Cinema Picoas is an ever-growing collection of short
high-definition films documenting art in galleries and
studios as well as public works, murals, graffiti and
unique travel scenes accompanied by audio recordings
of Thollem McDonas playing with a myriad of
improvisers from all across both North America and
Europe. In December 2010, Thollem started Cinema
Picoas with Angela C. Villa as a way to share their
digital footage taken during their perpetual travels
throughout different cities and artistic communities.
As a perpetually touring improvising musician,
Thollem has the unique opportunity to share these
experiences in many different ways. Cinema Picoas
is one outlet: the music he makes with great
improvisers, both well known and less known,
set to a moving backdrop of unique city scenes
and art that has been made primarily by living
artists in both small community galleries, large
installations and murals in traditional and
non-traditional settings.

Thollem's extensive travels as a performer have
covered much of the North American continent
and Europe. In the past 6 years he has added 20
albums to his discography on 9 different vanguard
labels in 4 different countries. His music is diverse,
approaching each album and concert uniquely,
often resulting in dramatically new and
different outcomes.

Not long after birth Thollem began studying the
keyboard repertoire from the medieval to the 20th
century. After graduating with degrees in both piano
performance and composition he dedicated his time
for years in grassroots political and environmental
movements before returning to his own music with
his full focus. He is currently touring perpetually as
a soloist, in collaboration with many other individuals
and groups as well as leading large ensemble
free improvisation workshops.

Thollem has performed in theaters, art galleries,
universities, elementary schools, concert halls,
jazz clubs, rock clubs, festivals, warehouses,
house concerts, streets, forests, riots and on
television, radio and the internet. He has
performed piano concertos with symphonies,
played in West African drumming troupes,
Javanese gamelan ensembles, punk bands,
with hundreds of free improv groups, and as
an accompanist and a composer for opera and
modern dance, particularly the Limón Dance
Company and Bitahkiz Ayeli.

Duo partners from last couple of years not in order of importance:
Stefano Scodanibbio, Rent Romus, Alex Cline, Amy Denio, Faruq
Z. Bey, Arrington deDionyso, John Dieterich, LaDonna Smith,
Vinny Golia, Ava Mendoza, Eduardo Ricci, Tatsuya Nakatani,
Jacopo Andreini, Gino Robair, Joel Peterson, Ben Wright,
Nicola Guazzaloca, Andrea Caprara, Rick Rivera, Marco
Eneidi, Tim DuRoche, João Castro Pinto, Bruce
Ackley, Theresa Wong, Greg Saunier

This following example of Cinema Picoas was taken the opening night of
the inaugural installation for Nomad Gallery at The Flying House in Lisboa,
Portugal. It's an old factory building near the Lisbon airport. Thollem played
this night (18/12/10) with dUASsEMIcOLCHEIASiNVERTIDAS a local
ensemble from Lisbon. The music accompanying the film is from the
duo album All For Now on Dromos Records (a new Portuguese label)
with John Dieterich, the guitarist from the band Deerhoof.

Press/Musician Quotes:

Thollem's keyboard flights unleash cascades of notes of
seemingly impossible velocity and no matter where he
goes tonally, it always seems right, fresh and satisfying.
He should be on everyone's listening list who appreciates
great piano music.  As an improviser, he inhabits a world
uniquely his own, rhythmically, harmonically and formally.
A true original.
- Terry Riley

"Thollem McDonas is simply one of
the great improvisers of today"
- The Detroiter (U.S.)

Thollem McDonas does what few can: He combines extreme
imagination with terrific post-classical chops and an ability
to communicate through melody a fresh, disciplined
avant-pianist with an attractively extreme viewpoint."
- Greg Burk - LA Weekly (U.S.)

Film makers I've worked with:
Martha Colburn, Matthew Barney, Peter Sparling,
Tuia Cherici, Carlos Sandoval

Recent Awards:
Meet the Composer: Creative Connections
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation: USArtists - Estamos Ensemble, Director
American Music Center: CAP - 'Stirring Awake' debuted at
Yerba Buena Center for the Art