the world premiere of Hearst's composition "Secret Word" at Zankel Hall. The work is a tribute to the late-1980s television series Pee-wee's Playhouse. For the debut performance, Hearst joined the quartet on stage, performing claviola, theremin, and daxophone, and also conducting a toy instrument orchestra of audience members who took the stage. Hearst earned a degree in music composition from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1995, where he studied under Dika Newlin. In 2017 Hearst returned to VCU to deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of the School of the Arts. The commencement ceremony took place at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Virginia. Discography Albums Schwa Footleg Room (1991) (Joe Lee Records) Schwa Phoney Karate (1992) (Joe Lee Records) Fashion Central Underwood (1994) (Brilliant Records) Maud Gonne Buff Silky (1996) (Urban Geek Records) Maud Gonne Bonus Songs (1997) (Urban Geek Records) Anon Anon (1998) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero Tranz Party (1999) (Planetary Records) One Ring Zero Alice (2001) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero Interludes and Out-takes from The Pumpkin Pie Show” (2001) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero Memorandum (2002) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero As Smart As We Are” (2004) (Soft Skull Press) Rick Moody and One Ring Zero Rick Moody and One Ring Zero (2004) (Isota Records) One Ring Zero New York Spleen (2005) (Naïve Records-France) Sophie Auster Sophie Auster (2005) (Actes Sud / Naïve Records) One Ring Zero As Smart As We Are (2006) (Barbes Records) One Ring Zero Wake Them Up (2006) (Barbes Records) One Ring Zero Wake Them Up (2007) (Moor Works-Japan) Michael Hearst Songs For Ice Cream Trucks (2007) (Urban Geek Records/Bar-None Records) Beat Circus Dreamland (2008) (Cuneiform Records) One Ring Zero Live At Barbes (2008) (Barbes Records) One Ring Zero Ten Years Of Extra Stuff (2009) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero Planets (2010) (Moor Works-Japan) One Ring Zero Planets (2010) (Urban Geek Records) One Ring Zero As Smart As We Are (2010) (Moor Works-Japan) One Ring Zero The Recipe Project (2011) (Urban Geek Records / Black Balloon Publishing) Michael Hearst Songs For Unusual Creatures (2012) (Urban Geek Records) Michael Hearst To Be Takei (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2014) (Urban Geek Records) Michael Hearst Songs For Fearful Flyers (2014) (Urban Geek Records) Michael Hearst Songs For Extraordinary People (2017) (Urban Geek Records) Michael Hearst Songs For Unconventional Vehicles (2021) (Urban Geek Records) EPs Schwa (1993) (Brilliant Records) Fashion