Introduction

Forrest Tobey has made a living as a conductor and educator, most notably at the Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India from 1987 to 1990, and then in his current position at Earlham College, where he is an Associate Professor of Music. His position at Earlham is documented at Earlham's Music Website.

In between his years in India and his position at Earlham (which began in 2003) he received a Doctorate in orchestral conducting from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland (a student of Frederik Prausnitz) simultaneous with a second Master's degree in  Computer Music Performance. His intermingled training in conducting and in computer music led directly to his develpment of a system for conducted electronics, using the Buchla Lightning as the gesture control device.  This led to such events as the founding of the 21st Century Ensemble in Alexandria Virginia and his collaboration with Peabody Computer Music for his performance at the Millennium celebrations in Times Square on December 31st, 1999.

In the midst of it all, he has composed music. All his works for ensembles have been connected to his teaching positions and also to his 11-year tenure as the music director for the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church. This page is dedicated to assembling his various compositions into a central location.

In addition to his work in the more 'serious' realm of modern classical, choral and computer music composition, Forrest enjoys writing songs that are within the broad realm of the "singer-songwriter" genre, inspired most directly by Joni Mitchell, whose career has mapped the possibilities for linking popular song composition with the larger field of jazz and art song.

Classical Compositions
(Recordings and Scores)

Singer-Songwriter
(Recordings and Demos)

Buchla Lightning Performances and works for Conducted Electronics and Orchestra (Recordings and Video)