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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10/10/2006
Two firsts in one...
Friday I am giving the premiere performance of my Miniatures for piano and tape. I have made a LOT of changes to the pieces since they were accepted to the EMM Festival (thank goodness for the "work-in-progress" submissions!).
Anyhow, I ditched a complete miniature in favor of a Negativland-themed romp. It works a lot better than what I had, that is for darned sure. You can hear the tape part (I haven't recorded the piano part) right here.
As for that piano part, I made another startling choice. I've decided to improvise the part. This is not an act of laziness or desperation. It is just that, based on the tape parts, I don't think a structured piano part is appropriate. I know the "rules of the game" for each of the movements and I'm just going to go out and do what seems right at the time. The tape part is never, ever going to change. The piano part always will. I find it very appealing. The audience may find it appalling, but I think it is the right decision.
So, the twofer firsts: first performance for instrument and tape, first improvisational composition. Strange bedfellows, I know, but I likes 'em that way...
posted by Jay C. Batzner
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