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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.

ALBUMS


Stephen Bacchus
Of Magicks, Myths & Mortals
2022, CDr, Ltd, Num, S/Edition, Grant Mackay Music
Stephen Bacchus
The Memory Tap
2021, CDr, Ltd, Stephen Bacchus
Stephen Bacchus
The Keep
2020, CDr, Album, Ltd, RE, S/Edition, Deep Tracks, Oasis Productions
Stephen Bacchus
Circadia
2018
Stephen Bacchus
Hinterland (Musical Sojourns In The Wilderness)
2016, CD, Album, Oasis Productions
Stephen Bacchus
The Returning
2013, CDr, Album, Ltd, RE, Serenity Sound (2), Serenity Sound (2)
Stephen Bacchus • Hilliard Brozin • Ethereal Journeys
Drifting... Deep
2010, CDr, Album, Deep Tracks, Oasis Productions
Calverley With Stephen Bacchus
Temple Of Singing Bowls
2006, CDr, Album, Lotus Press
Stephen Bacchus
Etherium: Music Meditations
2006, CDr, Comp, Ltd, Akasa, Oasis Productions
Bacchus* • Danna & Clément*
Waterhaven
2001, CD, Comp, Earthaven
Bacchus* • Danna & Clément*
Wilderness Mysterium
2000, CD, Comp, Earthaven
Steve Roach / Patrick O'Hearn / Vidna Obmana / Stephen Bacchus / Vir Unis
The Ambient Expanse
1998, CD, Album, Mirage (3), ,
Ambient
Stephen Bacchus
Ambient Origins (Collected Early Works 1983-1987)
1998, CD, Comp, RM, Mirage (3)
Stephen Bacchus
Bardo
1996, CD, ,
New Age/Modern Classical/Neofolk
Stephen Bacchus
Ancient Mysteries
1993
Stephen Bacchus
Pangaea
1991
Stephen Bacchus
SoundSeed Sessions V . 1
CDr, EP, Deep Tracks
Various
Persian Arabesque
1999, CD, Comp, Oasis Productions, Oasis Productions, ,
Ambient/Neofolk
Danna & Clément*
The Best Of Danna & Clement
1999
Various
The Ambient Eclipse
1997, CD, Comp, Mirage (3)
Robert Scott Thompson
The Silent Shore
1996, CD, Album, Mirage (3)
Calverley
Avalon
1992

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