Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn presentation

Wed., May 11 @ 7:30pm
Jack Straw Productions
4261 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle

With the diversity found in 21st century art music as well popular music, how does a composer bring a unique voice to the mix? This presentation will follow one composer's struggle to discover his own voice in the stream of 21st century music.

Since he first started composing, Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn has always been concerned with the composer-performer-audience relationship. He strives to write music that is memorable, interesting, and ranges from the humorous to the provocative. His music is performed widely throughout the U.S. and Europe by groups like Composers Inc., The Kiev Philharmonic, The Conundrum Ensemble, the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, and the Interlochen Chamber Players. Awards include a first place prize in the William R. Wiley Exposition in Fine Arts for his composition Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano in 2005 and an honorable mention for his string orchestra work Evolutions in the 2007 adagio competition and Joker's Wild in the 2009 concerto competition held by the Fauxharmonic. He has also received grants from Meet the Composer and the Visual, Performing, and Literary Arts Committee. His music is published by FJH Music, Jomar Press, Dorn Publishing and can be heard on the ERM Media and Capstone record labels. Mr. Sternfeld-Dunn completed his DMA in composition with a minor in music theory from the Hartt School of Music. He holds a Masters Degree in Composition from Washington State University as well as a Bachelors Degree from California State University East Bay. His primary teachers have included Robert Carl, Martin Rokeach, Stephen Gryc, Charles Argersinger, Ryan Hare, Greg Yasinitsky, and Frank LaRocca As well as being an accomplished composer he is also active as a conductor and string bassist. As a conductor he recently guest conducted the new music ensemble Turn on the Music for their CD "The Darwin Effect" on Capstone Records. He has conducted various orchestras, wind ensembles, and theatre productions. As a bassist he has held principal positions with several San Francisco Bay Area Orchestras, as well as numerous jazz small groups and big bands. He is the featured bassist on Bay Area jazz pianist Marty Namaro's CD "Abstractionisms". He serves on the faculty at Washington State University where he teaches composition, electronic music and music theory. For more information please visit www.aleksandersternfelddunn.com.

Jack Straw Productions gratefully acknowledges The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, City of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, 4Culture King County Lodging Tax Fund, Washington State Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, PONCHO, ArtsFund, Seattle Foundation, and individual contributors for their support of Jack Straw Artist Programs.