Composer-Performer Jana De Troyer positions herself at the dynamic borders between styles and disciplines. Concurrently, she deftly switches between her roles of composer, free improviser, instrumentalist, human, sound artist and programmer. Coming from a background as a contemporary saxophonist, Jana has always been curious about further exploring and fusing various modes of expression. This “Experimentierfreude” has brought about a myriad of creative collaborations with composers, musicians and artists from other disciplines such as visual arts, dance and coding.
An experienced interpreter of scores, Jana strives to translate artist’s ideas as accurately as possible, whether it be conventionally notated or in more open forms such as text scores, video scores or graphical scores. She has studied the Western saxophone canon and greatly relishes assisting and collaborating with living composers on the realisation of new work. Led by the joy of performing, she enters the stage with or without instruments, using whatever is necessary to bring her collaborator’s ideas to life.
Jana’s open mindset can also be seen in her improvisational practice, where she actively combines her classical and contemporary saxophonist training with other sound sources, movement and electronics. She has had the pleasure to play with great improvisers in a range of constellations, varying from duo performances to improvisation orchestras and on stages from Stockholm to Palermo.
Her own compositional output consists of both instrumental and electronic music, as well as interactive installations, web art and audiovisual works. She has developed works for knitting guitar quartet (Fashionista’s), kissers (DU-O), a window cleaner (Putzzwang), Tiktok-loving improvisers (FMO_1), meditating audience and cactus (Intimate Space Study 1a), and more. At the core of her work is a deep sonic exploration of non-musical concepts, which often leads to the integration of interdisciplinary means.
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