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Dan Harder

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Dan Harder is a San Francisco-based writer who taught literature at the International High School in San Francisco.[1] He graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Sociology then moved to France for three years before settling in the Bay Area.[2]

Writing

Harder writes poetry, stage plays, opera librettos, novels, children’s books, and journalism.

He devised “zipper poetry” in which he zips two poems into a third by interlinking the lines of each of the two separate poems. The sum of the parts becomes a whole new whole.[3] According to Harder’s self-imposed rules, each poem must be able to stand alone and make sense semantically and syntactically. The first fully realized exploration of this form was in his poetry book, Askew (2007).[4]

This was followed by an opera (music by Nathaniel Stookey) commissioned by Michael Morgan of the Oakland East Bay Symphony entitled Zipperz (2008)[5] which was subsequently recorded and released by Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom/Warner records (2017).[6] As a composer, Stookey was attracted to Harder’s zippered format because, like music, it is distinctly contrapuntal — two parts are independent and self-sufficient but together form a harmonious whole.[7] Because of this formal style, the narrative of Zipperz simultaneously interweaves the attractions, fears, joys, and insights of a man and woman who meet, date, and -- eventually in love – zip their lives together.[8]

The zippered form was also used with three voices in his stage play A Killer Story (2017)[9] and was featured in The Untouchables…, a series of his poems about the unhoused published on the front page of the Opinion Section, San Francisco Chronicle (2018).[10]

Harder and composer Carlos Simon have created a dramatic oratorio, “Here I Stand” about famous singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson that will be premiered by the Oakland East Bay Symphony in 2024.[11]

Harder has also written 2 children’s books Colliding with Chris[12] and A Child's California,[13] as well as numerous features and articles[14] for the Los Angeles Times,[15] the San Francisco Chronicle[16] and commentaries for NPR,[17] 2 photo-essay books,[18][19] numerous stage plays,[20][21] and a novel, Rancho de Amor.[22]

Stage works

Title Role Genre Collaborator Theatre
Utopia Maldita Playwright Play Richard Marriott (score), Gustavo Vasquez (video) Theater Artaud, Space 124, San Francisco, CA
Zipperz Librettist (Pop) Opera Nathaniel Stookey (score) Oakland Symphony, Oakland, CA etc.
A Killer Story Playwright Play Randy Craig (score) The Marsh, San Francisco, CA, etc.
The Clean Break Playwright Play Murphys Creek Theatre, Murphys, CA
Quartet #1 for Three Characters and Cello Playwright Play Randy Craig (score) Actors Theater, San Francisco, CA, etc.
Maria Hidalgo-Smith Wears the Highest Heels Playwright Play Throckmorten, Mill Valley, CA
Trying Angles Playwright Play Bannam Place Theater, San Francisco, etc.
Androktasia Playwright Play Jewish Community Theater, San Francisco, CA, etc.

Books

Title Style Publisher Year
Rancho De Amor Novel West Margin Press, Berkeley, CA 2020
Zipperz Opera Book/Libretto Shirmer/Wise Music, New York, New York 2017
Askew Poetry Book Pince Nez Press, San Francisco, CA 2007
A Child’s California Children’s Book Westwind Press, Portland, OR 2000
Colliding With Chris Children’s Book Hyperion/Disney, New York, New York 1998
San Francisco Points of View Photo-Essay Graphic Arts Center Publishing, Portland, OR 1996
France Photo-Essay Graphic Arts Center Publishing, Portland, OR 1992
Generous Misgivings Poetry Chapbook Studio 301, San Francisco, CA 1985

References

  1. ^ "Dan Harder". LibraryThing.com. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  2. ^ France by Dan Harder.
  3. ^ "Opening the ZipperZ: SFist". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2008-11-20. Archived from the original on 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  4. ^ "Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Askew: Found and Lost in the Almost South of France". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  5. ^ Busse, Thomas. "Pop Goes the Marin Symphony". www.sfcv.org. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  6. ^ "ZIPPERZ (World Premiere Recording)". Ghostlight Records - Official Store. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  7. ^ "ZIPPERZ | Nathaniel Stookey". www.wisemusicclassical.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  8. ^ "Album Review: ZIPPERZ". StageBuddy.com. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  9. ^ "Dame, Dick, and Dismembered Torso". San Francisco Bay Guardian. 2013-05-07.
  10. ^ "The untouchables of San Francisco: Poems by Dan Harder". San Francisco Chronicle. 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  11. ^ "Season Schedule". Oakland Symphony. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  12. ^ "Goodreads". Goodreads. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  13. ^ "Goodreads". Goodreads. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  14. ^ Harder, Dan (2006-04-23). "For the Love of Stinky Cheese". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  15. ^ Herold, Ann; Harder, Dan (2007-05-13). "The legendary Bixby Ranch in Santa Barbara County has a new owner. What's to become of . . . THE LAST PERFECT PLACE?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  16. ^ Dan, Harder (August 23, 2018). "The untouchables of San-Francisco".
  17. ^ Dan, Harder (January 29, 2001). "Surfing Commentary on Morning Edition". NPR.
  18. ^ "San Francisco Points Of View: David Wakely: Hardcover: 9781558682962: Powell's Books". www.powells.com. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  19. ^ ThriftBooks. "France book by Dan Harder". ThriftBooks. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  20. ^ "Review: 'Killer Story' a crackling noir whodunit at Marsh Berkeley". The Mercury News. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  21. ^ "Album Review: ZIPPERZ". StageBuddy.com. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  22. ^ RANCHO DE AMOR | Kirkus Reviews.
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