Title: Take Flight
Commission: 2007
Completed: 2009
Instrumentation: five octave marimba, computer processing, and computer-generated sounds
Premiere Location: Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI
Premiere Ensemble: Nathaniel Bartlett
Notes:

Allan Schindler, born in Stamford, Connecticut, is an Emeritus Professor of Composition in the Composition Department of the Eastman School of Music, and also founder and former Director of the Eastman Computer Music Center.

While growing up he learned to play several instruments, studying woodwinds, piano and theory at the Cleveland Institute of Music and privately, and learned the Schillinger System of composition under Bert Henry. While in high school and as an undergraduate he spent a lot of time playing in jazz and rock bands and classical chamber ensembles and working as a freelance musician and arranger.

Schindler pursued his undergraduate education at Oberlin College (B.M. in Music Composition, B.A. in English), followed by graduate study at the University of Chicago (M.A. and Ph.D. in Composition, with additional studies in musicology), where he worked with the beloved if irascible Ralph Shapey and with Richard Wernick. Before pursuing his PhD he taught composition and theory and conducted the new music ensemble for a year at Ball State University. After completing his studies taught for seven years in the theory/composition department at Boston University, where he directed the electroacoustic music program, taught graduate seminars in contemporary and tonal theory, and participated in the production of new music concerts throughout the Boston area.