Video: Bancks' dreams of composition came early
Jacob Bancks, a composer and Augustana assistant professor of music, talks about the roots of his interest in making music.
His "Dream Variations" will premiered by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra this weekend. His theme imitates the interior and exterior sensations of falling asleep, explored in eight variations.
He recalled writing his first song in kindergarten, and his teacher wrote it down for him.
"I thought that was really cool, that you could not only write a song, but that the song could be written down, and it could be shared; other people could hear it. So that was my first experience exposure to the process of composing."
In high school he composed a piece that was performed by a youth symphony.
"And since then I've been finding every chance I can to create some new music and have somebody play it and enjoy it," he said.
Bancks has written several pieces that have been premiered by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra.
Last year, he participated in the National Symphony Composer Lab, an opportunity for emerging composers to share their work and receive professional feedback. He was one of five composers chosen out of a field of more than 100.
Read more
• New QCSO program is a dream come true (The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus)
• QCSO plays to a homegrown tune (Quad City Times)