SOLO CELLO
Anna Steenson
Classical - Celtic - Modern - Folk
MUSIC is a passion
From classical to celtic, modern to folk, I enjoy playing it all. I actively play in chamber music ensembles and orchestras. I have a B.A. degree in music from Drake University and have been playing cello for over
10 years.
living life through soundtracks
MUSICIAN /
collaborator - Multi-instrumentalist - composer
COMPOSER
Emerging minimalist composer.
Focusing on film scores, chamber music, and solo pieces.
Flight is a minimalist composition that alternates between sections of Phrases and Patterns. While the Phrases are structured with meter, the Patterns are indeterminate. I have composed the Pattern sections as a blueprint for the performers, allowing the musicians to control aspects of the composition such as timing, meter, dynamics, and entrances. Each performance will sound unique. Flight is an illustrative term sparking connections with soaring birds, elevation, and freedom.
Performed by: Anna Steenson, cello; A. Jacksack, piano and mallets; and Elaina Steenson, viola and mallets
Pictured: Score excerpt of Pattern 1
Reflections is a minimalist composition that alternates between sections of Phrases and Patterns. While the Phrases are structured with meter, the Patterns are indeterminate. I have composed the Pattern sections as a blueprint for the performers, allowing the musicians to control aspects of the composition such as timing, meter, dynamics, and entrances. Each performance will sound unique. Flight is an illustrative term sparking connections with soaring birds, elevation, and freedom.
Performed by: Anna Steenson
Pictured: Score excerpt of Reflections
Saturday 25, May 2008 is a piece I began writing in 5th grade when I first started to learn cello. Early on I had been exposed to minimalist music of Phillip Glass and Arvo Pärt and those composers were part of the inspiration for this piece. The date mentioned in the title was the day that a tornado ripped through a small town of Parkersburg in Iowa. My family was on the way back from a trip to Northern Iowa and we had passed the tornado as we were driving. One side of the sky was intense and dark while the other side was bright a beautiful. The tornado destroyed much of the town and the only way I knew how to process what had happened, was to write music. I wrote this short piece and ten years later, it evolved into the film score for my animation, ink.
Performed by: Anna Steenson, cello; A. Jacksack, piano
Pictured: Score excerpt of original composition and cue sheet of ink
MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST
My musical interest doesn't stop at cello. If it has strings on it, I most likely have played it. One could say I'm addicted.
Some of my favorite instruments to play include mandolin, guitar, classical guitar, ukulele, mandola, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, bouzouki, and piano
Other musical VENTURES
ClearJoy is a musical collaboration of my sister and I. We provide music for any venue, including receptions, parties, house concerts, weddings, church and civic events. We each play multiple instruments and provide a variety of music genres. Check out our website.
I salvage old, broken, unusable musical instruments and give them a new life as art. Check out this blog to learn about my process
I compose music for some of my film and animation projects. Check out my recent project, ink.