Ken Christianson
Encyclopedia
Ken Christianson is a musician
and artist
living in Los Angeles
, California, U.S.A. He is the composer
of the score to the short film Better Left Alone (2005). He is also a resident composer
for the Minneapolis-based theater group, the Drama Troupe Players. He is also resident composer for the Samantha Giron Dance Project. Ken is the bassist for the Los Angeles
funk-jam band The Three Trees.
Ken is the younger sibling of Masanori Mark Christianson
, bass-player of the California indie rock
band The Heavenly States. He obtained his BFA
in Sculpture
from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design
, and his MFA
in Music Composition from CalArts.
Ken finished a tour at the end of August 2008 with the Samantha Giron Dance Project, with performances at the new Santa Fe Complex in Santa Fe, NM, the 2008 Boulder Fringe Festival in Colorado, as well as the 2008 Celebrate Dance Festival in San Diego, CA. His compositions for the tour included pre-recorded music as well as live electronic and acoustic performance.
Ken performed the Jeff Buckley
and Elizabeth Fraser
cover "All Flowers in Time Bend Towards the Sun" at the 2008 Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute in Los Angeles, CA under the pseudonym Scott Mead.
Ken again composed and arranged music in collaboration with the Samantha Giron Dance Project for eight performances at the Unknown Theater in Los Angeles
in April 2009 with a piece entitled Mongrels, a multi-form modern dance
performance capturing the spirit of the underground dance community synthesizing classical violin-driven music with club and modern dance
.
Ken released a self-produced a 26-track double album set on January 15, 2010 entitled Sunshine/Shadow.
On February 11, 2010, Ken performed at the "To Haiti With Love" all-star musical jam at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, CA, sharing the bill with other artists such as Common, Daniel Bedingfield
, and Judith Hill
.
Ken composed and performed the score for a dance series entitled "Dis-Illusions", choreographed by Donna Sternberg. The first of this series was performed at the Royal T Cafe in Culver City, CA on November 7, 2010. "Dis-Illusions II" was performed May 7, 2011 at the LA Live Arts space in Eagle Rock, CA.
In March 2011, Ken signed with Angry Mob Publishing based in Santa Monica
, CA.
Ken continued his ongoing collaboration with choreographer Samantha Giron again for the performance of "Sex, Love, Money," a modern ballet shown at San Francisco's CounterPULSE theater on July 22 and 23, 2011. Critic Stephanie Echeveste of SF Weekly
remarked, "The score by Ken Christianson was a delight, ranging from muted underwater explosions to trembling violins, glitchy electronic melodies, and pulsating beats. Sprinkled throughout were anecdotal soundbites about marriage, which frame the piece."
Ken composed music for "The Flowering of Desire", the first in a series of dance performances choreographed by Donna Sternberg & Dancers on November 13, 2011. The piece was performed at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City, CA and made possible by grants from the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment
.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
living in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California, U.S.A. He is the composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of the score to the short film Better Left Alone (2005). He is also a resident composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
for the Minneapolis-based theater group, the Drama Troupe Players. He is also resident composer for the Samantha Giron Dance Project. Ken is the bassist for the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
funk-jam band The Three Trees.
Ken is the younger sibling of Masanori Mark Christianson
Masanori Mark Christianson
Masanori Mark Christianson is a Japanese-Korean-American musician, art director, copywriter, visual artist and model...
, bass-player of the California indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band The Heavenly States. He obtained his BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit four-year and postgraduate college specializing in the visual arts. Located in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, MCAD currently enrolls approximately 1,000 students offering curriculum that includes...
, and his MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in Music Composition from CalArts.
Ken finished a tour at the end of August 2008 with the Samantha Giron Dance Project, with performances at the new Santa Fe Complex in Santa Fe, NM, the 2008 Boulder Fringe Festival in Colorado, as well as the 2008 Celebrate Dance Festival in San Diego, CA. His compositions for the tour included pre-recorded music as well as live electronic and acoustic performance.
Ken performed the Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
and Elizabeth Fraser
Elizabeth Fraser
Elizabeth Davidson Fraser is a Scottish singer best known as the vocalist for the pioneer alternative rock group Cocteau Twins...
cover "All Flowers in Time Bend Towards the Sun" at the 2008 Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute in Los Angeles, CA under the pseudonym Scott Mead.
Ken again composed and arranged music in collaboration with the Samantha Giron Dance Project for eight performances at the Unknown Theater in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in April 2009 with a piece entitled Mongrels, a multi-form modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
performance capturing the spirit of the underground dance community synthesizing classical violin-driven music with club and modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
.
Ken released a self-produced a 26-track double album set on January 15, 2010 entitled Sunshine/Shadow.
On February 11, 2010, Ken performed at the "To Haiti With Love" all-star musical jam at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, CA, sharing the bill with other artists such as Common, Daniel Bedingfield
Daniel Bedingfield
Daniel John Bedingfield is a British singer-songwriter. He is the brother of pop singers Natasha Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle.-Music career:...
, and Judith Hill
Judith Hill
-Biography:Hill's mother is a pianist from Tokyo who met Hill's father in a funk band in the 1970s. Together they raised Judith in a very musical household. She is of both Japanese and Black descent.-Career:...
.
Ken composed and performed the score for a dance series entitled "Dis-Illusions", choreographed by Donna Sternberg. The first of this series was performed at the Royal T Cafe in Culver City, CA on November 7, 2010. "Dis-Illusions II" was performed May 7, 2011 at the LA Live Arts space in Eagle Rock, CA.
In March 2011, Ken signed with Angry Mob Publishing based in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, CA.
Ken continued his ongoing collaboration with choreographer Samantha Giron again for the performance of "Sex, Love, Money," a modern ballet shown at San Francisco's CounterPULSE theater on July 22 and 23, 2011. Critic Stephanie Echeveste of SF Weekly
SF Weekly
SF Weekly is a free alternative weekly newspaper in San Francisco, California. The newspaper, distributed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area every Wednesday, is published by Village Voice Media, a 16-paper alt weekly newspaper chain that also includes the New York City Village Voice and the Los...
remarked, "The score by Ken Christianson was a delight, ranging from muted underwater explosions to trembling violins, glitchy electronic melodies, and pulsating beats. Sprinkled throughout were anecdotal soundbites about marriage, which frame the piece."
Ken composed music for "The Flowering of Desire", the first in a series of dance performances choreographed by Donna Sternberg & Dancers on November 13, 2011. The piece was performed at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City, CA and made possible by grants from the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
.