ybio

Original Crown Graphic photo by Stephen M. Aug, 1956
reproduced courtesy of the LunarDome Archives, Ltd. Schwarzchild Corners, CT

Yves was born in Paris in 1937, and grew up despite a childhood in a household of performing musicians.

Getting to know many musical celebrities and renowned boulevardiers on
an informal basis was helpful in bringing out a healthy distrust of
mighty opinions, and had quite a bit to do with Yves' perverted sense
of humor. Even at the exceptionally early age of 56, Yves was already
charming audiences of European nobility, corrupt intellectuals, and
famous personalities.

Yves studied classical piano for many years after being urged by the
great Ivan Galamian to give up the violin at a preposterously early age.
He (Feder, not Galamian) also became a jazz drummer, (even took a few
lessons from Gene Krupa) and played in jazz clubs on Paris' left bank
in the 50's.

An avid tinkerer whose first experiment at age 12 involved introducing
high voltage onto a household telephone circuit, Yves soon was making
bootleg shortwave transmissions, and then became a licensed amateur
radio operator. He worked on radio and audio equipment throughout
his college years, as a European history major at Columbia, and also
destroyed several pianos and string instruments by taking them apart
and refusing to put them back together.

These talents soon caught the eye of the Columbia College authorities,
who twice threatened to flunk Yves out of school and curtail his
activities at WKCR and in the Engineering School attic. Despite that,
Yves completed his B.A. in 1958 and spent two years at Columbia doing
postgraduate work in chemistry and biology. He then spent one year
as a medical student at SUNY/Buffalo (the option was entering as a
cadaver, since it wasn't easy getting into med school even in the
early 60's). Here again, he was persuaded by the authorities to quit
after completing his first year, this time successfully, to the relief
of all concerned.

After several years shuffling impressive looking paperwork in Manhattan,
Yves went to work with his hands (to do something respectable) and became
a piano technician and rebuilder. After joining the Back-to-the-Earth
movement in the '60's, Yves turned to building harpsichords. He has built
37 historically based keyboard instruments, and currently builds and
reconditions keyboard instruments in his ample spare time.

Yves got his start in radio at a little 12,000 watt station in Fairfield,
CT in 1984, WSHU-FM. He took care of their concert programming and
served as on-air host, recording engineer, and assistant solderer, shortly
after they became a member station of National Public Radio.

He became Connecticut Public Radio's Producer of Concert Programming in
1986, doing field recordings and live broadcasts, postproduction, and
on air work. Yves was also drive time morning classical music host on
CPR and also hosted their Record Review programs and a featured nationally
broadcast show, "Chamber Music from Seacliff". Yves was Connecticut Public Broadcasting's Music Director until resigning in April 1991 to return to his instrument
workshop and independent audio production activities.

After a couple of years paying homage to the stuffy precepts of the
classical music programming then prevailing, Yves started "TINY RADIO
THEATRE" producing capsule comedy and drama. These major contributions
to twentieth century thinking can be heard on stations around the
country. (And if your local outlet doesn't carry them, give 'em what
for and let us know!)

Yves was admitted as a member of the Audio Engineering Society, which
indicates that organization's singular lack of judgment. He works full
time doing various multimedia and music recording projects, inventing
and subverting new audio techniques, and doing voice-over and music
production work for various clients.

Among his audio production clients are the world famous Ragtime Quintet "Elite Syncopations", John Solum's famed Hanoverian Ensemble, Chestnut Hill Concerts, the Connecticut Early Music Festival, and Mystic Seaport.

Feder's radio acting credits include the Shubert Radio Theater and the Long Wharf Radio Theater, based in New Haven. Yves was a founding member and was both host and repertory company actor for various character roles. The effort lives on as the Quinnipiac Radio Theater, Bert Garskof and Ellen Lieberman, Directors.

Feder also writes science fiction and has had some of his humor pieces
published. He resides in rural southeastern Connecticut in an 1840
farmhouse which is more of an electronic cottage than a 19th century
homestead, and he is married to famed concert harpsichordist Linda Skernick,
who occasionally participates in his Tiny Radio Theatre despite her better
judgment. They share their dwelling with three demented felines and three
genetically engineered telepathic guinea pigs, all of them participating
in production efforts.

Midi copyright John Kwasnik, used by permission.

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