A largely self-taught musician, Kurt Mortensen (b.1971) had no formal training in music until attending college. He grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles playing in rock bands as an electric guitarist/bassist, although he always had an interest in intricate music. This fascination with complexity drew Mortensen toward progressive rock groups such as Rush, Yes and King Crimson (to name just a few) who incorporated complicated concepts taken from classical music, jazz and other diverse influences into their work. Through these rock bands, he discovered jazz and classical music.
Mortensen enrolled in many music classes as an undergraduate but did not major in music until he was a graduate student at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois where the composer earned two Masters of Music degrees (1999 and 2000). The first degree was in computer music and the second in acoustic composition. Mortensen’s teachers include: Rodney Oakes and James Phelps (computer music) and Ted Hatmaker, Tim Blickhan and Jon Polifrone (acoustic composition). He was also awarded one of ten university-wide fellowships for the 1999-2000 academic year at NIU.
His major influences are on both ends of the chronology of art music history. Although there are many, a few of his favorites include the American minimalists, particularly Steve Reich and Terry Riley; contemporary Estonian composers, most importantly Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür and Veljo Tormis; Latvian Composer Peteris Vasks and the Netherlander school of the Renaissance, especially Josquin and Ockeghem. Although these influences seem to eschew all common practice period music, this is not completely true as the composer has a strong sense of classical tradition as well.
Mortensen’s main focus has been on chamber music, although he has written some choral and orchestral works. He currently resides in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes.
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Artistic Statement
While I enjoy the complexities and compositional procedures of contemporary music, too frequently the methodology becomes more important than the final product. This is unfortunate as it has resulted in some music that is interesting to study, but not to hear. It has also subsequently alienated modern audiences.
In my music I am most concerned with balancing the intellectual concepts which determine many different formal aspects of a composition and my intuitive nature which appeals to my emotions. Although it sounds a bit cliché, it is my opinion that the best music satisfies both the cerebral and the emotional needs.
- Kurt Mortensen