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Alan Semerdjian is an Armenian-American poet/teacher/musician who has been recognized for his work.


Writing/ Readings

Alan’s writing has appeared in regional music magazines, international and local newspapers, university literary
journals, the Mexican restaurant up the street, a diner, homes of friends, a museum, libraries, an urban fanzine,
and newsletters for LILAC (Long Island Language Arts Council). Recently, Alan had poems appear in Lyric Review and
Ararat, an essay in Chain, film reviews in Aitia, and a music column for thelongislandmusicscene.com. He is currently
finding a home for his first book of poetry, Geography of Evidence. Alan has given readings in a wide variety of settings,
hosted open mic nights, and organized and featured at literary events in Long Island and New York City. He recently released a chapbook of poetry entitled An Improvised Device with Lock n Load Publishing in NYC.


Teaching/ Workshop

Alan has taught English and Creative Writing at conventional settings in Long Island and New York City during the day,
served as a consultant for private educational institutions in Manhattan, and conducted writing workshops in collaboration
with Poets and Writers after school. He currently teaches at Herricks High School in New Hyde Park, The Harriet Eisman
Community School in Long Beach, and The Huntington Youth Bureau’s Project Excel Program. Recently, he has given
presentations and workshops for LILAC (Long Island Language Arts Council) and NYSEC (New York State English Council) and, in the past, presented a songwriting workshop on college campuses. He is an active member of many trade-related groups and organizations including LILAC, NYSEC, NCTE, The Academy of American Poets, and an advisory board member of Project Excel.


Music/ Performance

Alan is a published singer/songwriter (ASCAP) with film and television credits. His music has charted on CMJ, and he performs regularly in the tri-state area in a myriad of musical outfits including Surreal, Milquetoast, Watercats, Stratosphere, Diet Kong, and as a solo artist. A song of his was recently used for a short independently-released film, “Whatever We Do,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Tim Roth, and others. He has also booked music for several local venues and for festivals, including the Teenspeak Poetry Festival in Huntington (Fall 2002). He is the curator for the Conklin barn Singer/Songwriter Series, which he co-founded with Rick Eberle.


Art/ Showing

Alan has shown his Artpoems at the Orchard Street Grill (Summer 00) in Manhattan, The Munchaba Lounge (Summer 02) in
Levittown, NY, and The Cup (Winter 2003) in Wantagh, NY. He was recently a featured artist in The Infusion2 Event (October 03) also at The Munchaba Lounge. He has curated several art events as part of The Body Electric, an experimental arts forum at The Walt Whitman Birthplace and State Historic Site, where he was caretaker for three years.

Alan is always looking at how music and art connect to community in some way. He attempts to trangress boundaries between people as well as his own limitations through his work.


SOME PRAISE

“sweetly crooned lead vocals” – Jersey Beat

“such a good artist because he is not readily definable” – Musician’s Exchange

“full of dream pop” – Long Island Voice

"an impressive, contemporary sound...rich, textured songs and poetic lyrics" – Relix Magazine

one of “the new faces in poetry” – Newsday (April 13 2000)


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