About This Place

This site has been created in the visionary spirit of the composer, pianist and performance artist J. Randolph "Randy" Hostetler (1963-1996). It is a cooperative site created by his many colleagues, friends and admirers. It is a place where artists and their supporters, especially those interested in experimental music, new artistic ideas, performance art, multimedia performance, improvisation and avant garde creative endeavors of all kinds can exchange information, concepts, viewpoints, and samples of their works. The site is sponsored by the nonprofit Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Fund.

The Kitchen lists upcoming events, new publications, recordings, and other breaking news.

The Resource Room provides links to other web sites, artists and groups, recordings, libraries, arts organizations, funding sources and other relevant information.

The Living Room is the room where "performance" takes place through the exchange of sound files, video files, drawings, animations and photographs.

The Meeting Room offers users an opportunity to join a mailing list where they can exchange views or simply read those of others. This list will not be sold or used for commercial purposes nor otherwise made available to persons not on the mailing list. There is no obligation to join the mailing list in order to submit music, links, or to otherwise make use of this site.

Randy's Room contains remembrances of Randy Hostetler from artists, friends, family members and others. It also provides information about Randy, his works, and his artistic philosophy.

How to Participate

JOIN our mailing list! Your information will be used infrequently and only for the Forces of Good.

SUBMIT your own performances! If you are interested in sharing media content - mp3s, photos, videos, etc. - we can make it directly available from this website.

LINK to livingroom.org! We will happily create a link to your work - just let us know!

About the Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Fund

For more information about the Fund, to make a financial contribution in order to maintain this site, or to offer other assistance, write:

Julian Saenz, President
The Randy Hostetler Living Room Music Fund
P.O. Box 71098
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20813-1098
or email the host.

What's the story behind the bouncing 8 balls?

The current design of livingroom.org incorporates bouncing 8 balls in memory of Randy Hostetler's virtuosic piano piece, "8" which requires the pianist to juggle a billiard ball while playing the piano. "8" is carefully crafted in classic piano form. It was composed for Mel Powell in l987 in response to Powell's plea to Hostetler that he compose "something with notes" rather than his usual experimental scores utilizing such things as pine trees and Kraft macaroni noodles to guide the performers. "8" was the puckish student's response, which delighted his mentor. It was subsquently performed at a memorable California Institute of the Arts concert celebrating Mel Powell's 65th birthday. It has also been performed on both the east and west coasts, including a performance by Dan Cantrell at a 1996 Cal Arts Concert in memory of Randy Hostetler that was organized by faculty member Marc Lowenstein.