Program Notes
The amount of 10 Roentgens seems like a negligible amount of radiation, but the innocuous-looking number is deceptive. The human observers of the Trinity, Castle Bravo, and Christmas Island atomic tests absorbed between 0.2-0.8 Roentgens in less than a minute; some victims of Hiroshima - those who survived the blast, and depending on location - absorbed between 0.5 and 10 Roentgens (or more) every second for nearly two minutes; the \"bio-robot\" liquidators at Chernobyl - those who removed radioactive materials from the roof of the blown reactor - absorbed 8-10 Roentgens in a matter of 45 seconds. Hiroshima\'s Roentgen per hour count ranged from 3 to over 1500.
A lethal radiation dose can begin anywhere from 200-600 Roentgens per hour; an exposure rate of 10 Roentgens per second will kill a person within 6 months. Any survivors will be permanently, severely impaired. The average person may be exposed to only 200 to 500 milliroentgens (0.2 to 0.5 Roentgens) per year.
Biographical Sketch
Thomas Dempster\'s music has been praised for its rhythmic vitality, bold orchestration, and unique harmonic language. At home in both the acoustic and electronic realms, he has received, among other honors, a BMI Student Composer Award, and his work has been performed throughout the world. His music has been featured at numerous SEAMUS National Conferences, the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro New Music Festival, the International Computer Music Conference, the University of Nebraska at Kearney New Music Festival, Electronic Music Midwest, the National Flute Association Conference, numerous CMS Conferences, the University of Alabama in Huntsville New Music Festival, and various other venues. With recent performances in Italy, England, Argentina, and Brazil, his music continues to receive widespread exposure.
Dempster has taught at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Governor\'s School of North Carolina. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music Industry and Technology at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC. Dempster attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (BM, 2002) and the University of Texas at Austin (MM, 2004; DMA, 2010).