Ken Pedersen Pianist Ken Pedersen composes music, both in concert and in the studio, using what he calls 11 parameter improv" (structured improvisation), a technique he has been developing over the past two decades to get freedom and spontaneity into his compositions while working within an organizing framework. "Some of the world's best music started as an idea that came out of improvisation," explains Pedersen. "But few listeners are interested in improvisation that meanders into freeform. That's why it is important to work within a framework of set parameters. For example, the parameters can be an inspirational idea like a sunset, a series of random notes chosen by an audience or, in the case of Deja Views, motifs from familiar compositions. Creativity works best when there are limits, and setting limits helps me build structure into a piece." Pedersen's second album, Deja Views, utilizes "parameter improv" in several ways. Five of the 12 tunes are improvisations recorded in the studio as they happened. The other pieces were composed before the recording sessions using the melody, harmonic structure or a rhythmic idea from wellknown classical melodies as the starting "parameter." These elements are used as the jumping off point from which Pedersen created essentially new material that only faintly contains echoes of the earlier work. "I asked myself, 'How can I take my love for and background in classical music and use it to present something new and fresh to modern audiences?' By using these timeless melodies as a starting point, I tried to capture both the essence of what is great about classical music, but also what listeners today enjoy about contemporary instrumental music with its exploration, freshness and vitality." The album was titled Deja Views because listeners go somewhere musically for the first time, but feel like they've been there before. Seven of the pieces are solo acoustic grand piano and two more are piano/cello duets. The other tunes include the sounds of various subtle instrumentation combinations including strings, percussion, oboe, English horn and other woodwinds. Some of the compositions used for initial inspiration are by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handel, Dvorak, Schumann and Chopin. Moremodern composers are represented with tunesmiths Edward McDowell and Stephen Foster from the 1800s, contemporary symphonic master Aaron Copland, and minimalist Philip Glass. Deja Views has several thematic links -- the faint strands of classical melodies running through the album, the improvisational elements that make up the music, and Pedersen's vision of "living an authentic life." He says, "Make your decisions about life so that they honor the privilege of living and the gifts we have been given while we are here." The songs reflect the journey through life's experiences -- birth ("Birth of Hope"), childhood ("In The Eyes of a Child"), the search for knowledge and meaning ("Quest," "Wisdom's Gift"), love ("Autumn Rose"), "Reunion," death ("Eulogy"), and remembering the past ("Memory Awakened," "Reminiscence"). SYMARK RECORDS (www.kenpedersen.com) 3 S. 204 Sequoia Dr., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 * 800-616-0299 PUBLICITY AGENCY: THE CREATIVE SERVICE COMPANY (CreatServ9@aol.com) 4360 Emerald Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918 * 719-548-9872 * fax 719-599-9607 Pedersen's previous nationally-released album, Walden, also was thematic and utilized parameter improv. Named after the book by 19th Century American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, the album uses famous quotes from "Walden" as the inspirational "parameter" for each track on the CD. The album captures the serenity of nature and the magnificent splendor of Walden Woods and Walden Pond. Walden received airplay on radio stations nationwide and hit the national New Age Voice chart. Pedersen was a featured performer at the 1998 Annual Gathering of the Thoreau Society held at Walden Pond. The improvisational music recorded live at the event became "an official bootleg" album, The Concord Concert Improvisations which Pedersen is not releasing nationally to stores, but makes available to members of his fan club via direct mail (selections from the album can be sampled at his website: www.ken pedersen.com). Pedersen's concert performances include creating new material on-the-spot using 11 parameters" set up by his audience. The audience can participate in the creation by giving him an idea, concept or feeling that he uses as the inspiration for the piece. Taking the interaction a step further, Ken puts numbers in a hat (the numbers correspond to tones on the musical scale) and has audience members draw them out. Using these random ly-selected notes as the basis for his "parameter improv," Pedersen leaps into the unknown developing the main melody and counter-melodies as he goes. "It's composing-on-the-fly. The rules are the same as with any composed piece. Always important are the sense of melody and structure as well as the emotional impact on the listener. It's quite a challenge to modulate between several melodic themes, work in harmony and rhythm, and, after all the variations, bring the listeners on a journey back home by re-stating the original melodic idea." Before making music his fulltime occupation in recent years, Pedersen had a lifetime of musical study, practice and preparation that helped him develop his "parameter improv" skills. Born in Chicago's suburbs to recent immigrants from Denmark, Ken began piano lessons at age five and at 11 won the DuPage Youth Orchestra competition in Illinois. But the next year a crisis struck when part of his finger was cut off by an electrical saw which threatened to end his piano playing altogether. "Luckily I learned how to work around this limitation." He continued his musical studies through high school where he also accompanied the choir. At Loyola University of Chicago, he took music and orchestration classes, and played in the Loyola University Jazz Band, but Pedersen received his BA Degree in Philosophy. Later he became a visiting assistant professor at Purdue University. During college and after graduation, Pedersen began writing songs, practicing improvisation and studying jazz. He performed in local cafes and clubs as a piano soloist and as part of a jazz quartet. After hearing Vangelis, Ken got interested in electronic music and technology, purchased an early Moog synthesizer, and built his own studio. His expertise with technology also led to a series of fulltime computer jobs, and he has written four published books in that field. When Pedersen began to actively re-enter the world of professional music, he wrote two film scores and the music for a full-length stage musical, "Rock That Town," performed at Stages, the annual Chicago-based festival of new musicals. In addition, he has penned numerous compositions for productions staged in Chicago's active musical theatre scene. The success of these compositional efforts convinced him to pursue his dream of recording the CD which became Walden. "Music is a way for me to affirm being alive. Many times every day each one of us gets to choose which way we'll go and what our life will be. I decided to use Deja Views as an opportunity to look backwards at the memories of my life, including all of my classical music influences, as well as a glance forward to what is ahead for me, both musically and personally."