Michael D. Golden

Michael D. Golden, DMA

Academic Administration - Undergraduate Program
Faculty - Full-Time
Michael Golden sits at a piano
Professor of Music Composition and Theory
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Michael Golden studied music composition in the Pacific Northwest with, among others, William Bergsma, Tomas Svoboda, Diane Thome, and William O. Smith, receiving the DMA from the University of Washington in 1992.

Dr. Golden has composed for a wide range of media. He has been commissioned to write solo and chamber ensemble works, large ensemble works, and pieces for jazz ensembles of all sizes, and has also composed music for computer, live electronics, and mixed media, including websites, film, video and theatre productions.

Dr. Golden’s music has been performed throughout much of the United States as well as on six of the seven continents. He has also performed as a jazz pianist throughout the US and abroad.

  • DMA, University of Washington (1992)
  • MM, University of Oregon
  • BM, University of Oregon
  • Introduction to Music Composition
  • Improvising Music
  • Composing Tonal Music
  • Music Composition II: the Next Step
  • Music Composition with the Computer
  • Introduction to World Music
  • Music and Ecology
  • Music, Mind, and Brain
  • Music and Peacebuilding
  • Core: Enduring Questions of Humanity
  • Learning Clusters
  • Creativity Forum
  • Jazz Piano and Jazz Ensemble
  • Music Composition and Theory (including jazz, improvisation, computer applications)
  • Ethnomusicology/World Music
  • Music and Ecology
  • Music and Peacebuilding
  • Music Psychology (Cognition, Development and Evolution)
  • Creativity
  • “Musicking as Ecological Behavior: an Integrated ‘4E’ View.” (2020). IDEA Journal: co-constructing body-environments Vol 17 no.2, 230–247, https://doi.org/10.37113/ij.v17i02.349.
  • “Musicking as Emergent Ecological Behavior: Linking Cognition, Culture and Neuroscience.” In Parncutt, R., & Sattmann, S. (Eds.) (2018). Proceedings of ICMPC15/ESCOM10. Graz, Austria: Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz: 168-171.
  • “Musicking as education for social and ecological peace: a new synthesis.” 2016. Journal of Peace Education, Vol. 13. No. 3, pp. 266-282.
  • “Music Emergent: Autopoiesis and Connected Worlds.” University of California eScholarship, UC Irvine: A Body of Knowledge Conference. (2018). “Music Emergent: Autopoiesis and Connected Worlds” presented December 2016, Body of Knowledge: Embodied Cognition and the Arts.
  • “On Music, Interconnection and Consciousness” (2011). In Music and Solidarity: Questions of Universality, Consciousness, and Connection.
  • Invited Keynote (“Keystone”) Speaker, UC Irvine Environmental Collaboratory “Art and Ecology” (2022)
  • Suite Ceremonial, Commission: South Coast Symphony Orchestra, 2001
  • It's a Long, Long River, Commission: Huntington Symphony Orchestra, 1997
  • Meet the Composer/Commission Music USA Award 1997
  • First Prize, Guitar Foundation of America Intl. Composition Competition 1996
  • Homologous (jazz ensemble), in progress
  • “…of War,” Revisited (jazz ensemble), in progress
  • Twelves (computer), 2022
  • Dream Catcher, for Haruki Murakami (solo piano), 2021
  • Jim’s Journey (jazz ensemble), 2021
  • Critters (series, various ensembles), 2014-present
  • Tetratudes (series, solo piano), 2013-present
  • For the Children of All Ages (after Newtown), 2012
  • Jim’s Journey, recorded by Kenny Barron, Mike Garson, Tamir Handelman, Josh Nelson and Geoff Keezer, 2022.
  • Bidder to Better, recorded by the Sounds New Ensemble, live in concert, 2007
  • “From” from Last Words, recorded by the Colby College Chorale, live in concert in Italy, 2007
  • Echoes in Eternal Light, recorded by the Kansai 21st Century Symphony Orchestra, live in concert, 2004
  • Bidder to Better, recorded by the Nevelson Duo, New Albany Records, 2004
  • FramesetuDe, Les Productions D'Oz, 2000; recorded by Patrick Kearney, LaFlame, Records, 1997
  • The Sea Change, and Other Stories, recorded by Jeffrey Jacob, New Ariel Records, 1997
  • 2015-present, Research Fellow, Min-On Music Research Institute
  • 1998-present, Professor, Soka University of America
  • 1995-1998, Assoc. Prof. of Music, Marshall University
  • 1993-1995, Visiting Asst Prof. of Music, Colby College