Voice within a Voice: Unaccompanied Works for Saxophone using Contemporary Vocal Techniques

Biography

Jacob Kopcienski is an American saxophonist in his second year of studies with Jean-Michel Goury at the CRR-Boulogne Billancourt and is a 2014-15 Harriet Hale Woolley Scholar at the Fondation des Etats Unis. He has presented numerous concerts and recitals in the United States, France, Italy, Malaysia, and Australia. Jacob is also a supporter of the commissioning process most recently having commissioned four new works for saxophone quartet which he premiered in Australia. Previous to his time in France, Jacob completed a Bachelors of Music Education at Bowling Green State University where he studied with Distinguished Artist Professor, Dr. John Sampen. Jacob has also independently studied with Dr. Chien Kwan Lin and was a participant of the 2013 and 2014 American Saxophone Academies.

More information

My program proposal, “Voice within a Voice” is offered as result of my 2014-2015 studies, funded by the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship through the Fondation des Etats Unis, which focus on the utilization of singing and vocalizations as a saxophonist. This consists of the aforementioned techniques in three settings: during normal tone production, through the saxophone (no “normal” tone produced), and “normal” vocalizations (without the saxophone). The goals of this project were to study a selection of extant repertoire using these techniques as well as commission new works to continue to develop their use in contemporary writing for saxophone. The eventual goal of the project is to create a full program of new works that explore these techniques.

The first work will be a transcription of Atemstudie (c. 10’) for Soprano Saxophone) by Vinko Globokar. The piece, in its original form, for solo oboe, explores the relationship between the oboe and the voice/breathing of the oboist. Atemstudie also experiments with “egressive and ingressive” breathing and singing through the instrument. The version for soprano saxophone will render the same effects as the version for oboe with adaptations of certain double reed techniques that are not possible or practical on soprano saxophone. My transcription for soprano saxophone is being guided by my previous and continuing work with the composer (Vinko Globokar) and American Oboist David Cyzak (a DMA candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States) who is currently writing his doctoral dissertation on the version for oboe.

The second work by Australian composer Peter Wilson, is an extension of my previous work with the composer on his piece for saxophone quartet “Canyons, Choirs, Cubes”, which explored the vocal qualities of the saxophone in relationship to the voice of the saxophonist. After working together in the summer of 2014, we both agreed that his writing and interests would work well with my project for the coming year. His new short work (5-6’) for solo saxophone and explore similar vocal qualities to those found in his quartet and explore the techniques and practices I have been studying this year.