#my parents are both classical musicians and played in orchestras my whole childhood so

[diazsdimples]

Some of y'all are sleeping on classical music I fear, like nothing will get me more emotional than the final few bars of a piece with a full orchestra playing at top volume, bonus points if there's an organ or a choir involved

[kishimoto-did-us-dirty]

Naruto Arts School AU

Character

- major

description

Naruto

-Drums

okie nobody can deny that our main boy over here is a loud soul, however, he can also carry a damn good beat that compliments his band mates’ music really well. Tbh, he sucked at music to begin with and had trouble matching rhythms and listening to his band mates when they played, however he eventually became a really good rhythm maker.

Sasuke

-Guitar (lead)

He’d be assigned to the same band as Naruto, and that’s how they met. This boy is a damn good guitarist y’all, but has attitude problems™, and used to not be able to deal with Naruto’s haphazard beat making, thus perpetuating a rivalry between the two. He constantly feels overshadowed by his elder brother Itachi, a piano major.

Sakura 

- Dance

Ya girl fucking demolishes every single dance routine. Initially starting out with a focus on ballet (pre-shippuden in canon), our pink headed queen soon realized that she wasn’t getting the full experience of what it meant to dance. Her point shoes were her loves, however they hurt and nipped in places not just physical. She realized that she didn’t want to be pigeonholed into a genre of which she would be inhibited by standard, and rather to dance so as to forget technical perfection. Thus, what would partner with post-shippuden Sakura in canon, Art School AU Sakura got into hip-hop. And bitch, she goes hard. A lot of the other girls who she used to dance ballet with admire her for her absolutely BODYING her dance routines, but also for never sacrificing her femininity to dance and not taking BS for being a girl who goes so hard in a male-dominated genre. (Some people believe that hip-hop is heavy hitting and a little metaphorically ��dark” so to speak, which Sakura is not. So obviously I expect a little disagreement regarding this, however if you look at people like Delaney Glazer or Kaycee Rice, that is how Sakura would dance). 

Hinata

- Creative Writing

Shy and bookworm-like, Hinata can write the best poetry, romance and adventure pieces out of all the creative-writing majors. She’s especially good at writing character relationships and development, and has such a subtle sense of intelligent wit in her writing, that if you blinked you would miss it. However should you catch it, you’re sure to chuckle. Her only struggle is that she tends to drag on in important scenes, stretching them against the regular flow of the rest of her writing. Needs validation for her writing through an IV drip.

Kiba

- Drums OR Photography

Drums for obvious reasons (loud and obnoxious), although ruff boi looks good with a camera, too. Great at landscapes and street photography.

Shino

- Creative Writing OR Photography

I could definitely see Shino having fucking beautiful handwriting, and being a beast at writing anything within the sci-fi realm. I could also see him doing some journalism, and writing for the school paper. He’s very good at the logic of his sci-fi books and coming up with logical but enrapturing stories, that intermingle knowledge and mystery. He’s a very specific type of read, however, and may not appeal to all, however if you enjoy anything similar to Star Wars or Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, then Shino is your author. If this doesn’t float your boat, though, try photography-major Shino. He can get the best angles of bugs he sees, and has an extensive portfolio with entomology-related snapshots.

Ino

- Dance

Like Sakura, she, too, began with a focus on ballet, however began to branch out into contemporary ballet a little later than Sakura. This is another reason why Sakura switched her focuses, as she and Ino had always had a fierce rivalry for dieting (ballet dancers are pressured to be as thin as possible) as well as battling for technical perfection when they were ballet focused. As the two grew, Ino focused more so on contemporary, but can certainly do some hip-hop with Sakura every now and then, just as Sakura occasionally takes a contemporary class with her. The two still have a rivalry, however, just not to the previous extent as when they were actively competing against each other. They’re more like sisters. 

Shikamaru

- Guitar (bass) OR Creative Writing OR Architecture

Smart boy’s a tricky one. He would either be a bassist, a mystery and historical fiction writer, or, of his school offers it, be great at architecture. Idrk.

Choji

- ermmmmm….. maybe graphic design? Tech theatre (props)? Vocal???

Choji is hARD dwnccnpc (that’s what she said). I could see him behind a computer screen, animating and designing games/covers/posters or whatever. He could also do something in theatre, but I don’t think he would do anything up on stage. Something like props would suit him. He might do something in music, tho???? Can he sing???? Help??? 

Tenten

- Dance

Always has been, and always will be a hip-hop dancer. She wanted to be like Tsunade, a legendary dancer and followed in her footsteps, taking up hip-hop. (that’s why Sakura focused on hip-hop, too, because Tsunade mentored her and taught a few of her classes, too). Tenten is fast and can keep up with any beat. Not only is she a great dancer, but she’s also athletic, and does track and field (cross country), football, and softball at another school too, since the arts schools doesn’t offer it. Overall great dancer with styl. She’s really looked up to by some of her underclassmen for her cheery, but badass style and skill.

Lee

- DANCE (hip-hop, too)

It’s sweat. It’s burn. It’s energy. It’s Lee.

Neji

- Violin 

First chair violinist in his freshman year for the school’s philharmonic orchestra. He be extra like that.

Gaara

- Guitar (bass)

He had a lonely childhood with neglectful/abusive parents, and rock music really helped him with that. Emo music is emo and often made fun of, but the songs have messages and Gaara related, so self-taught himself the bass guitar to help cope, and bring him closer to the music that salvaged him.

Kankuro

-Art

Specifically sculpting. For obvious reasons.

Temari

- Acting

Girl can make you cry with some of her monologues. Total lead. Has a seriousness in her acting that makes her believable, however can falter on the less-serious roles. She may also double-major in whatever Shikamaru does. And she’s better at it than him.

Itachi

-Piano

Boy could play any etude at age 7. Performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 10. And no, he didn’t pay to play there. The hall invited him. Began composing at 9. Has perfect pitch. Owns international awards. If he’s not at school it’s because he’s traveling to play for crowds. He excels at classical and baroque, however has an ear for romantic, and enjoys playing/composing pieces either written or inspired by romantic pieces. Enjoys Schumann, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky. Hates modern classical music, though. Can only take cinematic pieces composed by people like Williams, however can’t stand Prokofiev at all. He does like modern music, though, so long as it’s outside of the orchestral/classical music realm. He likes R&B. He would have liked to do film with Shisui, particularly producing, however his parents pressure him with piano, so he helps Shisui with student films and projects outside of school (will probably pursue film after graduating, tho).

Shisui

- FILM / VIDEO PRODUCTION

Fight me on this!!! THIS BOY IS SO GOOD AT CINEMATOGRAPHY MY FILMMAKING ASS CAN’T EVEN. AS SOMEONE WHO IS IN LOVE WITH FILMOGRAPHY, TRUST ME, SHISUI HAS IT™. THE IT™. HE’S GOOD AT EVERYTHING. CINEMATOGRAPHY. DIRECTING. SCREENWRITING. GRIP-WORK. EDITING. PRODUCING. HE’S SUCH A FILM NERD TOO, AND WATCHES OLD FILMS ALL THE TIME. HE’S JUST TOO GOOD AT IT. DOES STREET PHOTOGRAPHY TOO. HE’S OVERALL A GENIUS WITH CAMERAS. Does film with Itachi outside of school and teaches him, and the two are overall geniuses at filmography. They want to start their own studio together (they do, and it becomes huge). He becomes a leading director, while Itachi becomes a producer and directs sometimes too. 

Sasori, Deidara, and Sai

Guess.

Kakashi

- Saxophone

It’s the only thing that suits him and it suits him so well. Has suave.

Obito (omfg his arms y'all)

- Not to say drums or anything, but…. drums.

Narutard 2.0. But he also dabbles in other areas of music. Like, he can also play guitar and sing. He’s also pretty good at music production. Makes R&B sometimes. He wasn’t always the best musician but proved to be a late bloomer, and really harnessed his potential. Tries to be as suave as Kakashi and his saxophone. He isn’t.

Hashirama

- Vocal

OkaYYYYYY. VOCAL GOD. CAN DO RIFFS AND RUNS AND HAS PERFECT PITCH. ALSO THE SWEETEST GUY??? WAS A CHAMBER SINGER AS A FRESHMAN. EVERYONE LOVES HIM, GOOD BOY ENERGY.

Likes to belt.

Madara

- Piano

Total prodigy, but hates classical music. Once was accompanist to Hashirama for a solo vocal performance and hasn’t been left alone since. 

Tobirama

- Viola or Cello

Some sort of string instrument and takes it very seriously. Probably plays cello because violas are violas and that’s lame (if you know, you know). Has almost as many awards as Itachi and Madara, but hates his usual piano accompanist, Izuna.

Izuna

- Piano

Also a piano god. The uchihas breed them. Hates being accompanist for Tobirama. They’re secretly best friends though, don’t tell anyone.

Karin

- Tech Theatre.

Idk why. Probably started out with props and made her way up to TD (technical director) in senior year.

Suigetsu

- Tech Theatre

Fucking hates theatre kids (I feel that (I used to be one so don’t come at me)). Assistant TD. Karin hates him. 

Jugo

- Visual Art

Paints landscapes and nature. Really good with oils and gouache respectively.

Yamato

- lmao Trumpet.

Met Kakashi since they both play brass, but boy he ain’t got that suave. That’s why he plays trumpet. Lmao he plays the fucking trumpet anjdwcnojdnn.

Rin

- Vocal

Sweetest voice and could also play the acoustic guitar when she sang. Died in a car accident junior year. Kakashi was at the wheel when they got hit by a drunk driver. Obito saw the whole thing.

Kurenai

- Visual Art

Can create dream like paintings that almost seem like illusions.

Asuma

- Cello / guitar

Used to play cello because of his parents, but loves to play guitar. Can sing but his voice is raspy from smoking.

Gai

Who the fuck do you think teaches dance?

Jiraiya

- Guitar (lead)

Used to major in lead guitar. Sucked at first. Probably has a couple, casual Grammy Awards (they’re actually not that hard to be awarded with, The Recording Academy award many people outside of mainstream media. My school has a few). Now teachers as head of the Band department at this school.

Tsunade

-Dance

Legendary dancer. Probably toured with a few famous people. Now teachers. Mentored Sakura, and mentored Ino but for a shorter time.

Orochimaru

- Idk, didgeridoo, or some shit

Definitely a wood wind. Flute maybe??? Teaches now but no one knows what he does. Pedophile. Has a thing for Sasuke. 

And that’s that!! Feel free to send in more requests!! Tell me what you think~ 

[wanderingcas]

tmi about my inner workings and fears about music and my messed up childhood under the cut

i’ve always had really negative feelings associated with cello, and classical music in general. not always - i used to love it. but it was kind of beaten out of me with teachers relentlessly aiming for me to be “perfect”, my constant anxiety with rehearsals and working with other people, and asshole teachers. additionally, my parents are both classical musicians (viola and cello) and they’re highly critical people who rarely went to my concerts as a kid because “it didn’t sound that great” so yeah you can see what kind of environment i grew up in (unfortunately, i still have that highly critical and competitive side of myself that is a raging perfectionist and an absolute judgmental asshole to others and i absolutely hate that quality about me but that’s a rant for another time)

but after quitting it completely in an academic setting, and only teaching at a conservatory on the side, i find myself coming back to it in a totally different way. i had an injury that totally knocked me out of the career, so i was forced to stop. it was mostly stress that gave me the injury, i’m positive of it. i used to dread, absolutely d r e ad practicing, and cry and scream and absolutely hate myself. but now i actually really enjoy it. without deadlines or the prospect of being judged for my imperfections looming in front of me, i’m more comfortable with exploring those imperfections rather than trying to beat it out of myself. 

i just revisited an etude that i played 5 years ago for masters degree auditions - i stressed SO MUCH over that etude, and cried and swore over it, and today i played it (very badly, although i remember most of it) and just... laughed when i made mistakes or i went ‘oh, that’s interesting! gotta work on my thumb position a little in that part’, instead of bemoaning over the fact that i sucked and it was all hopeless. with that ‘playful’ approach, my old injury in my arm didn’t come back, i didn’t want to die after practicing, and i actually patted my cello and said goodnight to it like it was an old friend. 

that whole dread and stress associated with making music, i think it’s almost totally gone. now i want to practice just to practice, just to get good at it again and feel technically proficient. not for anyone else to judge, or criticize, or demand more of; it’s just for me. and if i want to do something with it, like audition for an orchestra, great. if i don’t, great too. 

i’m a really creative person (not saying that as a good thing btw lol or that i’m good at it) so i’m going to need an outlet in some way. writing, and now cello, seem to be that for me. it’s just so bizarre that this is my mindset now. it’s great. it’s freeing. :) 

[sliceannarbor]

Camden Shaw

Cellist The Dover Quartet Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Photo by Carlin Ma

SPECIAL GUEST SERIES

Camden Shaw is cellist of the Dover Quartet, a string ensemble dedicated to bringing the tradition of string quartet performance into 21st century relevance. Since its formation in 2008, the Quartet has performed more than 500 concerts spanning North America and Europe. The ensemble will open the 2018 season with a European tour, including a debut at the famed Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, returning only days later to appear at Carnegie Hall with acclaimed violinist Janine Jensen. Throughout the years, Camden has collaborated in chamber music with such renowned artists as Daniel Hope, Leon Fleischer, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and maintains an active career as a soloist with performances of the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Artosphere Festival Orchestra, where he also holds the principal chair. The ensemble recently released their debut recording Tribute: Dover Quartet Plays Mozart (Cedille), paying homage to the great Guarneri Quartet, with whom the Quartet studied. A new documentary about the ensemble is also in progress, focused on the life of young classical musicians and the sacrifices and joys that come with a successful career. Other Quartet members are first violinist Joel Link, violinist Bryan Lee, and violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt. Camden graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2010, where he studied with Peter Wiley. When Camden is not working, you can find him enjoying a cup of coffee with friends or in a secluded cabin somewhere, sipping bourbon. He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

FAVORITES

Book: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt

Destination: The Pacific Northwest

Prized possession: My Zygmuntowicz cello, made in 2010.

THE QUERY

Where were you born?

I was born in Ashland, Oregon.

What were some of the passions/pastimes of your earlier years?

My whole childhood, I was obsessed with sailboat design. I come from a family of sailors (both my parents and my sister now live on boats full-time), and I loved the way boat designers have to synthesize aesthetics with functionality. I spent countless hours pouring over hull designs. There's something magical in curvature, and I think it's that same sense of curvature that makes musical lines beautiful as well.

What is your first memory of music as an experience?

I remember falling asleep at one of my parent's concerts (they were both musicians) when I was little. I had a twitch in my sleep and accidentally kicked the back of the chair in front of me; the woman sitting in it was not amused. That’s when I first knew that listening to music was serious business.

Why does this form of artistic expression (playing the cello) suit you?

I love the playing of an instrument because it challenges every single part of my brain. Physical skill, intellectual understanding, and emotional intelligence are all tested daily, and I love that. In terms of quartet playing, I love the collaboration of different artists to create a cohesive vision, and I find that the interpersonal relationships in a quartet are helpful in learning how to speak purposefully but with tact.

What is the significance of the name “Dover?”

We’re named after the piece Dover Beach by Samuel Barber. Barber is one of the most famous alumni of the Curtis Institute of Music, where we founded the Quartet as undergraduate students. Barber also wrote Dover Beach for himself to perform with the Curtis Quartet. In a way, “Dover” is a sneaky way of showing our relationship to Curtis.

How did the Quartet begin to reach its mark nationally/internationally?

That’s a tough one. I think the road to enduring success as a performer comes down to pretty much only one thing, which is making audiences happy. However, for that to happen, you have to appear in front of audiences. This can happen for any number of reasons: personal connections, winning competitions, etc. I think winning the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013 really raised the demand for the Quartet, and at that point it was our opportunity to lose. Thankfully, I think we’ve left our audiences happy enough that we are still booking gigs- that’s really all one can hope for as a musician.

Is there a performance that remains most memorable, even today?

Our debut at Carnegie Hall will always be special in our memory. It had been a dream of all of ours since childhood, so having that dream become reality was surreal. We really tried our best that night, determined to make the performance deserving of the memory we knew it would become.

What did you enjoy most about your performance with the Quartet on A Prairie Home Companion in November, 2016?

Seeing the ease with which the pros on Prairie Home performed was inspiring. The sound effects guy - holy cow! I had no idea those sound effects were created live with actual physical objects. None of it is done digitally with sound files. Also, knowing that we were being heard by a sizable part of the country was awe-inspiring and a little scary.

Why is Barber's Adagio for Strings significant/what does this piece mean to you?

The Barber Adagio is a feat of composition. Barber’s use of a quartet to convey that kind of orchestral sound is astounding, and he also creates one of the most tragic pieces in history while using mostly major chords - something that often goes unnoticed. Something about that piece is magic, and it is even closer to our hearts knowing that Barber walked the same halls in the Curtis Institute that we did as youngsters.

How is the Quartet's commitment to sharing its music with underserved communities as part of Music for Food important to you and the other members of the ensemble?

It’s easy for artists of any kind to profess the power of their art for good - but often this remains a beautiful sentiment, unrealized. We’re increasingly aware of the responsibility of the artist to use art to raise awareness, and I think the power of music brings out a generous spirit in people. It connects us to one another, and we become more aware of humanity of a whole when we experience great music.

What is your favorite piece of music and/or composer?

This is a TOUGH one, and frankly it changes every year or so. This year, my favorite piece is Verklarte Nacht by Schoenberg. I think it is one of the most beautiful experiences, in terms of manipulating conflict and resolution, of any piece.

What music can we find you listening to in your down time?

I listen to a lot of folk music, Bob Dylan and the Canadian Stan Rogers are a few of my favorites. I also deeply respect and love the music of the Dirty Projectors, an indie band that’s really more like Beethoven than might meet the eye at first.

From where do you draw inspiration?

For me, there’s nothing more inspiring than watching a human being achieve greatness and mastery in whatever craft inspires them. When I see Olympic athletes training and competing, that’s beautiful. Someone creating a startup and growing it into a successful company is beautiful too. I guess I get the most inspiration from people going after their dreams, whatever that might be.

What are you working on right now?

I had a bit of a revelation recently about the left arm; that efficient movement is so complex and so hard to describe in words, that the best way to replicate it is to trust the aesthetic of the movement. In other words, producing machine-like precision might rely more on the movement of dance than the movement of machinery: nothing is as consistent as our aesthetic vision.

Who in your life would you like to thank, and for what?

There are too many to thank, truly. But I’d like to thank my colleagues, who work so hard and from whom I’ve derived so much inspiration.

[rinasitorus]

Energy and Poetry: An Interview with Tasmin Little

Tasmin Little has firmly established herself as one of today's leading international violinists. An exclusive recording artist for Chandos Records, Tasmin just recorded two further discs for Chandos. The first, the World Premiere of Roxanna Panufnik’s Four World Seasons written for Tasmin, coupled with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, was cheered on by Gramophone for its virtuosity. The second disc, a disc of Franck, Szymanowski and Fauré with pianist Piers Lane is praised by audiences and critics for its ‘impassioned performances’, ‘yearning melody’ and ‘energy and poetry’ (The Observer).

Not only triumphant in performing and recording, Tasmin is widely known as a champion in her musical outreach missions to people everywhere, young and old, regardless of their social background or knowledge of classical music. As Seth Godin writes in his book Tribes, “Tasmin Little is leading a moment. She is investing time and energy in a committed, consistent effort to spread classical music. She didn’t just upload an MP3 file. She regularly visits prisons and small towns and schools to perform. She adds value to her site in addition to the music. She’s not a dilettante; she’s a leader.”

Tell me about your Franck, Faure & Szymanowski recording? Did it turn out as you had expected? 

I absolutely loved making the recording of the Franck, Fauré and Szymanowski – all of the works with the exception of the Szymanowski sonata had been in my repertoire for a great many years and so it was a joy to have the opportunity to put down my thoughts on disc. No recording ever turns out 100% the way you imagine but there are times when you can come very close to what you hoped for – and this album is happily one of those occasions. 

How critical are you of your own work? I am hypercritical of my playing but I enjoy the recording process because it gives me an opportunity to evaluate how I am playing and work out ways to improve my interpretations. How would you describe your collaboration with Chandos? I am really enjoying my relationship with Chandos and they are a hugely supportive company. What I particularly value is the opportunity to record some standard repertoire alongside the more niche works and unusual areas of repertoire. Obviously Chandos and I share a great passion for British music and so this is reflected in many of the albums that we have made together. Is there any musician or conductor you’d love to collaborate with? Any dream repertoire? One of my favourite conductors is Charles Dutoit – I hope one day I will collaborate with him as he is a real hero of mine. His recording of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe is my desert island disc of all time. How did you start playing the violin? Was there any special moment when you knew that becoming a musician was a thing that you were going to pursue? I began playing the violin quite by chance when I was ill with chickenpox at the age of six. To alleviate my boredom I taught myself to play the recorder and once I was better I started the piano and violin. The moment I picked up the latter instrument I knew I simply had to make this my life. Obviously when one is six years old, one assumes that anything and everything is possible (!) and it wasn't until I started my teenage years that I began to worry that I may not be able to make my dream of being a soloist come true. Happily with a lot of hard work, dedication and some lucky chances, I have been able to fulfill my childhood ambition. What do you think you would become if you didn’t become a violinist? If I hadn't have been a musician, I would have enjoyed being a psychologist, particularly working with children. In 2008, Tasmin started a project entitled 'The Naked Violin' where she recorded a new album to be made available as a free download from her own website. This recording of Bach, Patterson and Ysäye (including spoken introductions to each work) provided an opportunity for anyone, anywhere to experience her music and classical music in general. 'The Naked Violin' and Tasmin’s outreach workshops ‘No Strings Attached’ have reached over 12,000 school children and thousands more adults. It went global in 2009 and she has taken the project to China, America, New Zealand and Australia. What was your learning point from the whole Naked Violin experience? Did it somehow change you personally and/or musically? The Naked Violin project is one of the most exciting things that I have done in my career. I feel particularly happy that I received so much fabulous feedback from people who said that I had given them a way into classical music. I always believed that anybody can appreciate classical music and this project gave me the opportunity to put that into practice. Musically and personally, it was a very rewarding experience. Not too many classical artists have come up with such idea. Were there any other ‘unconventional’  projects you’ve tried which we haven’t heard of? Other than this project, the other things that I have done that I feel proud of are the artistic curatorships of two festivals, both of them in the home towns of my parents! I put together a week-long festival in Bradford called "Delius Inspired" and managed to persuade the director of Radio 3 to broadcast the whole week of events so it became a really national festival! There were concerts, exhibitions, films, talks and a whole music education programme where we reached a huge quantity of school children within the week. As a direct result of that school programme,  a special music school was opened to give local children the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. I felt that my festival had had a major impact on the community. A few years later, I was artistic director of Spring Sounds festival in Stratford-upon-Avon for 3 years. During this time I commissioned my great friend Roxanna Panufnik to write a colourful work for violin and orchestra entitled "Four World Seasons". It was a huge success and I recently recorded it for Chandos coupled with Vivaldi's Four Seasons. What would it take for you to stop playing the violin? What would it take for me to stop playing the violin? Quite simply it would be if I felt I could not continue to play as well as I have done in the past. I always want to feel that I am learning and improving – I guess the reality is that there will come a day where that is no longer possible… but if and when that day arrives, I will simply find another way to involve myself in music! Maybe through education or festivals or maybe there is a seed developing inside me for another project. Tasmin Little in conversation with Primephonic's Rina Sitorus

[darkartandcraft]

XABRACADABRA The Magical Art of Stephen Kasner Part I/III

Tonight, Dark Art & Craft will be featuring the first of a three-part interview with the dark visual artist, musician and, photographer Stephen Kasner. This in-depth interview with Thomas Haywood and Dott von Schneider takes a look into the inspiration and foundations of Kasner's dark creative work.

Read interview part I/III below:

by Thomas Haywood and Dott von Schneider

What is your definition of creativity?

Anything that attempts to be or become something greater than the sum of its parts. Creativity is an elevated result from the use of tools, visible or invisible. 

What would you say was your initial inspiration to start creating art? When did you discover you had this natural ability?

Just like most children, I always draw pictures. Drawing; concentrating on drawings, are among my earliest memories. I do recall my first vivid emotional connection to art which occurred at age 3. This was a completely random thing that evoked real emotion, actual fear, within me. This whole concept escaped me completely. I couldn’t possibly begin to wrap my mind around the reasons why I felt this fear, or how or why I could or would create something, seemingly unconsciously and from within myself that would produce these feelings. What use could I have for that at such a young age. It does prove, however, that fear, terror, uncertainty, are all feelings we naturally possess as human beings. They did come from somewhere. No one taught me that. Surely dark and terrifying emotions are instilled in all of us right from the moment of birth, perhaps even conception, but that’s an entirely different and more abstract concept.

Early on I would spend hours on end drawing in total solitude. Luckily for me, my parents didn’t think this strange and force me outside with other kids. That pursuit led me on all sorts of independent paths. Whenever I had an inspirational opportunity, I would draw from the television. I would watch old westerns and classic horror films and draw to them. More precisely, the movies would be on as a sort of soundtrack, and I would draw my own images to whatever scenarios I would hear occurring in the films. Later in life this was either an extension of, or perhaps simply a continuation of a natural method, when I began to really focus energy on translating musical artists works to imagery.

You’ve always been rather tied into the music scene, beginning locally. What is your personal history there?

Among my childhood friends, I was always surprised to discover that I felt I was the most serious admirer of music, just from sheer appreciation, enthusiasm and emotional connection. I recall asking one of my friends in the 5th or 6th grade what his favorite music and musicians were, and he was completely perplexed. Confounded, even. He looked rather puzzled and asked, “You mean, like, radio?” I didn’t know how to respond to that, but having cited a few examples, the next bedazzling reply came, “I guess I like The Police. On the radio”. I had a lot of strange run-ins like that. But see, I thought everyone was like me. I just assumed it at the time. It was all I could do to join the orchestra to not go out of my mind. I did have the good fortune of having befriended an amazing drummer then who turned me onto foundation bands like The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, very early on. This was a blessing because I personally had a limited access to records then, and he would let me borrow his. I would take the records home, and they would be like treasures to me. I would play them incessantly and draw from the album covers. It was heaven. Jeff is the first person I ever experienced a live, loud (drumming) session with, and he still plays, by the way. But this happening in front of me at that young age, in the same room where I can actually feel the pressure of the experience was mind-blowing.

So these experiences opened my mind to possibilities earlier on, and I began seeking the more extreme options, music and art, whatever I could access and digging into deeper sources. Within just a couple years, I was regularly locked in my room endlessly testing my mother’s seemingly limitless patience with Charged G.B.H., Dead Kennedys, Exploited, The Accused, Black Flag, MDC, Alien Sex Fiend, at maximum volumes at all hours. This absorption of punk music as well as the timing, then being 16 years old and now able to drive to any show I wanted to see, led me to a world where I was now in the same room with many of these amazing people, seeing them perform, changing lives on the spot. Small shows within my own neighborhood were bands like Domestic Crisis, Grimace, Starvation Army, Death of Samantha, and Spike In Vein, who were all massive influences on me. Once all these emotional floodgates were opened fully and for good, that was it for me. No turning back.  

Your initial success in the industry came from working with bands and musicians.  How did this come to be? Did you approach bands to work with them, or did they stumble upon you?  

A bit of both occurred. Naturally, early on I pursued musicians and bands I had access to locally. I was still in high school when I produced my first work for any band, which was  probably The Spudmonsters, a still-legendary band connected to the punk/post-punk/metal scene of the ‘80s-90s. Leading up to my initiation with Spudmonsters, I was seriously drawing and painting by then, though I didn’t have anything resembling a formed vision. Only fragments. So my first work with musicians came almost strictly under the heading of illustration, although most of the actual ideas were my own. Their ‘Kill Your Idols’ record is a good example of this. I continued to dabble and connect with bands that needed assistance with imagery, producing everything from cassette covers, t-shirt graphics, hand painted backdrops. I was recently reminded that I did a backdrop for Spudmonsters. I’ll have to trust that lead. It’s probably right.

Chris Andrews was a founding member and guitarist for the band, and he owned the locally famous ‘Chris’ Warped Records’ store at the time. All the while I did any work for his band, money was usually never exchanged. I did album and t-shirt artworks in trade for records. I feel like I still do this type of literal trade-work a lot these days. Far too much, probably. 

Things connected with music collaboration took a major turn during my college graduation exhibition when I was approached by Rockie Brockway of CRAW. In that show I exhibited Dreamscape I & II simultaneously for the first time as these two works had only just been completed days before. Rockie was adamant about the fact that these were the pieces for the first CRAW album which was soon to be released. Being a major fan of the band and having seen them perform dozens of times by then, I knew them well, and agreed with the concepts. Of course I was more than pleased to contribute. Proud, really, and still am today. Those Dreamscape pieces were a major life shift for me and my work, and so was my connection with CRAW. That album was released in 1993. The next major Cleveland collaboration connection came a few years later when I met Dwid of Integrity. My work with Dwid became long-term and extensive, and grew to include actually recording and performing live together with Psywarfare. Most recently we collaborated again, also with Jacob Bannon of Converge, as Irons. So full circle, the collaboration system doesn’t break down or separate at just the imagery. I record and perform music with friends as well, and have for years.

In reference to your earlier statement, I would like to explore the concept of “translating musical artists work to imagery”. Can you expand on those experiences and how they transpire?

These two elements have always been conjoined. I was always interested in drawing and painting, and became instantly wide-eyed realizing serious artist’s work in the world as a youth. Omni and Heavy Metal magazines in the late 70’s and into the 80’s, for example, initiated me into the world of Fantastic and Visionary artists such as Ernst Fuchs, Beksinski, H.R. Giger, Robert Venosa, and many others, and I would absorb these images while listening to records. This was my hobby, really, outside of actually drawing myself. I was equally, deeply connected to music of that era; Psychedelic and hard rock, 70’s metal, and I began to study guitar from age 8 with instructors as a by-product of this insatiable passion. Ironically, I wasn’t learning what I wanted to play, you know, Led Zeppelin riffs, but was being taught classical and Spanish music. I thought this was a drag at such an early age, and my mind couldn’t connect to the magical road I was being led on then. I couldn’t realize I was being given the keys to the gate. But I continued studying formally for 7 years or so, at which point the drawing and painting medium eclipsed everything completely. I still have the musical passion today to create and produce my own sounds, but now it’s very stream of consciousness, improvisational, transient. There’s little structure, but for reasons.

I always knew innately that art and music were one entity, and so this marriage of sound and image was always a deeply connected essence within, so I subconsciously fused the two, always. Once I realized, perhaps closer to my teen years, that real artists in the world did precisely this type of work, on some of my favorite record album covers for example, that was it for me. This was the silver lining; that I could find some way to connect these mediums seriously, as a lifelong pursuit, and I’ve never flinched from these methods and modes of thinking. It’s a spiritual existence, if you are one who can take it that way. It is religious for many people I know.

You work is so ethereal and so unique, it is hard to find a parallel with any other artist outside of the late, great H.R. Giger. Do you find a parallel or influence with and from his work?

I would think it difficult not to. I recognize his immense popularity now, but this wasn’t always the case, and to me, that’s part of what makes his work so much more magical. What I mean is, growing up in the 70s, being a child and inadvertently stumbling onto paintings by Giger through OMNI or on album covers like ELP’s Brain Salad Surgery, for example, this work burns into your brain, particularly if you’re a type of person predisposed to his kind of majestic, psychedelic expressionism. If you have even half a spirit, Giger’s work remains with you for a lifetime, and I spent my early years searching it out. It became utterly, thoroughly surreal later meeting and spending time with him in his home and studio in Switzerland. Oddly, even as a young teen, he was one of only two living people who I ever dreamed of meeting. Never obviously expecting either of these events to become a reality, I’m proud to say I’ve met and bonded with both my deepest heroes. These were major, life-altering events, naturally, which have affected the way I see and think, thank goodness.

There is a strong representation of heavy writers, artists, and musicians narrating your book, Stephen Kasner, WORKS: 1993-2006. How did you connect with these folks? How did the book first come about?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have met so many amazing, magical artists and people worldwide. In traveling and exhibiting my work in other environments, it becomes rather natural to gravitate to other artists you admire and gain access to, and for them to gravitate to you. These are all people who share a similar energy, focus, and outlook on things, so the will to work together is also natural. I think the sheer curiosity of what may come of joining with another person or people is utterly compelling. It’s like love. We all want to give and receive as much love as we possibly can in all its available forms. At least we all should want that.

What’s the best thing about Halloween?

Dreaming the dream that somewhere in the world exists a most intrepid and ever-potent witch. But then every day is Halloween, isn’t it?

(End)

Please follow Dark Art & Craft for part two: XABRACADABRA The Magical Art of Stephen Kasner Part II/III

View some of Stephen Kasner limited edition print work on Dark Art & Craft, available this Halloween night Tuesday, October 31, 2017.