Dorian Wood

Dorian Wood (born in 1975) is an American singer, composer, performance artist, visual artist and writer.

Wood was born in Los Angeles, California to Costa Rican parents. He began his musical education at a very early age, under the tutelage of his grandfather, the pianist Calasanz Alvarez. In his early teens, Wood’s parents divorced, and Wood’s mother moved him and his sisters to Costa Rica. He continued his studies at the Conservatorio de Castella, and after graduating, he made his way back to Los Angeles. He studied film at Los Angeles City College for two years but then dropped out to concentrate on music. Wood first gained exposure performing on the gay bar circuit.

Wood released his debut album, BOLKA, independently in 2006. Produced by Rebecca Stout, BOLKA received wide critical acclaim for its impeccable merging of folk, soul, Bulgarian choral music and experimental music. He quickly followed up BOLKA with the EP, Black Pig Suite. In 2010, he released the album Brutus, which featured only Wood on vocal and piano, and was recorded live at the church St. Giles in the Fields in London, in the midst of his European tour.

Wood was a member of the Los Angeles-based experimental orchestra Killsonic for three years. Wood received critical praise for his performance and "picture perfect" art direction (Los Angeles Times) in the Killsonic opera, Tongues Bloody Tongues, presented at the REDCAT in Los Angeles in 2010. Wood performed at the REDCAT again in 2011 in the opera Zoophilic Follies, along with Timur and The Dime Museum.

In 2011, Wood was commissioned by LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) to present a new work for the performance series Los Angeles Goes Live, part of Pacific Standard Time. Wood's performance installation, Athco, Or The Renaissance of Faggot Tree, incorporated over 30 performers, and was presented at Barnsdall Art Park. That same year, Wood performed with acclaimed artist Marina Abramovic in her piece An Artist's Life Manifesto, presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

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