We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian Jamison and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ian, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by reading philosophy and sheet music. The works of Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, and Plotinus and the compositions of Bach, Handel, and Beethoven are like old friends that I correspond with regularly, In the last year, I’ve also taken a deep dive into C.P.E. Bach, Chabrier, Grieg, Scarlatti, Mozart and Telemann.
For instance, after reading the major keyboard compositions of C.P.E. Bach, I felt more direct license to explore the extremities of Romantic ornamentation, tonalities and contrast without feeling like a pastiche of Beethoven, since I am essentially going to the source.
Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn all religiously studied C.P.E. Bach’s Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard instruments. This gave me access to the source of a significant evolution in Western music.
As you can imagine, I can get lost for weeks in books and scores, so I balance my studies with regular hikes out in nature.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What is my art?
When people hear that I’m a classical composer, I feel that it comes with an aura of unapproachability – powdered wigs, concert halls, and conductors in tux presiding over orchestras. My music incorporates what is here and now, my life as a millennial coming of age in the Southwest. Even though my compositions are anchored in centuries of tradition, today’s listeners will feel at home with my cadences, rhythms, and melodies. Audiences have been conditioned to dread the avant-garde. I make a point of reaching my listeners more-than half-way.
What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
I’m not comfortable saying I’ve learned anything. That sounds too final. I feel that I’m just beginning to learn.
What am I excited about?
I am excited that the Loveland Orchestra will premiere The Flood in Greeley this October. From my perspective, I’m working in a vacuum and it’s a humbling affirmation that more and more musicians are taking the time to bring attention to my work.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ha! This is exactly what happened last month when my father and mother took a week-long trip with me to get video footage for a music video to our I-70 Symphony (a Klein-Jamison composition).
Our trek into the Rockies starts in Denver going over Floyd Hill. Notice the Spaceship house off to the left and the buffalo overlook off to the right. While in the area, we go a little ways north into Clear Creek trailheads to stretch out in beautiful scenery. We might grab a bite to eat at the Cuisine of the Himalayas at the appropriately-high elevation of Evergreen. Then we head onward through the remarkably lengthy Eisenhower Tunnel. We take a pit stop, perhaps enjoying the view of the lake at Dillon Bay and lunch at Pho Bay Silverthorne. We make our way through the magnificent Glenwood Canyon stretch of I-70, and rest up at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. Then we relax in a Hot Springs Pool. We visit the incredibly friendly town of Palisades and enjoy some fresh peaches and wines from old vineyards before continuing into Grand Junction. Once we have arrived in Grand Junction proper, we head south to Colorado National Monument for a white-knuckle scenic drive (make sure that there’s plenty of time between the winery and this precipitous road!). To finish the trip, we get sunset footage of father-son cowboys roping together to conclude our I-70 expedition. We celebrate our journey with dinner at Suehiro Japanese Restaurant and Sushi.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate the Shoutout to artist, Jim Klein. He has been a great mentor and a dear friend.
Website: https://jkleingallery.com/music/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52cLJ8gDTgKNGgrTlqqM6w
Image Credits
John Keenan