Stephen Bacchus

About

Born in 1959, Stephen Bacchus has many years of experience as a composer, sound designer, and producer. He has a large repertoire of best-selling and artistically adventurous albums that he has both authored and produced. Stephen Bacchus aka Grant Mackay began working in sound at age nine. He created his first formal sound composition, Battle Of The Bouvine in 1975, at the young age of sixteen. From 1977-84, he composed several pieces for solo instruments and chamber works. From 1978-79 Bacchus studied electronic music under Wes Wraggert at the Royal Conservatory Of Music (Toronto), exploring vintage analogue synthesizers like the "Putney" (aka EMS VCS3), tape loop machines, musique concrete and multi-track recording techniques. From 1980-84 he was enrolled in the undergraduate program at York University and there he received a Bachelor Of Fine Arts Degree with a major in music composition. At York he studied composition under the late James Tenny; Mrdangam (South Indian Drum) with Trichy Sankaran; Jazz Performance with David Mott; Orchestral Performance with James McKay and Electronic Music composition and techniques under Philip Werren. In 1986, Stephen Bacchus released his first album of New Age/Ambient music, "The Returning" on cassette under his birth name, Grant Mackay. With this release a new chapter in the artist's career had begun. Following a second cassette album of New Age/Ambient music, "Visions Of Unity" (1987), "Pangaea" was released in 1991 to great critical acclaim and this album was the first release to bear the Stephen Bacchus alias, launching his career as a recording artist to this date. Always a musical adventurer, Bacchus has explored Classical, Jazz, Rock, World and Electronic Music. Besides the piano and synthesizer, he has played clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, electric guitar and Mrdangam (South Indian Drum). He also has experience conducting small chamber ensembles. His many releases feature his synthesizer work, sounds of nature and both orchestral and world music instruments. Stephen Bacchus is currently working on a new album that is scheduled for release in 2021.