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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2/08/2006
Recent Artistic Experiences
There have been some concerts this week that I've attended and some that I missed. It would be nice to be able to go to everything, but life just doesn't work out that way. Friday night I went to the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra concert. Their first half was The Chairman Dance and Zhou Long's percussion concerto Da Qu. The orchestra played pretty well. Chairman is a hard piece and there were a lot of subtleties in Zhou Long's piece. At the end of it, I didn't walk away with much from the concerto. The percussion writing was what I expected. Some very nice orchestrational moments, but I can't remember what they were. Only that I thought they were cool at the time.
The second half was Brahms 4. I didn't stay. I love Brahms 4 but I'd rather spend some time with my wife. It had been a long week.
I skipped the Kansas City Symphony concert. I really wanted to go hear Verklarte Nacht but I just didn't make it. I had just come from my last lesson on my dissertation and wanted to spend time with my family. I figured that Dr.Mobberelyy would take a solid week going over the fine detail work. Knowing that I had a "dissertation free" week ahead of me, I thought I'd unwind. The rest of the program was Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody and after intermission was Daphnes and Chloe. I didn't really care to hear those.
Turns out it only took him 24 hours, if that. So I changed gears and worked all day Sunday. Made the corrections and printed 5 copies for my committee. They got the work a week earlier than I expected. Couldn't pass that up. So, no concerts for me on the weekend.
Kris, Daria, and I did go to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, though. It is a cool place. Daria really digs it, too. They had a new exhibit called "Decelerate." The art is intended to slow you down and make you look closely at it. There are some amazing works there. One of them is just a long thread hung in an arc. It is so simple and so beautiful. Really great stuff. Especiallyy the orange soda bottles.
Last night was a Guild Concert. The student composers at UMKC come together for 2 concerts a semester. These are usually short and poorly publicized. I had to teach last night, so I couldn't make it.
Tonight is Music Nova, UMKC's contemporary ensemble. We are hearing the finalist for the composition chamber music contest tonight. The students at UMKC could submit works for flute, cello, and piano. The finalists are on the program tonight and the audience votes determine the winner. I briefly thought about writing a piece. I wanted it to be so irritating that it would get on the final concert and then get the least number of votes. Instead, I wrote my dissertation. The second half of the program is In C. I've never heard the work live. I always wanted to play in it, either harpsichord or banjo, but again time did not permit. It should be fun. When I have opinions about the concert, I will share them. I think I know who is going to get the most votes tonight. To me, it is obvious. We'll see if I'm right.
So, since my committee has my dissertation life has opened up a bit. I have applications together for every job that has been posted. All I can do now is play the waiting game. And, to quote Homer Simpson, "The waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos."
posted by Jay C. Batzner
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