Lorna Dune is the solo project of Lorna (Krier) Milgaten, a virtuosic pianist, keyboardist, producer and collaborator of chamber ensembles, synthesist in electronic music bands/collectives/groups of people making experimental sound together. Her style has ranged from polyrhythmic, sci-fi fantasy techno, celestial house, ambient contemplative, experimental noise and psychedelic dreamwave.
As a child raised in rural Wisconsin, her first instrument was a Casio SK-5 keyboard sampler her mother picked up from a thrift store. She started piano at age 6, began composing by hand in 4th grade, learned the software Cakewalk and Fruity Loops on a public school computer in the 90’s, and went onto college where she studied piano and organ. She participated in the Bang on a Can Summer Institute residency at MASS MoCA in 2005 and was so inspired that she moved to New York City in her early 20’s.
After dropping out of NYU’s master program when starting to get gigs, she became integrated with the contemporary classical scene happening at places like The Stone, MATA Festival, Roulette Intermedium. Simultaneously she was living and participating in the burgeoning indie electronic scene with DIY venues and art spaces of Williamsburg’s Kent Avenue and Bushwick thriving in the late aughts. Radical dance parties, synthpop, futurism, nostalgia and the seeing beginnings of the resurgence of electronic dance music in Brooklyn. During that time, she was also working at Meet the Composer / New Music USA supporting the creation and performance of new work nationwide and the non-profit Found Sound Nation cultivating music collaboration across the world and around the block through peace and social justice initiatives.
During her career, she has performed and premiered the works by composers Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Missy Mazzoli, Tristan Perich, William Brittelle, Lukas Ligeti and has been a guest keyboardist with Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony and St. Paul Chamber Orchestras. She has appeared on the Liquid Music Series, BAM Next Wave, Bang on a Can Marathon, Whitney Biennial and more.