Reading is Fun – featuring Dr. Noize

The April Reading is Fun program will feature Dr. Noize, whose mission statement is: “Doctor Noize inspires creativity, curiosity and character through music, art and words.”

Doctor Noize is the alter ego of Cory Cullinan, who was raised in Silicon Valley, and graduated with Distinction and Honors in Music and Political Science from Stanford. Soon after, his album My Oyster earned accolades for having the free spirit of an indie release but the production values of a major release 1 a blueprint he would follow upon becoming Doctor Noize.

Teaching high school music and coaching soccer at Silicon Valley’s Pinewood School, he made an immediate and lasting impact on his students. Cullinan was named Pinewood’s Arts, Communication & Technology Department Head after just a few years teaching.

After the birth of his two daughters, Cullinan’s passion became creating engaging works for the minds of younger adventurers. He released “The Ballad Of Phineas McBoof”, his first recording under the guise of his alter ego, Doctor Noize. Within two months, it had spawned a national #1 hit song. “Banana”, on Sirius XM Kids Radio and scored awards ranging from a Parents Choice Award to being named one of Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products. Then came the completion of Doctor Noize’s first book, “The Ballad Of Phineas McBoof”. Like the recording, the book tells the tale of the great monkey Phineas McBoof and his quest for the impossibly perfect song with his band, The International Band Of Misunderstood Geniuses.

His subsequent Doctor Noize albums have continued to communicate his belief that kids are the most adventurous, creative, and brilliant audience in the world. “The Return Of Phineas McBoof” (and its companion book) introduced the first operatic/orchestral Doctor Noize track with opera superstar Nathan Gunn. “Grammaropolis” features the Top 10 national hit “Welcome To Grammaropolis”, and takes kids deep into the world of words through Doctor Noize’s trademark story, and character-based teaching techniques.

As a live performer, Doctor Noize engages enthusiastic audiences of kids and adults nationwide with his totally innovative performance approach inspiring audiences to participate in the creative process. He cheerfully arranges, plays and loop records multiple instruments and vocals live, inviting audience members to join him onstage and contribute their own talents.

As the CEO and Creative Director of Doctor Noize Inc., Doctor Noize’s multimedia line expanded to include mobile apps, online games, and educational curriculums. Doctor Noize’s iPhone app game, “Bananas!”, based on his hit song, charted Top 25 in over 25 countries around the world and was downloaded more than 300,000 times. His second app, “The Ballad Of Phineas McBoof Interactive Book”, brings kids deeper inside the book with narration, songs, pages in motion, and the opportunity to remix your own version of Doctor Noize’s theme song. All the Grammaropolis songs are featured in the popular educational “Grammaropolis” app.

Cullinan then turned his attention to designing, building and opening his dream recording studio and fitness facility: “Reach” Studios. “Reach” is a full-fledged, five-room composing and recording studio, and it’s an indoor soccer training turf field and fitness facility. Production of all Doctor Noize creations is now anchored at “Reach”, with visiting artists flying in to record in a comfortable and inspiring creative setting.

Through it all, Doctor Noize remains fiercely true to his indie educator spirit. He considers himself a purposeful parent and educator creating adventures for kids that inspire them to stretch, grow, learn, laugh, and create lives of purpose and ambition for themselves. He believes every kid is capable of great sophistication and purpose – even if our culture increasingly settles for less than that. He encourages kids to reach with a smile – Zooglobble writer and NPR family music commentator Stefan Shepherd called Doctor Noize “the funniest guy in kids music, and that’s saying something.”