MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

“Gifted … [My Wounded Head 1’s] most impressive feature is its daunting physicality.” – The New York Times “Inventive … transfixing … of the new interludes [Repeated Measures] the most inviting was Mr. Chan’s … a study in repeating, slowly morphing figures built around chimelike tintinnabulations and ending up in a chromatic Minimalist swirl.” – The New York Times “From quietly intoned sound points to grand waves that warbled and thundered.” – The Washington Post “… [The set of five chorales from Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion] have become an obsession for Marc, and each station of his cycle forges a new ‘road trip’ through the notes, patiently spinning them out into strange and beautiful patterns. My Wounded Head 3, for solo piano, pushes this patience into sublime territory … the rhythms mesmerize, and you may even feel it not long enough.” – Sequenza 21 “Chan’s piece [My Wounded Head 3] is among the most brilliant in recent memory.” – American Record Guide “Marc Chan’s entrancing piano opus My Wounded Head 3 … It’s never less than mesmerizing.” – San Francisco Chronicle Described by the New York Times as a “gifted pianist and composer,” Marc Chan, a native of Singapore, is a composer, lyricist, and bookwriter. Selected musicals: THE FINAL SEANCE OF HARRY HOUDINI. Book, lyrics and music by Marc Chan. Prospect Musical Theater Lab, Alvin Ailey Theater, NYC. 2020. YOU AND ME, Book and lyrics by Barbara Hammond. Book and music by Marc Chan. New Dramatists, NYC. 2018. REMEMBER ME. Book and lyrics by Mia Chung. Music and lyrics by Marc Chan. Nautilus Music Theater, MN. Playwrights’ Center, MN. 2018. GEORGE. Book and lyrics by Sam Wessels. Music by Marc Chan. Based on a book by Alex Gino. BMI Musical Theater Workshop, NYC. 2017. TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE. Book and lyrics by Keelay Gipson. Music by Marc Chan. New Dramatists, NYC 2018. Marc has also written music for plays (TERRA FIRMA. Baruch Performing Arts Center Rose Nagelberg Theater) and film (MY WOUNDED HEAD. With filmmaker Stephen Chen. Official Selection Imperfectu (Tijuana) International Film Festival; Imperfectu (Berlin) International Film Festival 2014; Gender Reel Festival 2014). Marc is also an arranger and music director (GOD SAVE QUEEN PAM. The Player’s Theater, NYC 2018). Marc’s concert music has been performed at Carnegie Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, the Stone, the Tank, <fidget> (Philadelphia), the Smithsonian Freer Gallery (Washington, DC), and the Esplanade Theaters on the Bay (Singapore). His music has been recorded on Mode Records and OgreOgress Records. Marc holds a doctorate in composition from the Manhattan School of Music and is a member of the New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Workshop and the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Advanced Workshop. Marc may be contacted at: [email protected]