BCCM: Did you choose the Cole Conservatory or did the Cole choose you?
JLK: I chose to come here because the practice rooms are outside and sometimes people go to class in their pjs. I thought I needed an "open" environment to grow as a musician.
BCCM: When / Why (did you choose) Composition?
JLK: While practicing marimba, in 2005 in a hallway at Ventura College, I realized how much I hated playing marimba, and thought I shouldn't have to just to be a percussion major. This made me think "what do I really love about music?" and suddenly it was clear that composition was my passion.
BCCM: Any musical influences—teachers, family, experiences (performances)?
JLK: My mother—she became a professional artist even though several people, with the exception of my father, doubted her vision. With just a little college experience, she launched her own successful photography business. She believed in my musical abilities so strongly that she put all of the money from her business towards my undergraduate education. My mom even sold her truck to get me through the years I didn't earn enough scholarship money—she's an amazing woman.
BCCM: Do you coach, tutor, or in your case, collaborate with other composers, etc?
JLK: I teach private piano lessons to mostly older teens.
BCCM: Do you have any special techniques or teaching tips?
JLK: I tell my students to play what they want to play and not what their parents want to hear. They work harder to play the music that they love.
BCCM: What is your goal as a musician?
JLK: Through my work as a composer I hope to raise awareness about mental illness and help bridge the gap between those affected and not.
Congratulations to Justin Leo Kennedy, our February 2013 Cole Scholar of the Month! |