Studio Z
  • Home
  • About
    • About Studio Z
    • Artists in Residence
    • Purchasing Tickets
    • Accessibility
    • Neighborhood Ammenities
    • Zeitgeist
    • Event Archive
  • Calendar
  • Rent Studio Z
  • Directions & Parking
  • Contact
  • Blog


STUDIO Z Blog

A PROJECT OF ZEITGEIST NEW MUSIC

Eric Stokes Song Contest Winner Samuel William Novak

2/25/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The music of Samuel William Novak casts traditional musical principles in a 21st century vernacular, applying lyrical melody, colorful harmony, textural ingenuity, timbral intrigue, and formal clarity in an idiom that embraces both free chromaticism and neotonality. Samuel's primary goal as a composer is "to give back the irreplaceable spiritual, emotional, and intellectual nourishment my favorite music gives me." Samuel began composing at age 17 and his earliest pieces were songs for voice and guitar. In May 2019 he graduated with a BFA in Music Composition & Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he studied with Amanda Schoofs, Kevin Schlei, Jon Welstead, Jonathan Monhardt, and William Heinrichs.

Samuel is one of four winners of Zeitgeist's 25th annual Eric Stokes Song Contest. Named in memory of late composer Eric Stokes, the contest is designed to encourage and celebrate amateur composers throughout the Twin Cities. Samuel's winning composition, Two Self-portraits, will be performed by Zeitgeist at their annual Playing it Close to Home concert, March 6-8 at Studio Z. 

Two Self-portraits by Samuel William Novak features two starkly contrasting movements. The first movement begins with material from a piano study Samuel composed in 2016, which is then developed as the ensemble enters and joins the piano. The second movement’s pensive opening phrase is transformed into a morose, uglified reflection. This transformation is explored through the lens of volatility and explosion across moments of high intensity and others bordering silence, where even the softest sounds bear tremendous gravity.

Playing it Close to Home

March 6-7, 7:30 p.m.   •   March 8, 2 p.m.
Studio Z: 275 East Fourth Street, Suite 200, St. Paul
$15 / $10 students & seniors
Tickets/Info


With winning songs from the 25th annual Eric Stokes Song Contest plus music by local composer Randy Bauer, Zeitgeist’s Playing it Close to Home concert celebrates the wealth of musical creativity found right here in our own backyard. The program includes music by Eric Stokes Song Contest winners Katie Condon, Kirsten Hanninen, Samuel William Novak and Iris Hu, plus the world premiere of Holding Patterns, a new multi-movement work composed for Zeitgeist by Randy Bauer.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Studio Z

    A performance space for the music of our time. A project of Zeitgeist New Music.


    SpiRit of The Times

    YOU get to be the critic! Write a review of any event you attend at Studio Z

    Write a Review

    Categories

    All
    Lowertown Listening Sessions
    Stockhausen
    Zeitgeist


    Archives

    October 2022
    August 2022
    March 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    October 2012

    RSS Feed

Picture
Studio Z  •  275 East Fourth Street Suite 200, Saint Paul, MN  •  (651) 755-1600