Photo: Niklas Ottander
James Black (1990) graduated from the soloist class at the Royal Danish Academy of Music earlier this year with a debut concert about which the critic from Politiken wrote: "The thoughts went back to Fluxus, Kagel and Beckett while he - I bet - poured from his own feelings and experience at a concert that was completely his own."
James Black's music exists in an energetic field of strict structures and expressive sounds. By removing all unnecessary layers in his works he reaches a musical core, which is often made up of a simple idea that is faced with chaotic impulses. Increasingly, James Black uses performance as a central aspect of his works, in some of them the composer himself plays a significant role as performer, and in some he combines strictly notated music with elements of physical performance.
The next chance to experience works by James Black is 4 May when the ensemble NJYD performs the 2nd movement of 'Chorale Preludes' at SPOR festival's New Music School in Aarhus. 7 May 'Nomi Song' will be premiered by be:tween:sides at Litteraturhaus in Copenhagen and performed again 14 May at USE Academy in Aarhus.
Read more and peruse the scores of works by James Black here.