Welcome
This is the home of award-winning composer and designer Jamie Klenetsky. Here, you will find Jamie's compositions and performances, web/graphic design portfolio, and biography. Jamie's blog, detailing her music, web, and personal lives, is below.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Electronic Music Performance!
The piece "Space Music" was composed in an hour for the New Music Hartford competition called "60/60". The idea is that everyone gets the instrumentation at 3, sends the e-mail by 4. It was a really rewarding experience.
I found out today that they'll be playing my piece along with others at the concert! This is my first electronic music performance; I feel very proud of this one! If anyone is in Hartford, CT on August 30, here's the website to visit.
I'm proud to be a part of this production - the proceeds go to a local homeless shelter - and think it's pretty awesome that an electronic piece of mine is going to be played! I'm the only one that's "fixed electronic media" (no live components whatsoever, just an mp3), which is very exciting!
I found out today that they'll be playing my piece along with others at the concert! This is my first electronic music performance; I feel very proud of this one! If anyone is in Hartford, CT on August 30, here's the website to visit.
I'm proud to be a part of this production - the proceeds go to a local homeless shelter - and think it's pretty awesome that an electronic piece of mine is going to be played! I'm the only one that's "fixed electronic media" (no live components whatsoever, just an mp3), which is very exciting!
Labels: performance
posted by Jamie at
8:53 PM
0 Comments
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Praise
If you do good work, whether at your job or your art, you will be praised at one point or another. This is generally a welcome thing, of course, to feel that what you do is appreciated. However, what if the work you did was "easy"...according to your own exacting standards, of course?
There are certain projects I need to work hard on, especially longer choral works or personal web designs. However, most of what I do just doesn't take me a very long time to do. An award-winning piece of mine only took 6 hours to write (granted, it was only 2:30 minutes long, but still), my latest electronic piece only took a half hour or so (and that's only 2 minutes long again, but still). I'm a web designer by trade, and as all of us know, most of "design" is actually updating and maintenance. Once the design is in place, things can get very simple. I made exhibits for the Historic Commission, which I felt proud of, but updating them is very simple. However, I get unadulterated praise for these updates.
It makes me feel a bit confused. Grateful, because I seem to be doing a good service, but also rather guilty. I don't deserve this praise -- it was too simple! It was "easy" for me! Other composers/designers stuggle in turmoil, working all hours, creative process churning, and I just do it!
I don't know about other artistic people, but I'm a background processor. When I need to write some music, I futz around, look at the theme, look up lyrics, play Peggle, until I finally sit down to write, get the idea on paper, go away for awhile, repeat. If I need alot of ideas, this can be a process of weeks, but if the one idea is completely sound, it goes very fast.
I suppose what we all need to remember is that we do have special talents, and the important thing is to improve those talents. If you can do something both good and quickly, you've probably improved your skills alot! What impresses others may seem like child's play to you. So take praise to gain perspective on your own abilities - I have gotten better, and there's more I want to do.
I personally want to challenge myself more if I can, write something longer or more challenging. Any ideas?
There are certain projects I need to work hard on, especially longer choral works or personal web designs. However, most of what I do just doesn't take me a very long time to do. An award-winning piece of mine only took 6 hours to write (granted, it was only 2:30 minutes long, but still), my latest electronic piece only took a half hour or so (and that's only 2 minutes long again, but still). I'm a web designer by trade, and as all of us know, most of "design" is actually updating and maintenance. Once the design is in place, things can get very simple. I made exhibits for the Historic Commission, which I felt proud of, but updating them is very simple. However, I get unadulterated praise for these updates.
It makes me feel a bit confused. Grateful, because I seem to be doing a good service, but also rather guilty. I don't deserve this praise -- it was too simple! It was "easy" for me! Other composers/designers stuggle in turmoil, working all hours, creative process churning, and I just do it!
I don't know about other artistic people, but I'm a background processor. When I need to write some music, I futz around, look at the theme, look up lyrics, play Peggle, until I finally sit down to write, get the idea on paper, go away for awhile, repeat. If I need alot of ideas, this can be a process of weeks, but if the one idea is completely sound, it goes very fast.
I suppose what we all need to remember is that we do have special talents, and the important thing is to improve those talents. If you can do something both good and quickly, you've probably improved your skills alot! What impresses others may seem like child's play to you. So take praise to gain perspective on your own abilities - I have gotten better, and there's more I want to do.
I personally want to challenge myself more if I can, write something longer or more challenging. Any ideas?
Labels: the process
posted by Jamie at
2:58 PM
0 Comments
Monday, August 3, 2009
Writing in 60 Minutes
Yesterday I took part in the 60/60 Competition for New Music Hartford. This involved writing a piece in one hour for a specific ensemble, which wouldn't be specified until an hour before it was due. The options were flute/cello, a chamber group, or a fixed electronic piece - I tried doing a flute/cello duet but it just wasn't working, so I opened Live and ran with it.
What I love about writing electronic music is that it fits into that "writing from pieces" idea. I have a bunch of free VST (instruments) that I found online, which each have a number of different sounds built in. Just hearing an instrument gives me an idea. The randomness of the instruments is inspirational as well. (Some of them have interesting effects the longer you hold down the note on your keyboard!) Then there are cool effects, reverb and delay and the whatnot, to make the sounds even more unique.
The first instrument I picked immediately made me think of "Space Music", so I ran with that idea. The piece is kind of ambient, which was new for me. It's trying to evoke an object roaming through space and passing by, leaving it as it was. I think there are some interesting sounds in there.
Writing in an hour was pretty liberating. Often I'll work for a half hour, then notice the time and give up. Here, at the half hour mark, I HAD to keep going, which freed me of my imposed limitations. The piece was sent with 15 seconds to spare - I didn't get a confirmation e-mail so I hope it still counts! In any event, go to the Compositions page to check out "Space Music".
What I love about writing electronic music is that it fits into that "writing from pieces" idea. I have a bunch of free VST (instruments) that I found online, which each have a number of different sounds built in. Just hearing an instrument gives me an idea. The randomness of the instruments is inspirational as well. (Some of them have interesting effects the longer you hold down the note on your keyboard!) Then there are cool effects, reverb and delay and the whatnot, to make the sounds even more unique.
The first instrument I picked immediately made me think of "Space Music", so I ran with that idea. The piece is kind of ambient, which was new for me. It's trying to evoke an object roaming through space and passing by, leaving it as it was. I think there are some interesting sounds in there.
Writing in an hour was pretty liberating. Often I'll work for a half hour, then notice the time and give up. Here, at the half hour mark, I HAD to keep going, which freed me of my imposed limitations. The piece was sent with 15 seconds to spare - I didn't get a confirmation e-mail so I hope it still counts! In any event, go to the Compositions page to check out "Space Music".
Labels: music
posted by Jamie at
6:16 AM
0 Comments
