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bio: (click to show/hide)
Jamie Keesecker (b. 1981) is a composer of new music who writes for a variety of musical ensembles ranging from small instrumental chamber groups to large symphonic ensembles.
His music has been featured in a variety of new music venues including the Oregon Vanguard Series, the Oregon Bach Festival, and the 2005 International Trumpet Guild conference in Bangkok, Thailand. He has received stellar performances from talented artists such as NYC's Percussia, So Percussion, trumpeter Jonathon Clarke of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Eugene Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the ITCH Ensemble, and the Oregon Bach Festival's American Creators Ensemble. Recently, the California based horn quartet QUADRE: The Voice of Four Horns recorded a composition of his to be featured on their new, soon to be released album. Additionally, Jamie has participated in reading sessions with NYC's Fireworks Ensemble and Soprano Laurie Monahan, director and co-founder of the famed vocal group Tapestry.
Jamie currently resides in Durham, North Carolina, where he is a James B. Duke Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. at Duke University, studying with composer Scott Lindroth. He holds a Master's of Music Degree in composition from the University of Oregon (2009) where he studied with composers David Crumb and Robert Kyr, and a B.Mus in composition from the University of Arizona (2006) where he studied with Daniel Asia, Pamela Decker, and Craig Walsh. In 2008 he had the pleasure of working with composers Robert Livingston Aldridge and Kevin Puts at the Brevard Music Center, where he also served as the coordinator of the festival's new music ensemble. In recent years he has participated in master classes and workshops with composers Martin Bresnick, Veljo Tormis, Roberto Sierra, Chinary Ung, pianist Lisa Moore, and conductor Hirvo Surva, among others.
Jamie is also a hornist who enjoys performing new music whenever possible. His current interests include theoretical and analytical methodologies that deal with music that lies between the traditionally defined tonal/atonal boundaries, especially the writings on scale theory by John Clough, Richard Cohn, and Jack Douthett. And, as always, he can't stop listening to Bill Evans.
news:
July 29th and 30th, 2010 -
Monadnock Music Festival, New Hampshire
(Click on image to access the festival's website)
As the recipient of Monadnock Music's 2010 Young Composer Fellowship, I will be in residence for two performances of two new works that will be premiered at the festival in the beautiful Monadnock Region of New Hampshire, including a two-movement piece called Fashionable Chamber Events for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Harp, as well as a new setting of Bertha Rogers's poem Three for Summer's End for Mezzo-Soprano and String Trio to be performed by acclaimed vocalist and Yale School of Music faculty member Janna Baty as part of the festival's "Music for the Mountain" project.
The two concerts will be held in Harrisville and Sullivan, New Hampshire, respectively. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with these amazing artists, and to see some great performances while I'm there. For more information about the festival and the "Music for the Mountain" project, check out this feature from the New Hampshire Union Leader. For more information about Bertha Rogers and her work, visit her website or check out this write-up at the Art & Soul of the Catskills blog (Scroll down about a quarter of the page).
April 5, 2010 -
Duke University Department of Music presents a Graduate Composers Concert featuring the Amalgam Brass Ensemble in the premiere performance of my recent Con Fuoco for Brass Quintet. Nelson Music Room on Duke University's east campus.
March 6th and 10th, 2010 -
Sospiro in concert.
(Click on image for more info)
The amazing new-music vocal ensemble Sospiro, under the direction of Christopher S. Prosser presents the premiere performances of my last piece from 2009 at the West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis, The Star Sirius, for SATB Choir and Piano. Under the baton of conductor Kathryn Longo, Sospiro presents an additional performance on their own concert in Beall Hall, Eugene, Oregon. Should be a fun concert with lots of new music.
March 7, 2010 -
Pianist Kathryn Christensen in concert at the Dove of Peace Lutheran Church, Tucson, Arizona.
 (Click on image for more info)
Performing the world premiere As Afternoon Fades, my contribution to Desert Miniatures for Piano, a collaborative composition project consisting of short minatures by five composers with some sort of connection to Tucson. Also featuring lots of other great music. Who is Carl Vine? Who knows, but his Piano Sonata is epic.
February 18, 2010 -
Duke Wind Symphony under the direction of Verena Moesenbichler-Bryant. Baldwin Auditorium, Duke University.
Featuring the premiere of Polymodal Transportation for Wind Ensemble. Also featuring awesome pieces by Steven Bryant and George Lam (among others). Thank you to the Duke Wind Symphony and Dr. Moesenbichler-Bryant for an awesome performance!
February 4, 2010 -
Duke New Music Ensemble [dnme]. Biddle Music Building, Duke University.
[dnme] presents the premiere New Baroque-ish Miniatures for Flute and Violin. Kudos to Heidi Wait and Sarah Griffin for playing the pants off of this piece! I'm sorry for cursing, but it's the only way to express how great this performance was.
October 10, 2009 -
Percussia with Soprano Melissa Fogarty. Queens Public Library - Jackson Heights Branch, Queens, NY
(Click on image to view full size)
Featuring the premiere of Colored Hats for Soprano, Flute, Viola, Harp, Marimba and Temple Bowls based on the poetry of Gertrude Stein. Also featuring works by Scott J. Ordway, David Roberts, Dennis Tobenski and others. (Thanks, Queens Council on the Arts!)
September 3, 2009 -
Filmusik has posted a video excerpt and some photos from the July 17 showing/performance of Death Rides A Horse at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR featuring J. Keesecker in his electric guitar debut performance.
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