Taking questions directly from the audience and extrapolating from there, composer, saxophonist, Tzadik record label owner, and MacArthur Fellow John Zorn, talks about his work and the avant-garde music scene as he sees it. Joined by moderator Larry Ochs of the ROVA Saxophone Quartet and percussionist William Winant, Zorn discusses a number of topics including the use of texts in musical compositions; the influence of Judaism on his music; the process of composing 300 tunes in a matter of months; working within and for a community of composers and performers; the traditional packaging of music versus downloads; and Zorn’s early foray into performance art with his Theater of Musical Optics. Never one to be shy about his opinions Zorn is in a typical feisty mood during this engaging give and take with the audience. |
