“Discovery”: Kolton Ascheman’s Senior Composition Recital

Concordia University-St Paul student Kolton Ascheman will hold his senior composition recital at the Buetow Music Center Auditorium (300 Hamline Ave, St Paul, MN) on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 3 PM CT.

Having experience with computers and technology, Ascheman will be presenting his work as both live performances and digital music. The pieces are arranged for piano, as well as other instruments like clarinet and double bass. They will include performances by David Mennicke, Monica Murray, Jeana Ogren, Lois Latinen, and Kayla Gundermann.

The recital will be a hybrid of the two mediums, exploring the different ways in which music can be created and shown to people. Because of this, Ascheman named his recital Discovery. The live performances bring modern perspectives on genres ranging from classical forms to popular music. The digital pieces will feature all kinds of visuals. Some of them are more abstract, designed to answer the question of what music looks like, as well as what it sounds like. Other pieces, like In the Meadows, includes footage from a video game.

“I decided to make some of the visuals more abstract,” Ascheman explains, “I designed them to answer the question of what music looks like, as well as what it sounds like. Video game music is interesting, because unlike musicals or movies, you have no control over when things happen.”

Ascheman, who studies with Concordia University adjunct composition professor Abbie Betinis, plans to compose music for various forms of media, like movies, TV shows, and in particular, video games. The recital is presented in partial fulfillment of his Bachelor of Arts in Music, with an emphasis in Music Theory and Composition. A reception will follow. Admission is free and open to the public.