Jason Alder

Jason Alder is an American-born clarinetist, bass clarinetist, and saxophonist.[1] He is best known for his work in contemporary music, free improvisation, and electro-acoustic music.

Jason Alder
Background information
BornLivonia, Michigan, U.S.
GenresContemporary classical, jazz, world, electroacoustic, experimental, free improvisation
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsClarinet, saxophone
Associated actsPayazen! Klezmer Band, Shadanga Duo, Sonido 13, JORO, Spinfist
Websitewww.jasonalder.com

Biography

Alder grew up in Westland, a suburb of Detroit, and performed with the Michigan Youth Band at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor while in high school.[2] He holds a degree in music from Michigan State University, where he studied clarinet with Frank Ell.[3] In 2006 he moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, to study bass clarinet at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Erik van Deuren, where he obtained a second degree. He received an MMus from the Artez Conservatorium in Arnhem, Netherlands, studying free improvisation in the New Dutch Swing program with saxophonist and bass clarinetist Frank Gratkowski and double bassist Wilbert de Joode. In 2017 he began a PhD program at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK researching the contrabass clarinet. His other teachers have included Richard Hawkins, Kimberly Cole, Yaniv Nachum, Michael Lowenstern, David Krakauer, Ernesto Molinari, and Claudio Puntin.[4]

Alder specializes in contemporary classical music and working with electronics. In 2010 he created a Max/MSP patch to perform Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Solo für melodieinstrument und Rückkopplung" using only a computer in place of the 6 reel-to-reel tape machines and 4 assistants originally required to perform the piece.[5] Alder has also worked with composers to develop electronics for their compositions. In 2013 he collaborated with Robert Ratcliffe on his piece "Wake up Call", originally for bass clarinet and fixed-medium electronic accompaniment. Alder created a Max/MSP patch which allowed for adding effects to the bass clarinet, as well as rearranging the sections of the piece, as is specified by Ratcliffe in the score.[6] He has worked with and/or premiered pieces from a number of composers, including Christian Wolff, Stefan Prins, Gabriel Prokofiev, André Douw, Francisco Castillo Trigueros, Andys Skordis, Thanos Chrysakis, Rodrigo Tascón, Yu Oda, and Thanasis Deligiannis. He also performs with flutist Katalin Szanyi in the Shadanga Duo, which worked with composer Louis Aguirre and other members of the Danish composers group Snow Mask to commission and premiere new works.[7] In 2018, he became the first person to play the contrabass clarinet in Cuba with a solo performance at the Havana Festival of Contemporary Music.

In addition to composed music, Alder is an improviser and has performed solo, in Sonido 13- an electroacoustic duo with saxophonist Harry Cherrin, and with other improvisers such as Tom Jackson and Alex Ward.[8] In duo with Austrian vocalist Magdalena Hahnkamper as megalodon/na, he won the Lyrik Live prize from the Austrian radio station Ö1 for a free improvisation theater/performance art/video piece.[9]

Alder also performs in jazz and world music bands such as the klezmer-jazz band Payazen!, gypsy punk band Victor Menace, afrobeat bands JORO and Matuki, with Bangladeshi/British singer Shapla Salique, and with the Balkan-jazz band Mimika. He has also studied karnatic music. In 2014 Alder toured with Idina Menzel and Rob Mounsey, and has played in other pop and rock bands such as The Lazlo Device, The Palumbo Phunk, Novack, Canvas Blanco, and RaskalBOMFukkerz. He played bass guitar in the bands Spinfist and June Ruin.

Alder has performed at festivals around the world, such as ClarinetFest,[10][11][12] European Clarinet Festival, Istanbul Woodwind Festival,[13] American Single Reed Summit[14], Gaudeamus Contemporary Music Festival, Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Havana Festival of Contemporary Music, International Festival for Artistic Innovation,[15] and the Ferrara Buskers Festival.[16]

Alder has authored extended range quarter-tone fingering charts for both clarinet and bass clarinet.[17][18][19][20][21][22]

In 2015 he became the editor of The Clarinet [Online] for the International Clarinet Association.[1][23]

Discography
  • Jason Alder, Chris Cundy, Tim Hodgkinson, Heather Roche, Yoni Silver, Shadanga Duo, Music for Bass Clarinets (2019). Clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Jason Alder & Piotr Michałowski, Contradictions: Duets for Contrabass and Contra-Alto Clarinets (2019). Contrabass and Contra-alto clarinets.
  • Jason Alder, Thanos Chrysakis, Caroline Kraabel, Yoni Silver, Music for Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinets & Electronics (2019). B♭, E♭, bass, contrabass clarinets.
  • The Lazlo Device, You Stumble, I Fall (2018). Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet.
  • Mimika Orchestra, Divinities of the Earth and the Waters (2018). PDV Records. Clarinet, baritone saxophone.
  • Attila Gyarfas Trio, Cloud Factory (2018). Sinistra. Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Jason Alder, Alex Ward, Tom Jackson Clarinet Trio, Tottenham Hale (2017). Roam Releases. Clarinet, bass clarinet, E♭ clarinet.
  • Skronk, Skronk #28 (2017). Skronk Records. Contrabass clarinet.
  • Noizemaschin!! London, Noizemaschin!! London #12 (2017). Bass clarinet.
  • Apocalypse Jazz Unit, Crash Land: Three Live Performances (2017). Skronk Records. Clarinet.
  • Noizemaschin!! London, Noizemaschin!! London #8 (2016). Bass clarinet.
  • Skronk, Skronk #4 (2016). Skronk Records. Bass clarinet.
  • Noizemaschin!! London, Noizemaschin!! London #3 (2016). Bass clarinet.
  • Canvas Blanco, Call Me Lucky Fat or Skinny (2015). Room Service Music. Clarinet.
  • RaaskalBOMFukkerz, Vlucht Witte Raven (2014). Toztizok Zoundz. Clarinet.
  • Wouter Seinen, Paraplu (2013). Bass Clarinet
  • The Pale Blue Dot Ensemble, The Pale Blue Dot (2013). Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Payazen! Klezmer Band, Adain Chai (2011). Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Payazen! Klezmer Band, Nesia Tova (2011). Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Payazen! Klezmer Band, Where are My Keys??? (2011). Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • Sonido 13, Versorium (2009). Clarinet, bass clarinet, electronics.
  • Payazen! Klezmer Band, Where are My Shoes??? (2009). Clarinet, bass clarinet.
  • June Ruin, June Ruin (2004). Bass guitar.
  • June Ruin, Register.Rock.Vote (Compilation) (2005). Bass guitar.
  • Michigan State University Wind Symphony, Simple Gifts: The Music of Frank Ticheli, vol. 2 (2002). MarkMasters Label. Bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet.
  • Spinfist, The Underground (Compilation) (2000). Vertigo Productions. Bass guitar.
  • Spinfist, Bothered EP (2000). 2/1 Productions. Bass guitar.
  • Spinfist, Loud & Local No Frills (Compilation) (1999). Epitaph Magazine. Bass guitar.
  • Spinfist, Money is Power (1998). 2/1 Productions. Bass guitar.

Soundtracks

  • Beren op de Weg (2014), Nadia Meezen. Short animation. Clarinet.
  • Iliriana: Just When You Think It's Over, It Begins (2009), Ernest Meholli. Feature film. Clarinet.
gollark: It will run out of storage.
gollark: Wow. Yes. How amazing. You ran a command a lot and ignored many errors and warnings.
gollark: yeees.
gollark: What do you mean "make it"?
gollark: Yes.

References
  1. "Meet the I.C.A.'s new Editor of The Clarinet [Online]". International Clarinet Association. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. "1995-1996 Programs Presented by Guest Artists, Faculty, and Students of The School of Music, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor". Google Books. School of Music, Theatre & Dance (University of Michigan) Publications. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  3. Paddock, Tracey Lynn. "A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth Century American Clarinetists". FSU Digital Library. Florida State University Libraries. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  4. "Woodwinds Artist Details". D'Addario Woodwinds. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  5. Sparnaay, Harry (2011). The Bass Clarinet: A Personal History (3 ed.). Barcelona: Periferia. p. 111. ISBN 9788493884505.
  6. Ratcliffe, Robert (December 2013). "The Conception and Realisation of Wake up Call: Hybrid Compositional and Improvisatory Strategies in the Creation of a 'Mixed' Electronic Work". Sonic Ideas. 6 (11): 48–58. ISSN 2317-9694. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  7. "Komponistgruppen Snow Mask Ensemble har inviteret den hollandske Shadanga Duo ti..." SNYK. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. Chuter, Jack. "LIVE: CRAM FESTIVAL – JASON ALDER + TOM JACKSON + ALEX WARD, MARCIO MATTOS, SUE LYNCH + ADRIAN NORTHOVER". ATTN:Magazine. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  9. "Hautnah – Lyrik live im KlangTheater". oe1.orf.at. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  10. "ClarinetFest®2014 Artists". The Clarinet. 41 (2): 56c. March 2014. ISSN 0361-5553.
  11. Abella, Héctor (March 2015). "ClarinetFest® 2015". The Clarinet. 42 (2): 31. ISSN 0361-5553.
  12. Koons, Keith (March 2017). "ClarinetFest® 2017 Lands in Orlando July 26-30". The Clarinet. 43 (2): 60. ISSN 0361-5553.
  13. "Istanbul launches music festival dedicated to wind instruments". DailySabah. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  14. "Performers". American Single Reed Summit. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  15. "International Festival for Artistic Innovation Programme" (PDF). International Festival for Artistic Innovation. Leeds College of Music. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  16. MonrifNet. "I colori dei musicisti di strada accendono la notte estense - Il Resto Del Carlino - Ferrara". www.ilrestodelcarlino.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  17. Lignitz-Hahn, Kelly (September 2014). "Clarinet Cache: A Guide to Bass Clarinet on the Web". The Clarinet. 41 (4): 28. ISSN 0361-5553.
  18. Jackson, Thomas. "A Practice-Based Investigation of the Clarinet Through Free Improvisation" (PDF). Canterbury Research and These Environment. Canterbury Christ Church University. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  19. Everall, Philip. "A digital resource for navigating extended techniques on bass clarinet". Research Online. Edith Cowan University. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  20. Iles, Jennifer Beth. "The Changing Role of the Bass Clarinet: Support for Its Integration into the Modern Clarinet Studio". UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. UNLV University Libraries. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  21. Alder, Jason. "Bass Clarinet Quarter-Tone Fingering Chart" (PDF). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  22. Alder, Jason. "Clarinet Quarter-Tone Fingering Chart" (PDF). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  23. "The Clarinet". The Clarinet. 43 (3). June 2016. ISSN 0361-5553.
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