Jamiia Franklin’s final collegiate recital: A Tapestry Of Sound, is a reflection of Jamiia’s music journey and a celebration of earning her bachelors in Psychology! To showcase the best of her abilities, revisit a past favorite, and highlight talented musical guests, Jamiia has curated an exciting setlist!
Viet Cuong (1990) is a contemporary, Canadian composer known for his exploration of timbre and instrumentation. His works include 2 oboe solos and interestingly, a “prepared or unprepared” solo for piano titled Again and Again. Viet Cuong grew up playing piano, percussion, and clarinet, participating in marching and concert ensembles before his career as a musician. The chosen piece of his is a solo oboe piece; each movement is based on different paintings.
Grażyna Bacewicz (1909 – 1969) was a female composer and violinist from poland. She learned piano before advancing in her career as a violinist and, eventually, a composer. During her lifetime she was among a few recognized female composers world-wide, as women were often overlooked in the field. Bacewicz, however earned much respect and adoration from her colleagues and the general public. Bacewicz is considered among the top Polish composers and her legacy lives on. As a composer, her work is often considered neo-classical/neo-romantic as she tended to explore musical ideas.
Carl Nielsen (1865 – 1931) was a Danish violinist, conductor, and composer. Nielsen’s compositions have inspired many, especially his symphonies. His works contributed a lot to Denmark’s musical history, being widely credited as one of Denmark’s most accomplished and influential figures in music. Nielsen’s inspiration to compose music would come from Danish folk songs, dances, landscapes, and culture.
Adolphe Blanc (1828 – 1885) was a French composer, recognized for his chamber works. Many of these works featured stringed instruments, although there are works for both French horn and Oboe amongst in his compositions. Blanc would begin his musician journey on violin, studying at the Paris Conservatoire. Due to a growing interest in opera, his pieces would be overlooked.
Ian Cusson (1981) is a contemporary French-Canadian composer. Being a descendant of the Métis community (through his mother) has led Cusson to be especially interested in the cultural practices and identity of Indigenous communities, particularly that of the Georgian Bay Métis Community. Through his compositions, Cusson explores Canadian Indigenous experiences, culture, and racial identity. Cusson celebrates the culture he grew up in, stating, “I hope to honour those who have walked before me, and hold open the door to those who come after.”
Kazumi Totaka (1967) is a Japanese composer, percussionist, and sound director known for his work with Nintendo, contributing works for various games and console themes. Totaka begun working with Nintendo in 1990, starting as a composer and eventually became a sound director for several series he’d worked on. As a musician, Totaka is a member of A Slice of Life, a jazz ensemble, in which he plays vibraphone. He would even perform on the Vibraphone for the Mario Kart 8 soundtrack. Interestingly, Totaka has also provided voices for several characters, including Yoshi and K.K. Slider.
Robert F. Fox (1991), better known as Toby Fox, is an American video game developer and composer. Fox would study the works of Yoko Shimomura, being influenced by her work as a video game composer. In fact, his popular song “Megalovania” had begun as an arrangement of Shimomura’s “Megalomania”. In high school, Fox’s compositions would show up in a series called Homestuck, beginning his career in game composition. From there, he would create the soundtracks of Undertale (2015) and Deltarune (2018) and become a respected game developer and composer featured in many series including Super Smash Bros.
Where to Stream A Tapestry Of Sound:
If you cannot attend the live performance, A Tapestry Of Sound will be available digitally. Jamiia Franklin releases her music on several streaming platforms. A Tapestry Of Sound will appear on: YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio, and Tidal. Please note that it will take time for A Tapestry Of Sound to become available on each platform due to delays in obtaining and distributing audio recordings.
