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  • An Interview with Courtney Bryan
  • Tyehimba Jess (bio)

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Tyehimba Jess

Callaloo © 2012


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Courtney Bryan

Callaloo © 2012

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Courtney Bryan is a resounding affirmation for the future of African American classical and jazz composers. She is a young maestra deeply entrenched in her native New Orleanian musical tradition, embroiled in the New York Jazz scene, internationally travelled through locales such as Cuba, a master in the history of European classical music, and always present in a now that embraces the spirituality of music as a healing force, a force for change in a complicated world.

Beginning her career as a composer from the age of five, Ms. Bryan graduated from Oberlin Conservatory and is currently completing her PhD from Columbia University under the mentorship of George Lewis. She has completed two albums, This Little Light of Mine and Quest for Freedom, both of which have received critical praise.

I met Ms. Bryan at the 2012 Callaloo Conference, where she performed several compositions for a rapt audience in a small church near Princeton’s campus. From my perch in the balcony of the church, I was able to bear witness not only to the power and oceanic depth of her music, but also to her impeccable sense of presence, of being rooted in a historical moment that extended beyond her towards the past and the future simultaneously.

I was fortunate enough to schedule an interview with Ms. Bryan at a Manhattan eatery, where she expanded on the scholarship behind her music, her broad interests that marry history and culture, her ambitious projects, and her collaborations.

JESS:

Courtney, tell me about all the projects you’ve been involved in the last four months or so. Start with the PhD dissertation.

BRYAN:

Oh, Lord. Okay. I have several projects I’m working on. The main project I’m working on, which has been put aside for the other projects, is my dissertation.

JESS:

Okay. From Columbia?

BRYAN:

From Columbia University. I’m working on a Doctorate of Musical Arts in music composition at Columbia. I’m going into my seventh and final year next year. It’s been a great program. My actual dissertation composition is for a vocal ensemble, Ekmeles. It’s a six piece vocal ensemble, and it’s a four or five part song cycle based on the theme of love with different readings from the Bible. So that’s the dissertation composition, and you’ve heard two parts of this piece at the Callaloo Conference. The first one is about the love of God and is based on Romans 8. The second one is about romantic love and it’s based on Songs of Solomon, the very erotic poetry of the Bible. Of the other two, one is going to [End Page 601] be based on Ecclesiastes 3, which is “a time for everything” and is also focused on a love of work and love of your duties. Then I’m going to do something based on Corinthians, which I just consider an all-around “what is love.” I have other ones I’m looking at, but that will comprise the dissertation composition. Along with that, I am writing an essay for my dissertation, which will be analyzing the later works of Alice Coltrane.

JESS:

Alright now I’m going to pause there for a minute because Alice Coltrane seems to be kind of a focal point for you, obviously since you’re writing about her. Can you elaborate on your relationship with Alice, or how you came to know her work and how her work influenced you and what that has meant for your scholarship?

BRYAN:

Yes. My influence from Alice Coltrane is very recent, as in the past two or three years. However, I have been hearing about her since I was younger, me being a pianist. I was into John Coltrane’s music so I’ve heard a lot about Alice Coltrane, but not a lot about her. I’ve just always heard her name and heard her music. Now that I am learning about her, I...

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