Zachary Watkins studied composition with Janice Giteck, Jarrad Powell, Robin Holcomb and Jovino Santos Neto at Cornish and has also studied with Chris Brown and Fred Frith. As a recording engineer, Zachary has worked with composer James Tenney, free jazz trio Floss on Monktail Records, Paul Rutherford, Harris Eisenstadt, poet Stephen Ratcliffe as well as his own compositions. He has collaborated with choreographer Becca Levy and Butoh choreographer Christina Braun on works performed at the South Pasadena High Performing Arts Center and the Temescal Arts Center in Oakland, CA. A recent collaboration with choreographer Lola A. Katie was premiered on March 18th at the Mills Dance Thesis presentations.
Zachary was awarded a Mills Research Grant that funded the performance of the multimedia work “L.C.S.L.” involving video, SuperCollider generated synthesis, string bass, prepared piano and percussion. The Odeon String Quartet and the Seattle Chamber Players have performed his compositions. A Spring 2004 commission by clarinetist Beth Fleenor yielded the new work “(206)culture,” scored for tape, b flat bass clarinet, prepared piano and maracas. A Cornish College of the Arts commiasion yielded the new work “Aircraft Without Life For Floss With Lil’Ray and Joe Gray” premiered on March 4, 2006. As a performer he played prepared piano and electronics in “I, Norton,” a multimedia opera by composer Gino Robair. He also appears on the studio recording of “I, Norton.” Zachary recently performed interactive electronics as part of the Jon Rose residency concert at Mills College. His most recent sound art work entitled “Designed Obsolescence,” “spoke as a metaphor for the breakdown of the dream of technology and the myth of our society’s permanence,” review by Susan Noyes Platt in the Summer 05 issue of ARTLIES. The Walrus Press and Birds & Whistles have published his compositions.
Suite for String Quartet
Suite for Strings Quartet has been in a continuos state of "revision" since its beginnings last Christmas. For this current version I have developed a new tuning for all 16 strings. Each string of the quartet has been retuned to an odd number partial of the cello's fourth string. The highest partial employed is the 107th and the lowest partial above the fundamental is the 35th harmonic. I will be performing on my laptop using an instrument I built in SuperCollider which will process as well as analyze and react to the string instruments in real-time. Please feel free to explore the foyer. Move quickly, move slowly, make subtle movements, dance! Listen to the unique characteristics of the space and the sounds being performed by both the loud speakers, strings players and yourselves!
Suite for String Quartet:
for mother, sister and elisabeth
for those effected by water last Christmas
for dad, brother and myself!