Jim O'Leary
Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
Jim O’Leary is a composer from Windsor, Newfoundland. After completing undergraduate studies in percussion performance, Jim turned his focus to composition; studying in Sweden with composer Jan Sandström. After several years working in Stockholm, he returned to academia, obtaining an MPhil at Cambridge, followed by a Ph.D from Queens University, Belfast.
Jim was Composer-in-Residence with the PEI Symphony Orchestra 2011-2013. His current artistic project concerns the Beothuk, the extinct indigenous people of Newfoundland. Jim lives in Charlottetown, PEI.
PROJET
Music for saxophone quartet
The first thing I thought about was: what are the advantages and what are the limitations of a saxophone quartet? In the beginning, I thought a lot of the technical aspect of the instrument. I don’t think the environment I live in now affects my music at all, but the environment I grew up in, it’s got mountains, big lakes, big forests and there’s not very many people. Often I start in the beginning writing sketches in color. I use colored pencils and crayons and I make sketches with shapes of colors with mostly ideas about form. Then I’ll start to get more concrete ideas in musical terms.
« I always carry with me the landscape of where I come from. »
Meeting Jim O'Leary
Music for Saxophone Quartet - Jim O'Leary
MUSIC FOR SAXOPHONE QUARTET
1. Sorbet #1
2. Variation
3. Chorale
4. Scherzo
5. Sorbet #2
6. Senza Misura.