Thollem McDonas

SCORE: The Mind's Voice

THOLLEM MCDONAS is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author and teacher. He’s spent his life skirting and erasing the edges of boundaries musically, culturally, geographically. His work is ever changing, evolving and responding to the times and his experiences, both as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of artists across idioms and disciplines. Though Thollem is widely known as an acoustic piano player, he’s also the lead vocalist for the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti and has recently branched out significantly into the world of electronics. In this last decade alone he has played well over 1,000 concerts throughout N. America and Europe as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of musicians, dancers, and filmmakers. As leader or co-leader, he has released over 50 albums in that span on 22 different labels to international critical acclaim. In 2017, Thollem is developing his second feature-length film, Silver Ochre’s Who Are U.S. 2017, through an 8 month, 48 state odyssey with his partner, videographer ACVilla.