Jay C. Batzner (b. 1974) is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida where he teaches music composition and technology courses as well as coordinates the composition program. In his first year, Jay received two prestigious grants: one to create collaborative works with visual artist Carla Poindexter and the second to initiate electroacoustic music concerts in Orlando. Prior to this position, Jay was an active adjunct professor at several colleges in the Kansas City area while he completed his D.M.A. in Composition at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory. While at UMKC, Jay received honors including a Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship and a Dean's Doctoral Scholar Fellowship.
Jay's music ranges from instrumental chamber works to electroacoustic compositions. He has participated in numerous national and international festivals including the Wellesley Composers Conference and the International Young Composers' Meeting in the Netherlands. His music is published by Unsafe Bull Music and has been recorded on the Capstone and Vox Novus labels. Jay is a frequent contributor to the new music website Sequenza21.com and a founding member of the composers organization The Collected.
Jay is a sci-fi geek, an amateur banjoist, a home brewer, and juggler.
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1/23/2006
Kansas City Chorale Concert
So I went to a KC Chorale concert last Thursday. My first. I'm not a huge fan of choral music, so even though this is a talented group I've never made it a priority to hear them. The concert featured living composers including a bunch of local folks. Plus Steven Stucky was around the premiere of his Three Motets.
Sorry to say, but the music was rather bland. It did little to shake my general dislike of choral music. James Mobberley's Lullaby was spectacular, but it was only 4 minutes of a 90 minute concert. His piece used a Native American poem which was rather touching. Can't remember the exact text (I shouldn't have thrown away that program) but it was quite poignant. The setting was simple and interesting and far too short. That is a good feeling to have.
Stucky's motets were for double choir. The effect was kind of lost on 24 voices. There was only 2-3 feet separating the two choirs. In March, another choir will join the Chorale in another performance. I think the double choir effect will be more successful then. These were three Latin texts, the final of which was "O Vos Omnes." They were rather forgettable pieces, except the final resolution of Omnes. Very cool.
Otherwise, the concert was what I expected. Rather bland fare, weird programming choices (the Stucky was followed by an arrangement of "It Might As Well Be Spring," not really fitting with the whole evening), and the music met expectations. I did hear some of the worst settings of William Carlos Williams poetry I've ever thought imaginable. I hate it when people set good poems badly.
I'm still not excited by choral music. I should write a piece in order to figure out my indifference, but I'd rather not. Writing things I hate is a useful challenge. If I leave this challenge unanswered, though, I'll still sleep well.
posted by Jay C. Batzner
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