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.





8/25/2008
And so it begins...

That phrase gets used frequently in my household. It is a pivotal line from Babylon 5, a show which matches my particular brand of geekiness, and it is usually said with a rough, artificially low and dramatic voice. Kosh says it. If you know B5, that will make sense to you.

Today is the first day of classes here in now sunny Florida (with a cautious eye on Gustav). Not only is it the start of my third year of my gig (all settled in?) it is also the first semester of our brand new B.M. in Composition. The three majors worked hard to make this degree happen after a series of on-again/off-again bureaucracy moves. The strength of their work, however, was enough to convince the upper admin folks that there were some very talented students here who wanted to do more composition. I'm very proud of those students, even those who chose not to become majors.

WIth a new degree, there will be some bumps and bruises and things learned "the hard way." I can't wait to see what happens. You never know, in true B5 fashion we might secede from the university...probably not.