Role

:

Composer  

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

Jack Vees was an American composer, performer, and educator who was born on August 16, 1951, in Plainfield, New Jersey. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Vees started playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and bass. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1973 and a Master of Music degree in 1975. After completing his studies, Vees moved to New York City, where he became involved in the downtown music scene. He worked with a variety of musicians, including John Zorn, Anthony Braxton, and Philip Glass. In 1980, he joined the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, where he taught composition and electronic music for over 30 years. Vees was known for his eclectic style, which blended elements of classical, jazz, rock, and electronic music. He was particularly interested in exploring the possibilities of technology in music, and he often incorporated electronic instruments and computer-generated sounds into his compositions. One of Vees' most notable works is his opera "The Surveyor," which premiered in 1994 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The opera tells the story of a surveyor who is sent to a remote island to measure the land and ends up getting caught up in a surreal and mystical world. The music is a mix of acoustic and electronic sounds, and the libretto was written by Vees' wife, Karen Bamonte. Another significant work by Vees is his "Electronic Etudes," a series of pieces for solo performer and computer-generated sounds. The etudes were composed between 1984 and 1990 and were inspired by the music of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. Each etude explores a different aspect of electronic music, such as sampling, looping, and granular synthesis. Vees also composed a number of works for chamber ensembles, including "The Book of Spells" for string quartet and "The Road to Ubud" for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. These pieces showcase Vees' ability to blend acoustic and electronic sounds seamlessly. In addition to his work as a composer, Vees was also an accomplished performer. He played bass guitar in the band "Blue" with fellow composer and performer Elliott Sharp, and he often performed his own works on guitar and electronics. Vees received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1990 and a Fulbright Fellowship in 2001. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Sadly, Vees passed away on August 4, 2019, at the age of 67. However, his legacy lives on through his music and the many students he taught over the years. Vees was a true innovator in the world of contemporary music, and his work continues to inspire and challenge musicians and audiences alike.

More....