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Interview with Jesper Nordin
February 14, 2011
Jesper Nordin is a Swedish composer. For information about his work, visit www.jespernordin.com.
Tibbetts: How long have you composed, and what made you decide to become a composer?
Nordin: I started music quite late; I started to play punk rock when I was 16-17 and didn't learn how to read and write music until I was 21-22. But in one way I was a composer from the start since I always preferred writing new songs instead of practicing. Therefore I never became a very good musician, but I developed my way of doing music instead.
Tibbetts: What inspires you?
Nordin: Music! Many types of music--I actually listen mostly to rock music (in the large sense of the word) but I also love jazz, music from many different cultures (Indian raga, Japanese music, Indonesian gamelan music and so on) as well as the full classical tradition from early medieval music through the classical periods on until contemporary music. I guess I could say I'm interested in music as such and I think there are interesting things in almost every genre. When it comes to rock and pop music I have a main interest in artists like David Bowie, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree and others who use a wide range of styles and expressions, but I also listen a lot to more pop-based artists like Prince, Tori Amos or Robbie Williams as well as more heavy bands like Meshuggah, Nine Inch Nails or Rage Against The Machine. Another kind of music I like a lot is the more repetitive music (in completely different ways) of bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor, Archive or The Dandy Warhols.
When it comes to contemporary music I could go on for a long time, but I could sum up my taste in naming Scelsi, Ligeti and Romitelli.
Tibbetts: Of all you have done, what do you consider your best work, and why?
Nordin: "Best" is always very difficult. There are pieces I am very happy with because I found something new that became important for me, and others that I'm happy with because they were successful, and finally of course the best piece is always the piece I'm working on right now. ;-)
But if I have to mention three pieces it would probably be:
1. calm like a bomb (2000) for violin and electronics, that has been my most performed work and in which I somehow defined many things that I'm still working on.
2. Residues for orchestra and the custom-built instruments of Jean-François Laporte. I have composed a lot for the orchestra and so far I consider this my strongest orchestral piece...but I'm just finishing a bassoon concerto right now that will be premiered by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Harding in September, so as soon as it's performed I hope to change this sentiment. ;-)
3. Pendants (2009) for ensemble and live electronics and live video, commissioned and premiered by Ensemble Itinéraire in Paris.
Tibbetts: What is your 'typical day' like?
Nordin: Working in my studio in Stockholm or traveling. Right now I'm in Paris, and I'm here quite a lot since France is where I get most of my commissions now.
Tibbetts: Do you have any words of wisdom to offer to aspiring composers and musicians?
Nordin: Find the way of working that interests and excites you the most and develop it all the time. Start with want you want to do, and not where you want to do it or who you would like to be playing it. I would never have imagined that my music would work so well in France since I don't think I'm very "French" in my style, but if you keep exploring your own voice first you can always find places where people can appreciate it.
If you are an intuitive composer, find ways of developing the technical aspects of your music; if you're a technical composer, find ways of letting freedom in your music. Finally, if you are trying to compose in a certain style or copy a certain composer, ask yourself if your music is better than the things you are copying; otherwise don't bother.
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