Kenji Bunch has emerged as one of the most engaging, influential, and prolific American composers of his generation.  Hailed by the New York Times as “A Composer To Watch” and cited by Alex Ross in his seminal book “The Rest Is Noise,” Mr. Bunch’s unique blend of wit, exuberance, lyricism, unpredictable stylistic infusions, and exquisite craftsmanship has brought acclaim from audiences, performers, and critics alike.

Mr. Bunch's symphonic music has been performed by over forty orchestras, and his genre-defying chamber works have been performed in premiere venues on six continents.  His music is regularly broadcast on national radio, including NPR, BBC, and NHK, and has been recorded on labels including Sony/BMG, EMI Classics, Koch, Kleos Classics, RCA, Naxos, Pony Canyon, GENUIN, Capstone, MSR Classics, Innova, ARS, and Crystal.

As a composer, his residencies include Mobile Symphony (Meet The Composer Music Alive), Spoleto USA, Bravo! Vail, Sound Encounters, the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival, and the Craftsbury Chamber Players.  He also served for two years as the composer in residence for Young Concert Artists, Inc.  His collaborations with renowned choreographers David Parsons, Nai-Ni Chen, and Darrell Grand Moultrie have received great acclaim.

  In 2010, concerts devoted to his chamber music were given at the Stamford Music Festival in England, and at the Perpignan Conservatory in the south of France.  Upcoming projects include the world premiere of his Piano Concerto in May 2011 with pianist Monica Ohuchi and the Colorado Symphony.  In October, 2011, he will appear as the soloist with the American Composers Orchestra in the world premiere of his viola concerto "The Devil's Box" in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Bunch maintains an active career as a violist, and is widely recognized for performing his own groundbreaking works for viola.  A founding member of the Flux Quartet (1996-2002) and Ne(x)tworks (2003-present), Mr. Bunch is a veteran of the New York new music world.  A versatile musician with a deep interest in vernacular American music and improvisation, he also plays bluegrass fiddle and  sings with the band Citigrass, and is a frequent guest performer, recording artist, and arranger with many prominent rock, jazz, folk, and alternative/ experimental artists.  In the spring of 2011, he will release a recording of his complete works for solo viola on Bulging Disc Records.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Mr. Bunch studied at the Juilliard School, receiving his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in viola with Toby Appel, and in composition with Robert Beaser.  Other composing mentors include Eric Ewazen and Stanley Wolfe.
Now a dedicated teacher himself, Mr. Bunch has developed and conducted residencies, workshops, and master classes across the country in composition, viola performance, improvisation, music appreciation, and arts education to students ranging in age from kindergarten to adult professionals.  He teaches at the Juilliard Pre-College, and lives in Brooklyn with his wife Monica and rescued pit bull Coffee.

Q:  Where can I find sheet music for your works?
A:  Nearly my entire catalog is published through Bill Holab Music (www.billholabmusic.com).  If you visit that site, you’ll find an online store with clear directions on how to purchase or rent my music. 
The one exception is my work Velocity for flute and piano, which is handled by The Theodore Presser Company and can be found here: http://www.presser.com/downloads/414-41193/bunch.htm

Q: I heard an arrangement you wrote of one of my favorite songs. How can I get the music for this?
A: Arrangements of other composers’ works are a bit of a different animal.  These are mostly done as “work for hire,” for specific projects, which means I don’t control any of the rights to the usage of the arrangements, and therefore can’t sell or distribute them to anyone else.  If I do secure the permission to reuse any of my own arrangements, I’ll make them available.

Q:  I’m interested in commissioning a new work from you.  How do I go about this, and what are your fees?
A:  Thanks for your interest! I need to focus on the artistic side of things, so I really prefer not to negotiate my own commission terms.  However, I’m always interested in considering new projects of all shapes and sizes, even though I may be booked in advance with work for up to a year or more. The best way to approach this is to contact Bill Holab Music (www.billholabmusic.com) and discuss the terms directly with them. 
If you’d like some general information about the commissioning process before you enter this discussion, www.meetthecomposer.org is an excellent resource.

Q:  Are you available for appearances and/or residencies to discuss your works?
A:  Absolutely- please visit the “bookings” page for more information.

Q:  Do you teach privately?
A:  Yes, I give private lessons to students of all ages on several subjects including:
Viola, Composition, Fiddling/ improvisation, Violin, and Music Appreciation.
Please refer to the “teaching” page for more information.

Q: Do you actively perform, and, if so, can I book you for a performance of your music?
A: Yes.  I am currently available for tours and performances of my music (as well as other music!) in the following configurations:
Solo viola
Duo with Monica Ohuchi, piano
Kenji Bunch Quartet (piano quartet)
Kenji Bunch’s String Circle (folk-inspired string ensemble)
Kenji Bunch and His Bluegrass All-Stars (bluegrass band)
Please visit the “bookings” page for more information.

Q: Where are you from?
A: Portland, Oregon- born and raised and very proud of it.  I make my home in Brooklyn, NY now.

Q: Yeah, I know that, but I mean, you know… what are you?
A: Excuse me?

Q: What kind of a name is “Kenji Bunch?”
A:  Oh, I get it.  Kenji is a Japanese name.  My mother is Japanese, and my father is an American of English/Scottish descent, which is where “Bunch” comes from.

A CONVERSATION WITH KENJI BUNCH

The following is a transcript of a recent conversation I had with my 8-yr. old pit bull, Coffee.  A longtime associate and frequent collaborator, Coffee is also the President and CEO of Bulging Disc Records.  In a corporate world still largely dominated by Caucasian males, this is no small achievement for a Canine female.

Coffee: It was, what- five years ago that we did our first interview for your website?

KB:  Wow… yes, I believe it was.  Time sure flies.

Coffee: It certainly does.  Back then, I remember we talked about the musical influences and interests that have shaped your work.  Do you think your answer would be different now, a few years down the road?

KB: That’s an interesting question.  I think, hopefully, we all evolve over time- or at least, we inevitably change over time, whether or not it can be seen as evolution.  I think, for me anyway, I’ve really focused the work I do a lot in the last several years- so maybe my answers would be a little different. 

            Five years ago, I was just starting to perform my own compositions publicly.  Prior to that, I made a point of keeping my playing and composing careers quite separate.  These days, I’d say the overwhelming majority of the work I do involves, in some way, me performing my own music.

            I also used to keep my interest in folk music (bluegrass fiddle, etc.) kind of sequestered away from my work in the “classical” world.  Now, I often combine that influence into the music I write and perform. 

            So, to get back to your question, I still like to think I have an open enough mind to be receptive to potential inspiration from any source- musical or otherwise- but I’ve focused my career more today, and I think a list of what influences me currently might reflect that streamlining.

Coffee: Why do you think you used to compartmentalize your parallel careers?  And what would lead you to, as you say, “streamlining” them today?

KB:  On a basic level, I think it came from an insecurity that made me feel like I had to somehow prove myself in each of those fields without using any recognition for my achievements in other areas to give me a boost, if that makes any sense.

             I think early on, since I didn’t really start writing until I was in college studying the viola, it was important to me to establish an identity as a composer that didn’t rely on, or involve my participation as a performer.  This worked pretty well, but it may have gone too far in the other direction, because there were times when people assumed I had stopped playing the viola.  That actually made me kind of sad, because I love the viola and I’ve always felt it’s a big part of my identity.  I also truly love performing and would never walk away from it unless I had to.

            I realized that I had developed an identity as a composer, but my identity as a performer was less clear.  I specialized in new music, with the Flux Quartet (1996-2002) and Ne(x)tworks (2004-2011), but also enjoyed traditional classical music and bluegrass.  That’s not too different from many working performers these days, who need a versatile skill set to be marketable.  But I realized I was maybe missing an opportunity to put myself out there in a more unique way, and fortunately I’ve had those opportunities in the last few years, as I’ve been able to present my own compositions myself.

Coffee: I see.  How about non-musical interests?  How do you enjoy spending your time away from your work?

KB: What time away from my work?  I’m only half joking.  The weird thing about a career as a composer is that sometimes it’s very hard to tell when you start working and when you stop.  Sometimes I do my best work just sitting on a subway train or lying in bed trying to get to sleep.  The brain seems to have its own work hours that we have little control over.

            And maybe because of that, I enjoy activities that allow my brain to be creative- or relaxed enough to let creative thoughts enter.  I think that’s why I enjoy cooking so much- I find it really encourages the same kind of creative thinking that composing does.  I also enjoy long-distance running.  Long runs free and relax my mind in a way that I imagine is similar to meditation.  Also, I like the physical and psychological challenges of completing a long run. Sometimes you deal with a lot of physical discomfort, as well as plenty of doubt and negative thoughts, and working through those issues gives me more confidence to see through the challenges of completing a new piece of music.          

Coffee: Did I hear correctly that you like to play basketball?

KB: That is indeed correct.  I’m a pretty terrible ball player, but I really love the game.  I love all sports- football, tennis, etc.  But I find basketball to be very similar to chamber music- or better yet, to playing with a small ensemble or band (bluegrass or otherwise) that involves improvisation.  The game is wonderfully simple, but within the context of that simplicity, there are so many variables that present themselves and require constantly evolving contingency plans.

Coffee:  What’s next for you?  Say we do this again in another five years… where do you see yourself in terms of the work you’ll be doing?

KB: Well, as you know, a lot can happen in five years!  Just look at our work together with Bulging Disc Records and “Unleashed!”  I would never have dreamed you’d be running a record label, and I would record an album of my own original music for solo viola.  But we did it- with a lot of help from some extremely talented people, like Sean [producer Sean McClowry], and Amy [graphic designer Amy Iwazumi of Amy I Productions- who also designed this website!].

Coffee: We did it- you’re right!  What do you think our next record will feature?

KB: Well, the overarching goal with “Unleashed!” was to present what I feel is the incredible versatility of the viola- which is why it was entirely solo viola with no looping, overdubbing, or other funny stuff.  The way I see it, anybody can play around with a loop pedal and a laptop, but I wanted to really honor the acoustic instrument by itself.

Now that I’ve done that, maybe I would add some other elements to our next record- possibly overdubbing another track or two at times, maybe adding vocals, even a guest performer or two- like Monica [pianist Monica Ohuchi].   But the focus will still be on the viola.  I want to continue to challenge myself to play things that may seem difficult or unexpected on the viola.  I figure, if I’m going to push the envelope of viola technique with my writing,  I had better be able to walk the walk and back it up with my playing.

Coffee:  Did you say “walk?!”

KB:  Oh, right…  okay, I’m guessing we’re done talking now.  Let’s go!

Kenji Bunch has emerged as one of the most engaging, influential, and prolific American composers of his generation.  Hailed by the New York Times as “A Composer To Watch” and cited by Alex Ross in his seminal book “The Rest Is Noise,” Mr. Bunch’s unique blend of wit, exuberance, lyricism, unpredictable stylistic infusions, and exquisite craftsmanship has brought acclaim from audiences, performers, and critics alike.

Mr. Bunch's symphonic music has been performed by over forty orchestras, and his genre-defying chamber works have been performed in premiere venues on six continents.  His music is regularly broadcast on national radio, including NPR, BBC, and NHK, and has been recorded on labels including Sony/BMG, EMI Classics, Koch, Kleos Classics, RCA, Naxos, Pony Canyon, GENUIN, Capstone, MSR Classics, Innova, ARS, and Crystal.

As a composer, his residencies include Mobile Symphony (Meet The Composer Music Alive), Spoleto USA, Bravo! Vail, Sound Encounters, the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival, and the Craftsbury Chamber Players.  He also served for two years as the composer in residence for Young Concert Artists, Inc.  His collaborations with renowned choreographers David Parsons, Nai-Ni Chen, and Darrell Grand Moultrie have received great acclaim.

  In 2010, concerts devoted to his chamber music were given at the Stamford Music Festival in England, and at the Perpignan Conservatory in the south of France.  Upcoming projects include the world premiere of his Piano Concerto in May 2011 with pianist Monica Ohuchi and the Colorado Symphony.  In October, 2011, he will appear as the soloist with the American Composers Orchestra in the world premiere of his viola concerto "The Devil's Box" in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Bunch maintains an active career as a violist, and is widely recognized for performing his own groundbreaking works for viola.  A founding member of the Flux Quartet (1996-2002) and Ne(x)tworks (2003-present), Mr. Bunch is a veteran of the New York new music world.  A versatile musician with a deep interest in vernacular American music and improvisation, he also plays bluegrass fiddle and  sings with the band Citigrass, and is a frequent guest performer, recording artist, and arranger with many prominent rock, jazz, folk, and alternative/ experimental artists.  In the spring of 2011, he will release a recording of his complete works for solo viola on Bulging Disc Records.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Mr. Bunch studied at the Juilliard School, receiving his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in viola with Toby Appel, and in composition with Robert Beaser.  Other composing mentors include Eric Ewazen and Stanley Wolfe.
Now a dedicated teacher himself, Mr. Bunch has developed and conducted residencies, workshops, and master classes across the country in composition, viola performance, improvisation, music appreciation, and arts education to students ranging in age from kindergarten to adult professionals.  He teaches at the Juilliard Pre-College, and lives in Brooklyn with his wife Monica and rescued pit bull Coffee.