

So my personal voice in much of my music is invested in serving my art and audiences in this non-ego purpose of creating works that can bring together listeners with diverse orientations so that each of them (In fact anyone) can get some real meaning out of the work in at least some aspects of the work plus be introduced to something new to give them the opportunity to grow beyond their previous limitations & perspectives.

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Future plans and goals:

Keep Trucking On!
Web Cam: (Coming Soon)

Hopefully, sometime in 2004 there will be a set of continuious concerts available 24/7 on web cam; plus Special Live Weekend Concerts of Ricks!

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Unofficial Band Members, Consultants & Contributors For Unofficial Band:

Years together and apart: 25 (since 1975ish)

David U. (piano; synthesizer) David P. (piano) Angel (encourager) JJ (piano) Randy S. (encourager) Dan N. (encourager) Tom P. (vocal; guitar) Phillip A. (lyrics on a tune) Florry B. (vocal) John ? (vocal) Clay S. (vocal)
Brad S. (encourager)

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Quick Lecture on Three Recent Works
by Richard Byron Strunk

Delivered at The Salon Meeting
of the American Composer’s Forum
Mpls. MN. November 21, 1998.

The purpose of my speaking to you concerning the 3 works you are about to hear is simply to clarify and briefly explain the new compositional tools that I invented or discovered many years ago in the very early ‘80s. Throughout these many years I have developed and used these new compositional tools to author a number of new works including these recent works you are about to hear.

In a nut shell, what I’ve done is tonally map out a half dozen new diatonic-chromatic intervalic environments. Each of these diatonic-chromatic environments has its own unique intervalic emphasis. Each intervalic environment is made up of a basic 12-tone row set that affirms a particular set of intervals and is implied intervalicly by the diatonic scales used in this environment. Plus, the diatonic scales within a particular environment can be inferred from the12-tone row. Each of these environments tonally and modally function analogously to the circle-of -perfect-5ths and its diatonic scales in the traditional tonal-modal system; but unlike the chromatic circle-of -perfect-5ths and its inferred diatonic realm, my chromatic-diatonic environments linguistically affirm alternate sets of intervals then the intervals that are affirmed in the traditional tonal-modal system.

In other words, wherein, the old system, Perfect 5ths, are often used as the outer interval of the basic triad, and used for cadences and in composing background formal structures, such as is the case with the classical sonata, in one on my diatonic-chromatic environments, possibly a Major 3rd might play that role, thus giving the composer triads like c, d flat, e; or c, d sharp, e, and Major 3rds would be used for cadences, and in composing background formal structures. The Major 3rd would be the linguistic formal tool that determines affirmation of the intervals natural to this intervalic diatonic-chromatic environment. Plus, the Major 3rd would determine what intervals and pitches constitute intervalic deviations from the diatonic-chromatic intervalic norm of this environment like what was once called in the old tonal-modal system foreign tones or chromaticism. In the compositions I write I use these new diatonic-scales to generate foreground material: such as themes, motives, and harmonies (the musical content of the piece), and the 12-tone row set implied by these new diatonic-scales, I use much like composers once used the circle-of-perfect-5ths, to organize the foreground material into an over all form, and the 12-tone row set also allows a freedom in form that can either move away from emphasizing the intervals that are natural and implied in this new tonal-modal environment or affirm them.

Simply put, in practice it ends up being a lot like modal shifting in the old system. The theme is stated in Major, then later in minor, the theme retains a linguistic coherent pattern so that it can be recognized as the same theme. In one statement there is a Major intervalic emphasis and in another statement there is a minor intervalic emphasis.

Another way of considering these works is that they are ‘Cubist’ renditions (combining multi-key-perspectives simultaneously in a single time frame) of previously composed works, although the actuality and ramifications of my system actually go well beyond the ‘Cubist’ method.

Although I do compose works that are wholly original material, because of these analogy properties between these new half dozen diatonic-chromatic environments and the old tonal-modal system, I can translate previously composed works from the old system into one of my new diatonic-chromatic environments with a whole knew intervalic emphasis then what occurred in the original composition. There are a lot of Kaleidoscopic musical effects that I can do by this technique so I call these pieces Kaleidoscopen. The three pieces you are about to hear are of this sort.

I am currently composing many new Kaleidoscopen for many kinds of ensembles. I am with this new technique writing new works that with their advanced and updated harmonic and melodic intervals can be liked by the listener of modern music, but also by retaining much of the stylistic integrity and coherent linguistic tonal patterns of the original work that I intervalicly vary the listeners that like old classical music, and have had problems understanding modern works, might, because there is so much in common in these Kaleidoscopen with what they already understand, also like these new works. In other words, I’m creating intersections between the modern and the old to build a bridge between listeners of old music and listeners of modern music. Plus I sometimes use ensembles other then traditional classical ensembles such as a Jazz quintet, or rock band to help bridge between pop and jazz listeners and listeners of old, and modern classical music.

Lastly, I’d like to mention, that these new half dozen diatonic-chromatic environments can be used to create music that is analyzable as having organic tonal integrity, of being noneclectic, and at the same time considered with equal validity, as12-tone based music, synthetic scale based music, or polytonal and polymodal based music.

The first piece, is a new intervalic rendition of the 1st sonatina of op.36 by Clementi. I use a rock ensemble in this one. The next piece, is a new intervalic rendition of the ‘70s Pop song ‘Wildfire’. The last piece I have for your listening pleasure is a new intervalic rendition of a work by Charlie Parker that he called ‘Anthropology’ and even with my new musical technique used on a Bird solo transcription I did as usual still have to compose quite a bit, writing out all the parts and solos for this jazz quintet.

I had a lot of fun writing these works and I hope you have some fun and enjoyment in hearing them.

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EDUCATION

Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, B.A. 1989 (class of ‘81)
Major: Music Performance, Theory & Composition

Institute of European Studies Vienna, Austria 1979

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. 1985 - 1990
Post-BA studies in Computer Science, Religious Studies, Art, & Humanities

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MUSIC CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Produced & composed ‘Continuing Variations’. A dada based College Radio show
  that used Found-sound & Collage 1977 - 78
• Co-Conductor of the Grinnell College Jazz Orchestra 1980
• Producer of college electronic music concerts 1979 - 80
• Recording Engineer - West Bank School of Music - Jazz Composer Series 1985

Minnesota Composer’s Gallery, KFAI-FM radio, Twin Cities, MN 1985 - 89
Produced, engineered, and arranged interviews with visiting composers.
Minnesota Composer's Gallery Page with Guest List
on Ricks Site!

• Performed in various cafe venues around town (Mpls. St. Paul) 1995 - 97
• Performed at Vail Place Music Fest (Mpls.) 1997
• Performed several new works At the American Composer Forum Salon
  (Mpls.) Nov / ‘98
• Member of the American Composer ’s Forum St. Paul, MN (1985ish - 2001ish)

Additional Creative Endevors

Published Writer:

• Selected poems & essays:
  Mississippi Musings Vol. 1
  April 1998 & Vol. 3 (May 2000);
• Selected poems & essays:
  Mined Vol. 1, Issue 1 (2000). May

Plus:

4 Books Of Poems (Homepage) 4 books Of Satire (Homepage) 100's Of Theological, Pshchological & Music Essays (Homepage) Over 800 Classical compostions (Mostly chamber Music) Unusal & Extraordinary life-path experiences (Supernatural & Holy)

DAY-JOB HIGHLIGHTS

Rehabilitation Assistant:
University of Minnesota Hospital & Clinics, Minneapolis, MN 1987 - 90
Responsibilities: Narcotics delivery, transportation of patients, therapy
assistant and transfer of patients.

Clerk :
Ralph & Jerrys Cultural Market Dinkytown 1988 (Fall)

Mental Health Technician:
People, Inc., St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN 1985 - 86
Responsibilities: Charting, medication distribution, supervision of residents,
counseling, security of premises.

VOLUNTEER

• Soccer Coach, Community Intramural Sports, Manhattan, Kansas 1977ish
  Undefeated season.
• Chairman of the Community’s Haunted House 1977ish
  Coordinated the committee and the event
• Assisted, Andrew Riverside Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, MN 1994 - 95

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Personal Artistic Statement

The focus of much of my work has to do with making use of the rich experimentation results of previous composers in this century in a non-eclectic organic exploration of the many diverse possibilities that the generation before has left to us. Thus, I have some minimalist 12-tone works, variations on Clementi sonatinas that sound more akin to Bartok at times, and other works of like sort that in sometimes unusual ways combine quite naturally what was once thought to far apart to combine organically.

My purpose in doing this is because I see a need in our craft of music of bridge building between the fragmented orientations of listeners. ‘A house divided against itself can not stand.’ So my aesthetic position is to attempt to build works that can be related to by various listeners with diverse listening habits. So my personal voice in much of my music is invested in serving my art and audiences in this non-ego purpose of creating works that can bring together listeners with diverse orientations so that each of them can get some meaning out of the work.

With the completion of ‘144 Kaleidoscopen-Sonatinas’ I will be in a new beginning that will last for years of fulfilling my afore mentioned goals with new works and performances still ahead. The CCP commission will help me begin with the performance of selected Kaleidoscopen-Sonatinas. I currently lack funds for copying, performance fees, etc., and my work is still mostly unknown to serious musical performers & listeners in the Twin cities. This Commission can help me change all that and get restarted on my career again.

Note on Mr. Strunk being an emerging composer:

After spending years of his youth in helping to promote fellow composers new works via his radio show in the late ‘80’s as well as with other akin endeavors Mr. Strunk has for the first time begun to submit his own work for consideration. Although well-known among the emerging composers of the late ‘80’s in Minnesota his compositions up until now have not been submitted for performance consideration and his works including his latest pieces have yet to be heard on the concert stage.

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Aesthetic Position

In the 20th century the language of Western Art Music (Classical) at one time universal in the West has fragmented into a number of distinct languages, schools, and musical systems. There are few, if any, translators who bridge the differences between these apparently distinct musical systems. Each composer has their own tongue and the result is Babel. The significant composers of the past often achieved their greatness by distinguishing themselves from their contemporaries. I firmly believe that the significant composers of our time will achieve their greatness by assimilating in a unifying vision the sometimes almost chaotic distinctiveness of the present.

The focus of much of my work has to do with making use of the rich experimentation results of previous composers in this century in a non-eclectic organic exploration of the many diverse possibilities that the generation before us has left to us. Thus, I have some minimalist 12-tone works, variations on Clementi sonatinas that sound more akin to Bartok at times, and various other works that in sometimes unusual ways combine quite naturally what was once thought to far apart to combine organically.

My purpose in doing this is because I see a need in our craft of music of bridge building between the fragmented orientations of listeners. “A house divided against itself can not stand.” So my aesthetic position is to attempt to build works that can be related to by various listeners with different listening habits. Thus, my personal voice in much of my music is invested in serving my art and audiences in this non-ego purpose of creating works that can bring together listeners with different listening orientations so that each of them can get some meaning out of the work.

My task as a youth was to try to discover points of ambiguity wherein all the various major 20th century musical practices intersect allowing for the organic (rather than eclectic) use of these various methods: 1) 12-tone; 2) Synthetic scales; 3) Polytonal use of traditional scales. After much work and research, I developed in the early ‘80s what I call the Kaleidoscopic method of musical composition. This method is explained in detail in ‘Kaleidoscopic Music (A Study Of Musical Materials)’ and with this method I found a way of making music that opened the door for envisioning and creating a new diatonic / chromatic music, in which all the positive characteristics of those once distinct musical methods can now be integrated while all their individual limitations can now be transcended.

Development of work and needed funds

Having a vision of reunifying 20th century musical practice in the High Art of the West in my youth was all well and good, but how to accomplish such a task seemed akin to searching for the elusive Holy Grail. Thanks to Charles Wourinen in his Simple Composition I found out about Ordered-Interval-Successions and this with a lot more work and research on my part gave me the key. In 1980 I wrote the first music (possibly) that is organically and equally of the original tonal-modal system, the 12 - tone system, the synthetic scale based system, and the polytonal based system to both the mind and ear. Since then, I have over the years developed a new variation form that I call Kaleidoscopen and writing these works is where I have been focused in my instrumental writing.

Still, my main love in music is the electronic medium, creating new electronic works. This is where I developed my expertise through my college years. Having been exposed and working on electronic music early on in my education as a composer I have always wanted the needed equipment to explore more fully sonic possibilities in that medium. However, due to limitations from my Disability I can not afford any electronic equipment and I am hoping to eventually obtain a grant so that I can finally afford to buy some much needed equipment to enable me to work further in the electronic medium. (?1998)

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