Chambers: Study in Grieg
Readers with friends or family members prone to muttering crankily that young people today have no sense of gumption, no get-up-and-go, no drive, would do well to arm themselves with the work of Jocelyn Chambers. At the ripe old age of 23 she has hosted a series of podcasts, written a book, and for 12 years run a small pop-up bakery currently based in Austin Texas. (It delivers locally but doesn’t ship, which is a shame because the Lemon Rosemary Cake looks killer.)
And those are, as they say nowadays, her side hustles. Her main gig is composing, and in the last two years she’s scored films and had her music performed by organizations all over the country. Of Study in Grieg she writes:
“Study in Grieg was written for my first course in UCLA’s film scoring certificate program: Scoring for Strings. We were given three assignments for the quarter — to write a string quartet, quintet, and sextet — and each piece would be written in a different style of classical music. This assignment called for the romantic style and we had to choose between Grieg and another composer (who I don’t remember at the moment) to emulate. I chose Grieg because he’s responsible for my favorite piano concerto.
We only had one week to write the piece because each assignment was professionally recorded. I wrote it into my engraving software which came with preloaded mediocre instrument samples. The quality of the samples distracted me from creating, so I chose to mute my laptop altogether and trust myself to hear the music on my own. What you hear today is the finished result.
This is one of my favorite pieces for two reasons. One: It contains constant rhythmic motion and compelling melody. Two: It’s a manifestation of the truth that I can write good music on a deadline. When I started UCLA’s program, I wasn’t sure I was cut out for the work. And this piece of music says that I am. I enjoy listening to Study in Grieg over two years later, and I hope you enjoy it, too.”
+ FULL BIOGRAPHY
Jocelyn C Chambers is a Composer-creative passionate about using her gifts to diversify musical arts. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Chambers found herself profoundly resonating with music and film as early as 7 years old. She began studying piano at age 7, but discovered the magic of composition at age 13. She honed her writing skills by reworking existing film scores and arranging popular songs by ear using the free online notation software Noteflight. After learning to properly notate music, she began studying composition with Dr. Rachel McInturff at the Armstrong Community Music School. Within one year of her composition studies, Chambers entered the Texas Young Composers Competition with her first orchestral piece “My Heart”. She won the competition along with 9 other composers and received the honor of having her work performed by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Chambers was the first woman and black composer to win the competition. She went on to win the competition once more with her piece "Paradise (So This is Love, My Dear)".
Chambers has adopted the title “Composer-creative” to encompass her many extra-musical endeavors. In her book, The Era of Mixed Feelings, she has used her skills as a writer to encourage young people and vocalize her passion for social justice. Through her online magazine, Majesty Mag, she has used her photography to highlight the beauty of women of color and bring multitudes of communities together. Through her podcast, The I Am Loved Podcast, she has advocated self-healing and growth for women who have experienced heartbreak. Her latest venture, Sweets by Jocelyn, revives traditional family recipes for the modern world. In everything she pursues, Chambers intends to show her love for people and her dedication to their representation. She is determined to shake up the Hollywood film industry, and ensure it reflects the diversity of the world we live in, so she, and other creatives of color, do not feel alone.
See a performance
Hear Tchaikovsky’s Serenade
Chris Vaneman is the Director of the Petrie School of Music and Associate Professor of Flute at Converse College. Chris frequently leads the Spartanburg Philharmonic pre-concert lecture series “Classical Conversations,” and occasionally performs as a substitute flutist in the orchestra.