Finding Aid for Michael Manion Music and Papers, 1965-2008 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Hannah Jellen

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 01-10
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 11
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 12
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 13
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 14-18 and 20
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 19
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	Box 21
SACAM, Band Building, 1103 S. 6th Street	Oversize Portfolio 1

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Collection Overview

Title: Michael Manion Music and Papers, 1965-2008

ID: 26/20/188

Primary Creator: Manion, Michael (1952-2012)

Extent: 5.25 cubic feet

Arrangement: Content is arranged in five series: Series 1 contains published and unpublished music, Series 2 contains correspondence, Series 3 contains materials related to publication and research, Series 4 contains materials related to Michael's education, Series 5 contains sound recordings and audiovisual materials of Michael's music as well as the music of his contemporaries. All series are arranged alphabetically.

Date Acquired: 02/04/2013

Subjects: Alumni, Compositions-Music, Computer Music, Concerts, Electronic Music, Germany, Jazz, Music Composition, Netherlands, Percussion

Formats/Genres: Audio-Visual Material, Experimental Music, Sheet music, Sound Recordings

Languages: English, German

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of original and published music, new music ensemble performance directions and diagrams, correspondence, research notes, audio recordings, photographs, concert programs, computer files, and posters documenting Michael Manion's career as a percussionist, composer of electroacoustical music, and scholar. Of particular interest is correspondence between Karlheinz Stockhausen and Manion related to Manion's work as Stockhausen's copyist between 1984 and 1987.

Biographical Note

Michael Lawrence Manion (1952-2012) was a percussionist and American composer of electroacoustical music. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Sgt. Major Harry Manion and Floy Manion, Michael studied percussion from a young age. Prior to earning his Bachelor of Music degree in composition and percussion performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1977, Manion played drums in the Grand Rapids Youth Orchestra as well as several local rock and jazz bands. At Oberlin, he studied composition and percussion with Randolph Coleman, Dary John Mizelle, Darlene Dougan, and Gary Lee Nelson. After graduating, Manion traveled to California to study with Robert Ashley at Mills for one year.

Manion earned his Master of Music in composition from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1983, studying with Salvatore Martirano and Ben Johnston. During his time at the University of Illinois, Manion composed for the performance collective called Roulette, which was comprised of Illinois graduate students Camilla Hoitenga and John Fonville (flutes); Jim Staley and Bob Gale (trombones); and several composers including Dan Senn, David Means, and Robert Fleisher. Following their work together in Roulette, Hoitenga and Manion travelled to Köln, Germany in the summer of 1980. Manion soon sought lessons with Mauricio Kagel at the Musikhochschule Köln. Although Hoitenga had begun working with Karlheinz Stockhausen--performing his first solo piece for flute at an international competition in Rotterdam in 1980-- and despite Manion desperately wanting to study with him, Hoitenga was unsuccessful in putting Manion in contact with Stockhausen. After Hoitenga and Manion separated in 1981, Manion returned to the states for a year. He eventually met Stockhausen on his own during a 1982 composition course in Den Haag. Between 1984 and 1987 Manion served as Stockhausen's copyist, editing such works Kindheit, Nausenflugeltanz, Wochenkreis, and Madchenprozession.

As he was working with Stockhausen, Manion began studying with Jonathan Harvey at the Univeristy of Sussex. In 1986, Manion, Clarence Barlow, and several other German composers co-founded the composer's collective Gimik: Initiative Musik und Informatik Köln. Gimik was responsible for hosting the 14th International Computer Music Conference in Köln, municipal concert series and lectures in 1991 and 1995, and a summer residency at the Darmstadt Summer Courses in 1992. Manion performed regularly with Gimik at Feedback Studio near Köln's town hall, establishing networks for computer music and supporting both lectures and concerts of new music throughout Europe. Manion later served as the curator of a Gimik retrospective that took place during the International Computer Music Conference in Berlin in 2000.

In August 2001, Manion joined the composer Dennis Bathory-Kitsz at the Ought-One Festival in Montpellier, Vermont. Dubbed the "Woodstock of Non-Pop," the festival featured music compositions by Larry Austin, Clarence Barlow, Kyle Gann, Larry Polansky, and Kaija Saariaho and was dedicated to Barlow. During the festival, Manion performed Bathory-Kitsz's composition RatGeyser for malletKAT and electronic sounds, as well as his own composition Long Roll II.

Throughout the late 1990s, Manion performed regularly in jazz jam sessions with performers like Arjen Gorter (bass) and Sean Bergin (saxophone) at De Engelbewaarder Cafe in Amsterdam. Manion's composition and performance career stopped suddently in 2008, after he suffered a stroke. Manion died in 2012.

Subject/Index Terms

Alumni
Compositions-Music
Computer Music
Concerts
Electronic Music
Germany
Jazz
Music Composition
Netherlands
Percussion

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Mrs. Floy Manion

Acquisition Method: Gift

Related Materials: Published scores of Stockhausen's music and books on Stockhausen's music that were not worked on by Michael Manion and not used for his research articles on Stockhausen were transfered to the Calvin College Library.

Other Note: After his death in 2012, Manion's computer was donated to the Archive. The contents in this computer were not processed until 2025. Containing many legacy software files as well as European software files, accessing this content remains a major challenge.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Original and published music, ca. 1972-2008],
[Series 2: Correspondence, ca. 1972-2004],
[Series 3: Research, Publications, and Performance Materials, ca. 1977-2008],
[Series 4: Education and Personal Papers, ca. 1974-2010],
[Series 5: Sound Recordings, Audiovisual Materials, and Computer Files, ca. 1974-2007],
[All]

Series 5: Sound Recordings, Audiovisual Materials, and Computer Files, ca. 1974-2007

Box 16

Reel 1: Combinations, 1976: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel. 7 1/2 ips, 1/2 track stereo.
Reel 2: Constellations, 1974: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel. Tail out.
Reel 3: A Concert of Works by Manion, 1976: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 4: Screen, undated: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel. 15 ips, 4-channel.
Reel 5: Screen, 1980: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel. 15 ips, 4-channel.
Reel 6: Dialogue for Percussion and Pre-Recorded Tape, undated: Pre-recorded tape. Side one only. 7 1/2 ips. 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 7: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, 1990-1991: Electronic music. Tail out. Eight track. 15 ips. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 8: Ephiphany, 1976: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 9: Islands, 1987: 7 1/2 ips, stereo. 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 10: Islands, 1982: Performance tape. 4-track, 15 ips. Tail out. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 11: Islands, undated: 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 12: Islands, Music for Cello and Electronic Music, undated: 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel. 4-channel.

Box 17

Reel 1: Islands, Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated: Demo. 4 track, 15 ips. Tail out. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 2: Islands, undated: 8 track, 15 ips. Tail out. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 3: Manion, undated: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 4: Meta, 1977: Tail out. 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel.
Reel 5: Orbis Musica, undated: Tail out, 15 ips, 4-channel. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 6: Orbis Musica, undated: 1/4 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel. 4-channel. 7 1/2 ips.
Reel 7: Pulse, 1977: 2-channel, 1/4 track, 1/4 inch polyester tape on 7 inch reel. 7 1/2 ips.
Reel 8: Screen, undated: Head out, 7 1/2 ips. 1/2 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 9: Screen, undated: Master. 1/4 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.
Reel 10: Islands, 1987: 15 ips, stereo. 1/4 inch polyester tape on 12 inch reel.

Box 18

Disc 1: Manion, ca. 1971
Disc 2: Master, undated: Contains Two Discs, second disc unlabeled. Barlow, Bathory-Kitsz, Harrington, Koepf, Asgeirsson, Flanagan, Manion.
Disc 3: Michael Manion and Vince Reyes at Notice, 2003
Disc 4: Music for Solo Piano, Part I, undated
Disc 5: Music for Solo Piano, 2006: 1. Live, Dante Oei, piano; 2. Studio, Michael Manion.
Disc 6: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated
Disc 7: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, 1991: 1. Performance; 2. Rehearsal mix.
Disc 8: Music for Solo Piano, 2006: World premiere.
Disc 9: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Music for Electronic Percussion II; 2. Music for Solo Vibraphone; 3. Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds; 4. Combinations; 5. Part I.
Disc 10: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Part I; 2. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 11: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Music for Solo Piano; 2. Part I.
Disc 12: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds; 2. Part I; 3. Echoes/Densities; 4. Music for Solo Vibraphone; 5. Long Roll; 6. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 13: Manion, undated: Michael Manion: Music for Electronic Percussion II, version 1; Bathory-Kisz: RatGeyser.
Disc 14: Music for Electronic Percussion II, 2002
Disc 15: Manion, undated: Music for Solo Vibraphone, Music for Electronic Percussion II, Wheels.
Disc 16: Music for Electronic Percussion II, 2007
Disc 17: Manion, undated: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Music for Solo Vibraphone, Combinations, Music for Electronic Percussion II, Echoes/Densities, Part I.
Disc 18: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 19: Part I, 2005
Disc 20: Manion, undated, 2005: Part I, Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 21: Den Haag photos, undated
Disc 22: Michael Manion, undated: Part I, Music for Solo Vibraphone, Long Roll, Music for Solo Piano, Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 23: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. RatGeyser; 2. Croche et Tient; 3. Kongulo Kongulo, 4. Personal Wellness Attack Points; 5. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 24: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. ...until...; 2. RatGeyser; 3. Croche et Tient; 4. Playtime; 5. Kongulo Kongulo; 6. Personal Wellness Attack Points; 7. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 25: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. Music for Electronic Percussion II; 2. RatGeyser; 3. ...until... .
Disc 26: Michael Manion, 1999
Disc 27: Part I, undated
Disc 28: Michael Manion, undated: Part I, Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 29: Part I, undated
Disc 30: Long Roll II, 2006
Disc 31: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. ...until...; 2. RatGeyser; 3. Croche et Tient; 4. Playtime; 5. Kongulo Kongulo; 6. Personal Wellness Attack Points; 7. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 32: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated
Disc 33: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. Music for Electronic Percussion II; 2. RatGeyser; 3. Part I; 4. ...until... .
Disc 34: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. RatGeyser; 2. Croche et Tient; 3. Kongulo Kongulo; 4. Personal Wellness Attack Points; 5. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 35: 25 Jahre Feedback, 1996: 1. Improvisation Zurich 1972; 2. Cellokonzert, Micahel von Biel; 3. Feuermusik, Peter Eotvos; 4. Interludium, Silvio Foretic; 5. Ton-antition, David Johnson; 6. Pulse Music I, John McGuire; 7. Violectra, Johannes Fritsch; 8. Hochtoner, Johannes Fritsch; 9. Trio 1977, Johannes Fritsch; 10. Swallowtails, Rolf Gehlhaar; 11. Pandora, Klarenz Barlow; 12. Trio 1993, Volker Staub and Johannes Frtisch; 13. Ohne Titel fur Orgel, Siegfried Koepf; 14. Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Michael Manion; 15. Vaterkomm, Herbert A. Mtischke; 16. Pendulum, Herbert A. Mitschke.
Disc 36: Islands Pro tools, undated
Disc 37: ICMC Late Night, undated: Electronic percussion (three pieces).
Disc 38: Personal Wellness Attack Points, undated
Disc 39: Karnatic, undated
Disc 40: Flanagan, undated
Disc 41: Jazz festival, 2008
Disc 42: Jazz festival, 2008
Disc 43: Hinterhausmusik, 2005: Feedback Studio Cologne. John Cage, Composed Improvisation for Snare Drum; Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, Memento Mori for Noah Creshevsky; Alvin Lucier, Silver street car for the orchestra; Michael Manion, Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 44: Eric Lyon, undated: Second Skin; Onceathon; Stem Cells; A Guzy Ree; Maisma.
Disc 45: Den Haag, 2003
Disc 46: Combinations, undated: PDF.
Disc 47: Cologne Musikhochschule, undated
Disc 48: Cologne November/October, undated
Disc 49: Cologne, undated
Disc 50: RatGeyser, undated
Disc 51: RatGeyser, undated
Disc 52: Bales, Barrels, and Cones...Antebellum/Antibellum, undated: 1. Electronic music; 2. Demo.
Disc 53: Bales, Barrels, and Cones...Antebellum/Antibellum, undated: Play copy.
Disc 54: Bales, Barrels, and Cones...Antebellum/Antibellum, undated: Play copy.
Disc 55: Archive copy 1, undated
Disc 56: Archive copy 2, undated
Disc 57: Michael Manion: Concert in Cologne, undated
Disc 58: Michael Manion, 1999: Audio files.
Disc 59: Manion Archive 2, undated: 1. Wheels; 2. Islands; 3. Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds.
Disc 60: Manion Archive 1, undated: 1. Constellations; 2. Echoes/Densities; 3. Trio; 4. Combinatons; 5. Oberlin Real-Time Orchestra; 6. Meta; 7. Music for Flute and Marimba.
Disc 61: Manion samples, undated
Disc 62: Manion time, undated
Disc 63: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Long Roll II for Four Drums; 2. Long Roll for Trom; 3. Music for Solo Vibraphone; 4. Part I; 5. Music for Solo Piano; 6. Music for Electronic Percussion.
Disc 64: Manion, undated
Disc 65: Manion, undated
Disc 66: Long Roll, undated
Disc 67: Long Roll concert, undated
Disc 68: Long Roll concert, undated
Disc 69: Long Roll II, undated
Disc 70: Long Roll toast, undated
Disc 71: Module, undated
Disc 72: Karnatic Cats, 2005

Box 19

Disc 1: PYPL Sibelius, undated
Disc 2: Music for Electronic Percussion, 2002
Disc 3: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 4: Music for Electronic Percussion, undated
Disc 5: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 6: Michael Manion, Electronic Percussion, undated: 1. RatGeyser; 2. Croche et Tient; 2. Playtime; 4. Kongulo Kongulo; 5. Personal Wellness Attack Points; 6. Music for Electronic Percussion II.
Disc 7: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 8: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 9: Music for Electronic Percussion, Kongulo Kongulo, undated
Disc 10: Music for Electronic Percussion Long Roll II, undated
Disc 11: Music for Electronic Percussion II, 2007
Disc 12: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 13: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated
Disc 14: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Islands, undated
Disc 15: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Islands, undated
Disc 16: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 17: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 18: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 19: Montpelier concert I, undated
Disc 20: Montpelier concert II, undated
Disc 21: Montpelier concert perfect, undated
Disc 22: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 23: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 24: Montpelier concert, undated
Disc 25: Music for Electronic Percussion II, undated
Disc 26: Mellotone audio, undated
Disc 27: Mellotone 2, undated
Disc 28: Mellotone 3, undated
Disc 29: Mellotone 4, undated
Disc 30: Music for Solo Piano, 2006
Disc 31: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Echoes/Densities; 2. Wheels; 3. Music for Solo Vibraphone.
Disc 32: Quartet corrected, undated
Disc 33: Manion normal, undated
Disc 34: Music for Solo Piano, Mellotone, undated
Disc 35: Manion, undated: 1. Music for Solo Vibraphone; 2. Part I; 3. Music for Solo Piano.
Disc 36: Long Roll, undated
Disc 37: Practice, undated
Disc 38: Michael Manion, undated: 1. Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds; 2. Echoes/Densities; 3. Music for Electronic Percussion II; 4. Part I; 5. Combinations.
Disc 39: Music for Electronic Percussion II, 2002
Disc 40: Music for Solo Piano, undated
Disc 41: Long Roll, undated
Disc 42: Long Roll, undated
Disc 43: Oberlin Real Time Orchestra, 1977
Disc 44: Oberlin Real Time Orchestra, 1977
Disc 45: Long Roll, undated
Disc 46: Realbooks, undated
Disc 47: Manion, ca. 1972
Disc 48: Music for String Quartet, 2008
Disc 49: Michael Manion, undated
Disc 50: Music for String Quartet, 2008
Disc 51: Long Roll PDF, undated
Disc 52: Long Roll, undated
Disc 53: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Islands, undated: Rehearsal CD.
Disc 54: Part I, undated
Disc 55: Amanda Miralrio and the Jazz Furnace, undated: 1. Cry me a river; 2. Feel good; 3. I love being here with you; 4. Impressions; 5. Night and day; 6. Peel me a grape; 7. Summertime; 8. Take five; 9. Honesuckle rose.
Disc 56: Jazz Furnace processed, undated
Disc 57: Excerpts, undated
Disc 58: Music for Solo Piano, Part I, undated
Disc 59: Solo vibe, undated
Disc 60: Long Roll small, undated: PDF.
Disc 61: ZAAL 100-1, undated
Disc 62: Wind ensemble, undated
Disc 63: untitled, undated: 1. 4; 2. Deviations; 3. Meditase/Pesta Raksasa;4. Drumming; 5. Trio for Piano, Violin, and Violoncello: IV. Ardente, Sperduto; 6. Delivery Boy Biography; 7. Two Pages; 8. June; 9. Trance I; 10. Certain Movement; 11. Money Management for a Better Life; 12. In C; 13. Lick; 14. Also Sprach Einstein; 15. Sweet Air; 16. Bolis Me, Lasko; 17. Tone Cloud II; 18. Silver Wings.
Disc 64: untitled, undated
Disc 65: Shigeru Kan-no: Portrait, 2004: Quaoar fur Violine, Tenor-Bass Posaune und Orgel; String Quartet VI, Dietro il Pontecello; Semi-Concerto-Grosso I for Accondion and String Orchestra, Terrolismo; Flute-Quartet II for Shinobue, Flute, Alto- and Bass Flute, Nagauta; Cadance, 24 Variation without Theme for Ensemble; Engagement for Accordion and Baritone Saxophone; Septet III, Tanzglockenspiel; Otnacca fur Klarinette solo.
Disc 66: Shigeru Kan-no: Sound Portrait II, 2004: Duo-Kyogen; Spell.
Disc 67: Shigeru Kan-no: Portrait III, 2005: Situation on the Situation fur Kammerorchester in zweit Satze; Streichtrio-Zwilling fur 2 Geigen und Bratsche; Die Wuste und das trockene Land sollen sich freuen von Jesaja 35,1-6 fur gemischen Chor und 4 instrument; Blechblaserquintett III mit Schlagzeug, Der Rosarote Elefant mit Schlagzeug; Klang-Meditation I fur Orgel und Metallschlagzeug.
Disc 68: Shigeru Kan-no: Portrait IV, 2005: BLechblaserquintett I, Noiram for 2 Trumpets and 3 Trombones; Streichduo I fur Geige und Cello, Freiburgisches Thema; Streichtrio I fur Geige, Bratsche, und Cello; Flammender Pfeil fur kleines Orchestra; Duo-Kyogen fur Flote und Gitarre; Hornquartett II, Exposition-Metamorphose-Fantasie mit 2 Wagnertuben.
Disc 69: Music for Solo Piano, undated: PDF.
Disc 70: Solo Piano 2a, undated
Disc 71: Per Leonardo, undated
Disc 72: Piano-orch, undated
Disc 73: Part I audio, undated
Item 74: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated: DAT cassette tape.
Item 76: Travan 8 GB cartridge, undated
Item 75: Music for Flute and Marimba, undated: Computer-demo performance. Side 1: Music for Flute and Marimba; Side 2: Unknown piano piece. Cassette tape.
Item 77: Music for Flute and Marimba, Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, Islands, undated
Item 78: Islands, Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated: Islands, first West Coast performance; Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, first performance.
Item 79: Massimiliano Viel "Vi" per electronica, 1994: DAT cassette tape.
Item 80: Islands for flute and tape, 1991: Cassette tape.
Item 81: untitled, undated: 1. Cello rehearsal; 2. Islands rehearsal; 3. Cello demo mix; 4. Islands demo mix. DAT cassette tape.
Item 82: Performances, undated: Echoes/Densities; Music for Flute and Marimba; Constellations. DAT cassette tape.
Item 83: Manion and Martirano, 1991: Old First Concert, 9/13/1991. Cassette tape.

Box 20

Audio-Visual Recording 1: Manion, undated: VHS tape.
Audio-Visual Recording 2: Islands, undated: Electronic music. VHS tape.
Audio-Visual Recording 3: Music for Cello and Electronic Sounds, undated: Electronic music. VHS tape.

Box 21

Item 1: ADAT Recording "JH", undated: Liner notes contain the following track listing: 1) PH, 2) Five, 3) TWCM, 4) CYSM, 5) HJ, 6) AATW, 7) SF, 8) CT, 9) MP, 10) RH, 11) FL, 12) -.
Item 2: Box of Mini Diskettes, ca. 1990: Box contains four diskettes labeled as follows: "READ ME Sys Control," "SI SF Void," "Family Tree," and "SI SF Info."