Michael Pisaro-Liu, born in Buffalo, New York, in 1961, is a guitarist and composer renowned for his groundbreaking work in the avant-garde music scene. A longstanding member of the Wandelweiser collective, Pisaro-Liu has significantly contributed to the exploration of extended durations, periods of silence, and unconventional instrumental configurations in contemporary composition.
While initially recognized for his pieces characterized by long durations and moments of silence, Pisaro-Liu's artistic trajectory has expanded over the past fifteen years. His repertoire now encompasses a diverse array of elements, including field recordings, electronics, improvisation, and collaborations with ensembles featuring various instrumental constitutions.
A notable collaboration in Pisaro-Liu's prolific career is with percussionist Greg Stuart, resulting in over thirty collaborative pieces and recordings. Their 3-disc set, "Continuum Unbound" (2014), and "Umbra & Penumbra," premiered by the La Jolla Symphony in 2020, exemplify the depth and range of their musical exploration. Additionally, Pisaro-Liu engages in recurring duos with Christian Wolff, Keith Rowe, Taku Sugimoto, Antoine Beuger, Graham Lambkin, Toshiya Tsunoda, and Reinier van Houdt.