Death metal guitarist Tom Jensen has had one of his
compositions selected to be performed and recorded by the
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Criag Baxter.
Death metal songs about the sex-slave trade and
people-trafficking are seldom penned by the same hand as an
accomplished orchestral composition.
But Black Mesa guitarist and University of Otago composition
student Tom Jensen is one of a rare breed who can do both.
"It's all just music to me."
The long-haired 23-year-old has been selected as one of 10
young New Zealand composers who will have one of their
orchestral works rehearsed and recorded by the New Zealand
Symphony Orchestra in September as part of the NZSO/Todd
Corporation Young Composer Awards.
Mr Jensen has been playing electric guitar at ear-splitting
decibels for the past 11 years, but says his mother was one
of the main influences on his taking composition seriously.
"Mum was a cellist and she always played Bach and Vivaldi to
us. That's where my interest in orchestral music comes from."
He described his three-minute composition for the NZSO,
titled Trench, as an "underwater soundscape".
"You picture yourself diving off a deep-sea trench and the
music is about what you would experience on the way down."
Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on your taste in
music - Mr Jensen's orchestral work does not bear any
resemblance to the heavily distorted guitar sounds, deep
growling vocals and blast-beat drumming of his death metal
songwriting.
"Black Mesa's stuff is pretty full-on technical music.
The lyrics are about the horrors of human existence.
"I've just finished writing a song about people-trafficking
and the sex slave trade."
Mr Jensen is also writing music for a video game being
produced in Norway, called World War 2 Battleship.
He said his goal was to be able to write, for payment, any
kind of music, particularly movie soundtracks.
Mr Jensen's NZSO piece will be assessed by industry
professionals.
He stands to win a cash award of $750 and be offered a
commission to compose a piece for an NZSO chamber group to
perform in New Zealand schools. john.lewis@odt.co.nz
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.