Persona Digital Stephen Gislason

Persona Digital
musician

    Stephen is a physician, author, musician.

  • Dr. Gislason wears several hats. You can find him every morning, reviewing the scientific literature and updating his articles and books. His first interest was brain science which he pursued since he was a premedical student in his teens. Dr. Gislason graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1967 and practiced medicine in British Columbia from 1971 to 1995.

    Stephen Gislason, a Brief Music History

    Stephen is a physician, author, musician and composer. He is the chief composer, performer, arranger and studio engineer at Persona Digital Studio. He records as the P2500 Band, Em4U, and the Persona Classical Consort. The Classical Consort first appeared in 2007 to record pieces by JS Bach, Amadeus Mozart and other composers in the classical repertoire. Stephen's review of popular music brings him pleasure and inspiration to develop new compositions. He states that he has been most attracted to beautiful ballads, modern jazz and lyrical melodies. He studied piano for many years, beginning a at age 5. As a child, he was immersed in classical music. In high school he played the trumpet in concert and dance bands and continues to play trumpet and flugelhorn parts on the keyboard. In the early 70s, he learned electronics, began building synthesizers and experimented with psychoacoustics. His study of neuroscience integrated nicely with his study of electronic sound processing and sound processing in the brain.

    Stephen's arrangement cover a broad range of musical styles, including Jazz, Rock and Roll, Pop, Latin and Electronica. He selects Pop and R&R classics with good melodies and the potential for interesting instrumental arrangements. He experiments with new techniques of sound production, exotic rhythm instruments, unusual scales, and algorithmic composition. His interests include hypnotic sounds, meditation music, cool jazz, trance dance, chill, new age soothing music, and minimalist composers such as Philip Glass. He has stated that a meaningful inquiry into the possibilities for authentic new music will involve philosophy, neuroscience, acoustic science, technology, and a growing understanding of human nature. Some new music experiments are recoded under the title Em4U. More about Em4U

    Stephen developed his Bach masterworks interpretation of the Art of the Fugue and a Jazz series that honors Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul. He developed the Digital Bach for the 21st century series, featuring 4 albums in the Counterpoint for Genius series. Album 1 was first released in 2011 The entire series has been revised and remixed for 2017 release. His 2011 book, the Sound of Music has been revised for 2017 both in printed and download versions from Persona Online. Here is an example of his recordings

    Little Linda (Spyro Gyra)

  • Philosophy, Psychology & Neuroscience

    Dr. Gislason had an early start in the study of philosophy and neuroscience. At age 16, he decided his main life task would be to pursue understanding the human mind. In the intervening years, he studied neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, electronics, computer science, neuropsychology and at the same time he studied Buddhist philosophy and practiced a variety of meditation techniques. His medical career veered toward general practice in rural areas, because he wanted to live outside urban environments and loved the natural world of British Columbia. He attributes much of his education to living in close relationship with the pacific ocean, with wind, waves, plankton, fish, sea mammals and ocean birds." They taught me about life, minds, communication, networks and the interconnections of all living things." In 2000, he resumed his study of neuroscience topics and began assembling noes from over 30 years of study and contemplation to write books in the Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience Series. The Human Brain, acts as a bridge between the practical and medical emphasis in the Health Education Series and the Philosophy Series. Neuroscience Notes is a more detailed technical examination of brain function. The first book in the Philosophy Series, Existence and the Human Mind (2005) was an introduction to the essential topics that link Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience. This large book became the parent of the entire Persona Digital series. The catalogue of Persona books is continuously updated and can be downloaded as eBooks in the PDF format.

    In his preface to the first book, Existence and the Human Mind, Dr. Gislason stated:

    "As a physician- philosopher, I have many vantage points. I allow my vantage point to shift from a detached observer viewing planet earth from the safety of distant space to an intimate and personal discussion of what life is like for me on a daily basis. Often, I am describing a physician’s point of view since I have spent more than 40 years serving in that role. Sometimes I am a visiting anthropologist making notes in a neighborhood café. At other times, I am concerned about the confusions and misunderstandings so common among my family, friends and patients. At other times I am a paleontologist or evolutionary psychologist imagining what life was like on planet earth 100 million years ago or what humans were like 50,000 years ago. Sometimes I am free spirit, a mystic, wandering this planet alone without profession or social status, an animal among animals, in love with nature and the primal feel of existence."