Jay C. Batzner is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida where he teaches theory, composition, and technology courses as well as coordinates the composition program. He holds degrees in composition and/or theory from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, the University of Louisville, and the University of Kansas.
Jay's music is primarily focused around instrumental chamber works as well as electroacoustic composition. His music has been recorded on the Capstone, Vox Novus, and Beauport Classical labels and is published by Unsafe Bull Music.
Jay is a sci-fi geek, an amateur banjoist, a home brewer, and juggler.
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1/15/2009
Top Composer
I have become a fan of the reality shows on Bravo. The ones that require you to DO something in order to get ahead. I like Top Chef, Project Runway, hell, I even watched the hair cutting one this summer. What was it...Sheer Genius. What I enjoy is watching people be creative in areas that I don't full understand.
Take Project: Runway. Look at that picture of me on the side. What do I know about fashion? Clearly, not enough. So I like seeing what people do when they are in a restrictive environment and how they come up with solutions. More than that, I like hearing the judges critiques. It is interesting when something I think is ugly is praised for various reasons. What the judges see and how they articulate their pleasure/disgust is very informative to how their brains work.
Naturally, I want to be on Top Composer. Not that such a show will exist. First of all, not that many viewers are going to tune in. Sad to say, we composers aren't much of a draw for Prime Time. There are many other reasons the show wouldn't work. You can't really watch people do it in the same room. Could you imagine having 10 composers trying to write a piece in 2 days, all sharing a studio? Come to think of it, that could be good television right there. Also, the viewer can't really experience/appreciate the final form. We can get a sense of a plate of food, see a dress and a haircut, but it takes too much time to experience a piece of music. Unless the pieces were insanely short each week and that would get stale.
But still, I can dream. If Bravo wants to do Top Composer, I'll apply. I'd try to be the villain, but I'm too much of a marshmallow.
posted by Jay C. Batzner
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