In his dark square-framed glasses, Jared Richardson looks confident and at ease sitting at the helm of his baby grand piano.
ItB次元官网网址檚 not surprising. The 17-year-old View Royal virtuoso has played piano since age five and started composing music at age 11. He has his sights set on writing music for Hollywood movies, like John Williams or Hans Zimmer.
As difficult and rare as it is to make a career as a composer, Richardson is well on his way. The recent Spectrum secondary grad is the first young musician to have an original score accepted to the Symphony Splash program.
Written at age 16 after a family hiking trip to Kananaskis, Alta., RichardsonB次元官网网址檚 Winds of Kananaskis is on the lineup after TchaikovskyB次元官网网址檚 Waltz of the Flowers and before Remembering the Beatles for the wildly popular Victoria Symphony concert in VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Inner Harbour.
Victoria Symphony music director Tania Miller first heard Kananaskis at a young composers workshop in April this year, and knew immediately it had the spark of brilliance.
B次元官网网址淭ania Miller called me and said sheB次元官网网址檇 like to perform it at Symphony Splash,B次元官网网址� Richardson said. B次元官网网址淚 was surprised. I was like wow, thatB次元官网网址檚 cool. Symphony Splash will be the first full performance IB次元官网网址檝e had."
He originally composed Winds of Kananaskis for his high school band and later expanded it for a full orchestra B次元官网网址� 25 different instruments. The original score took a few weeks to assemble and a few weeks more for an orchestra. He used software to get a sense of the overall sound, but hearing it emerge from the symphony workshop was more than heB次元官网网址檇 hoped for.
B次元官网网址淚 used a computer program with a virtual symphony, but to hear real people playing it, the sound is so much better. Hearing it brought to life is an amazing experience.B次元官网网址�
Miller says RichardsonB次元官网网址檚 work was selected from a group of composers mostly in their 20s and 30s. ItB次元官网网址檚 almost unheard of for such a teenage composer to produce work of such depth and imagination, she said in an interview.
B次元官网网址淭o compose at such a young age at such a deep level of music and music making is rare. Most students at JaredB次元官网网址檚 age are just learning to play notes and rhythms,B次元官网网址� Miller said.
B次元官网网址�(Winds of Kananaskis) is very joyful, upbeat and spirited melody. For me, JaredB次元官网网址檚 piece has got a young pulse running through it, that will get everybody in the excited spirit that we all have a Symphony Splash.B次元官网网址�
This is the first young composer score in Splash, but it wonB次元官网网址檛 necessarily be an annual part of the show. Miller said its extremely rare for a young musician to generate that quality of work.
B次元官网网址淛ared is unique. IB次元官网网址檝e never seen work like this from somebody at a high school age. Kids in high school are not usually at that level.B次元官网网址�
Richardson started composing music by playing around on his piano, and it grew from there. Since composing Winds of Kananaskis heB次元官网网址檚 written two more orchestra pieces and has an overall body of work of 70 scores covering jazz, classical and a few small films. B次元官网网址淥ne film was called B次元官网网址楳ath Ninjas.B次元官网网址� It was small budget but good practice,B次元官网网址� he said laughing. B次元官网网址淚 plan to be a film composer for a career.B次元官网网址�
This September heB次元官网网址檒l start a music degree at the University of Victoria, with the long term goal of entering the film scoring program a the University of Southern California.
B次元官网网址淓very year they have a young soloist for Splash, but this is the first time ever for a young composer,B次元官网网址� Richardson says. B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 get to conduct the orchestra, but IB次元官网网址檒l be watching.B次元官网网址�
Richardson and his brother Ash regularly perform jazz at the Superior restaurant in Victoria. RichardsonB次元官网网址檚 music can be heard at www.jared-richardson.com. For more on Symphony Splash www.victoriasymphonysplash.ca.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
