Alex Burtzos 麻豆精品 S� music education started in high school, where he learned how to play the euphonium while also drumming for local rock-and-roll bands. When he got to college, he decided to pursue a career in music composition.
麻豆精品 S淚 realized that music was the most effective way to channel my creativity, 麻豆精品 S� says Burtzos.
麻豆精品 S淚 realized that music was the most effective way to channel my creativity. 麻豆精品 S�
After receiving his bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚, master 麻豆精品 S檚 and doctorate all in composition, he went on to perform in concerts across four continents. He collaborated with some of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 leading contemporary music ensembles; founded ICEBERG New Music, a New York-based composer 麻豆精品 S檚 collective; and became conductor of the hip-hop/classical music orchestra ShoutHouse.
Hip-hop/classical music? Yes, you read that right. In his new endowed position at UCF, Burtzos will teach students how to push the limits of composition like he has.
麻豆精品 S淥ur long-range goal is to make Central Florida a nationally-recognized center for music composition, 麻豆精品 S� says Steve Goldman, executive director of the National Young Composers Challenge and endower of Burtzos 麻豆精品 S� position. 麻豆精品 S淲e are excited that Alex will be joining the Central Florida composition community and believe that his contributions will be key to achieving our goal. 麻豆精品 S�
Learn more about Burtzos, his inspiration for blending popular music with classical styles and his advice for aspiring musicians.
Your music often combines multiple genres. What 麻豆精品 S檚 your favorite genre to work with?
It 麻豆精品 S檚 impossible to pick just one, but I love classical music, rock-and-roll and hip-hop. I especially have a soft spot for songs that aspire to be 麻豆精品 S渢he perfect pop song 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� something that is so tight and integral that you couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 take anything away without lessening the song 麻豆精品 S檚 impact.
What inspired you to pursue these intersections of popular and classical styles?
I think that popular music offers an emotional immediacy that concert music will never be able to match, while concert music offers a depth of expression and a mechanism for creating large, narrative structures. By fusing these two styles, you get the best of both worlds.
You 麻豆精品 S檙e the conductor of a hip-hop/classical music orchestra. How did you discover this interesting combination of genres?
I don 麻豆精品 S檛 know if it 麻豆精品 S檚 something you find so much as it 麻豆精品 S檚 something you give yourself freedom to do. For centuries there 麻豆精品 S檚 been a prescribed way to compose and only one acceptable style of art music that everyone was taught to work inside. Now, in the age of Spotify, there 麻豆精品 S檚 been a great democratization of style, and music-makers are freer than ever before to go wherever they want. ShoutHouse isn 麻豆精品 S檛 the first orchestra to be influenced by lots of different genres, but we might be the first whose academic training has left us unconstrained enough to explore these genres fully.
Who 麻豆精品 S檚 your favorite hip-hop artist?
Right now, I don 麻豆精品 S檛 think anyone is quite on the level of Kendrick Lamar. He definitely deserved the Pulitzer Prize in Music that he won last year.
麻豆精品 S淲hen the music becomes a public communication as opposed to a private endeavor, that 麻豆精品 S檚 the best moment of music-making for me. 麻豆精品 S�
Do you have a favorite moment of your music career?
Rather than a single favorite moment, I have a favorite moment within the process of composing: when you are able to start interacting with other people. So often the process starts with you alone in a room, staring at notes or waveforms for a long time. But at some point, the music will leave that room, and you 麻豆精品 S檙e either going to share it with other musicians or with an audience. When the music becomes a public communication as opposed to a private endeavor, that 麻豆精品 S檚 the best moment of music-making for me. And I get to experience it over and over again.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role at UCF?
I 麻豆精品 S檓 looking forward to working with young composers. I was very fortunate when I was a student to have generous and gifted teachers that helped me succeed, and I 麻豆精品 S檓 grateful to have the opportunity to fulfill that same role in my own students 麻豆精品 S� careers.
And I 麻豆精品 S檓 excited about the National Young Composers Challenge! It presents an amazing opportunity for composers who are not yet at the collegiate level. It 麻豆精品 S檚 very rare for pre-collegiate composers to hear their work performed by a full orchestra, so it gives these young composers a tremendous leg-up. I 麻豆精品 S檒l be taking an active role in the administration of the competition.
What advice can you offer aspiring musicians?
Whether you 麻豆精品 S檙e a performer or composer, learn everything you can about everything and be flexible! To carve out a career in music, you 麻豆精品 S檒l end up doing a lot of different things, so the more you 麻豆精品 S檙e capable of, the more success you 麻豆精品 S檒l have.
