Christopher Janney

Christopher Janney (born 1950) is an American composer/artist/architect known for his work on the interrelation of architecture and music. Sometimes he attempts to make architecture more like music as in his sound sculptures titled "Urban Musical Instruments" of which "Soundstair" (musical stairs)and "Sonic Forest" are examples. Other times, he develops performance projects which make music more like architecture as in his "Physical Music" series which includes "HeartBeat," a piece danced by Mikhail Baryshnikov. Much of Janney's permanent work has sought to create "permanent participatory soundworks for public spaces," including installations for airports in Dallas, Boston, Miami and Sacramento, Atlanta and the New York City Subway.

Janney has toured his "Sonic Forest" in both the US and Europe at major music festivals including Bonnaroo and Coachella as well as Glastonbury and Hyde Park Calling in the UK.

In 2014, Janney created an evening-length concert at the Gramercy Theater/NYC titled "Exploring the Hidden Music." He created new versionsof his "Visual Music Project", "HeartBeat", and his quadraphonic sound installation, "CyberMonks." Additional performers included bassist/producer Bill Laswell (B. Eno, D. Byrne, H. Hancock), percussionist Sheila E. (Santana, Prince), tabla/drummer Trilok Gurtu (J.Zawinul, J. McLaughlin), singer Lynn Mabry (Brides of Funkenstein), Dave Revels (Persuasions) and choreographer Sara Rudner (Twyla Tharp Dance). For more information, go to janneysound.com.

A book on his work, titled Architecture of the Air was released in February, 2007.

He currently lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Janney grew up in Washington, D.C.. He received a B.A. degree (1973, Magna cum Laude) from Princeton University (where he studied with Michael Graves, James Seawright and Rosalind Krauss). After graduation, he studied percussion and music at the Dalcroze School of Music (see Eurhythmics) and Mannes College of Music in New York, performed jazz and worked with various artists and dance companies (including Merce Cunningham Dance and Sara Rudner 18th St. Company, Jack Youngerman, Claes Oldenburg).

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