Performer Blogs@Sequenza21.com

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.





3/24/2009
Little Einsteins vs. the Military

My daughter turns 4 next week. One of her current obsessions includes Little Einsteins which is, I must say, not nearly as terrible as I thought it would be. Daria is a lot more interested in my CD collection now that she knows I have music from the show. Will it do the kind of cultural damage to Daria that my parents' Hooked on Classics albums did to me in my youth? Time will tell.

What I was struck by today was the recurring villain Big Jet. Big Jet is a large (duh) blue F-16 type fighter plane. He shows up and causes all kinds of trouble for the 4 kids. In an episode we watched today, Big Jet stole the kids' Show and Tell stuff (musical instruments, dancing shoes, a microphone, and a baton). The kids had to chase Big Jet down and get their stuff back. In other episodes, Big Jet cheats and damages the kids' missions. Finally, I put something together: the villain of these 4 art-driven kids is an anthropomorphic military vehicle. Arts vs. Military is played out in almost every episode.

I like the show more now.