Composer Residency in Iceland
Donation protected
Hi my name is Feona. I am a composer who lives, composes, and teaches in Santa Cruz, California. I write for all sorts of music for instruments and ensembles, and experiment with dissolving the barriers between genres and styles by incorporating electronics and improvisation into my work. I compose and teach from home and am involved in the local community here in Santa Cruz teaching students how to play piano and compose. Here is some of my work as a pianist and composer if you are unfamiliar:
www.YouTube.com/FeonaLeeJones
www.Soundcloud.com/Feona
In 2017 I was invited to be a Composer in Residence at the ArtsIceland Residency in Iceland and wrote a 30-minute opera based on my mom's struggle to survive under the Mao regime in China in the 1950s. To best tell my mom’s story in a powerful way, I incorporated a live ensemble, alongside fixed-media electronic interludes. 8-months later, the opera was rehearsed, performed, and recorded and can be seen below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctLs4PX3ZM
The opera was a LOT of work and while I did receive a $500 grant (which I was super grateful for), it made paying all the performers, extremely challenging.
Back then I was afraid that my work was not good enough and was afraid to ask for help. After the opera was filmed, I had a lot of people later tell me I should have tried crowdfunding, because I could have taken the piece to the next level and compensated the performers more fairly.
So here is my chance...
This coming summer, I was accepted to the exact same ArtsIceland Residency in Iceland (June 15-July 24, 2019). While I will be taking a break from the genre of opera, I have decided to work on another large vocal piece that will be performed (depending on funding and grants)—a Requiem Mass for a Chamber Choir. I have always loved composing for voice and since I completed the opera, I have had a strong interest in experimenting with the timbre of the voice and how I can blend it and create different timbres and textures using the voice as an instrument, and to tell my story more intimately.
Where your money will go?
The Composer Residency, which will include: travel (flights are $1000+ and going up steadily), lodging, carpool to and from Isafjordur, food, and supplies. If I am able to raise more than the basic amount for this residency, it will ALL go towards paying musicians for the performance of the piece.
The Iceland trip from 2017 ended up costing me over $8000 (which was all put on a credit card). I really want to participate this year but it is not exactly affordable. This Residency is important to me because it gave me access to other artists and musicians who were also working on amazing projects. It was inspiring beyond anything I had ever experienced: the people, the landscape, the weather, the isolation, and peace to focus on one thing: composing.
What Will You Get in return?
I am turning to you for help. Please donate as little or as much as you can. In return, you will become a part of this project and monitor its progress. Your name will be featured in the credits of all “progress videos” I make in Iceland as well as the final performance of the piece as a sponsor. If I received more than $5000, each person who donated will also get a copy of my work, mailed to you upon the completion of the recording of this piece.
If you are not familiar with my work you can check it out at:
www.feonaleejones.com
www.YouTube.com/feonaleejones
I am always so deeply appreciative of the community support I have received for my music and other work, and it would mean the world to me to be able to make this residency and this project happen. Thank you so so much!
Feona
Help spread the word!
PS: If you want to use another platform i.e. PayPal or Venmo, please let me know :)
Paypal: [email redacted]
Venmo: @feonaleejones
www.YouTube.com/FeonaLeeJones
www.Soundcloud.com/Feona
In 2017 I was invited to be a Composer in Residence at the ArtsIceland Residency in Iceland and wrote a 30-minute opera based on my mom's struggle to survive under the Mao regime in China in the 1950s. To best tell my mom’s story in a powerful way, I incorporated a live ensemble, alongside fixed-media electronic interludes. 8-months later, the opera was rehearsed, performed, and recorded and can be seen below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctLs4PX3ZM
The opera was a LOT of work and while I did receive a $500 grant (which I was super grateful for), it made paying all the performers, extremely challenging.
Back then I was afraid that my work was not good enough and was afraid to ask for help. After the opera was filmed, I had a lot of people later tell me I should have tried crowdfunding, because I could have taken the piece to the next level and compensated the performers more fairly.
So here is my chance...
This coming summer, I was accepted to the exact same ArtsIceland Residency in Iceland (June 15-July 24, 2019). While I will be taking a break from the genre of opera, I have decided to work on another large vocal piece that will be performed (depending on funding and grants)—a Requiem Mass for a Chamber Choir. I have always loved composing for voice and since I completed the opera, I have had a strong interest in experimenting with the timbre of the voice and how I can blend it and create different timbres and textures using the voice as an instrument, and to tell my story more intimately.
Where your money will go?
The Composer Residency, which will include: travel (flights are $1000+ and going up steadily), lodging, carpool to and from Isafjordur, food, and supplies. If I am able to raise more than the basic amount for this residency, it will ALL go towards paying musicians for the performance of the piece.
The Iceland trip from 2017 ended up costing me over $8000 (which was all put on a credit card). I really want to participate this year but it is not exactly affordable. This Residency is important to me because it gave me access to other artists and musicians who were also working on amazing projects. It was inspiring beyond anything I had ever experienced: the people, the landscape, the weather, the isolation, and peace to focus on one thing: composing.
What Will You Get in return?
I am turning to you for help. Please donate as little or as much as you can. In return, you will become a part of this project and monitor its progress. Your name will be featured in the credits of all “progress videos” I make in Iceland as well as the final performance of the piece as a sponsor. If I received more than $5000, each person who donated will also get a copy of my work, mailed to you upon the completion of the recording of this piece.
If you are not familiar with my work you can check it out at:
www.feonaleejones.com
www.YouTube.com/feonaleejones
I am always so deeply appreciative of the community support I have received for my music and other work, and it would mean the world to me to be able to make this residency and this project happen. Thank you so so much!
Feona
Help spread the word!
PS: If you want to use another platform i.e. PayPal or Venmo, please let me know :)
Paypal: [email redacted]
Venmo: @feonaleejones
Organizer
Feona Lee Jones
Organizer
Santa Cruz, CA