Batzner, Jay

Jay C. Batzner (b. 1974) is a composer and zazen practitioner. Jay’s music has been performed at new music festivals such as Society for Composers, Inc., College Music Society, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the US, and Electronic Music Midwest as well as instrument performance societies including the National Flute Association, International Horn Society, and North American Saxophone Alliance. His works have received recognition from such organizations as the Bourges festival, the Areon Flutes International Composition Competition, the VI Concurso Internacional de Miniaturas Electroacusticas, and the London International Film Festival.​ 

Jay's frequent interdisciplinary collaborations with the group Team Hyena Puppet has led to several dance piece presented at venues such as the National Dance Educators Organization, Electroacoustic Barn Dance, and the Regeneration Dance Festival of Detroit. Their recent dance film Slipping By, done in collaboration with Eric Limarenko and Paul Collins, was screened at the International Fine Arts Film Festival, IMARP - Mostra Internacional de Dança, and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival.

Jay is currently on the faculty of Central Michigan University where he teaches composition, theory, and technology courses. He holds degrees in composition and/or theory from the University of Kansas, University of Louisville, and University of Missouri – Kansas City. A lot of his output is instrumental chamber music, frequently with electronics, but he has recently been expanding his vocal compositions. When not teaching or composing, Jay reads too many comic books and is trying to improve his chess game. Ask him about his opera ideas sometime.

Jay's music has been recorded by R. Andrew Lee, David Thornton, Meerenai Shim, The Crescent Duo (feat. Tracy Watson), Alexandra Mascolo-David, Bruce Bonnell, and many others. His works are published by Unsafe Bull Music.​

Recent Scholarships

Lullaby Boxes for solo piano, recorded by Alexandra Mascolo-David and available through White Pine Records (2016)

Word of the Day for mezzo-soprano, flute, and bass clarinet, recoded by Tracy Watson and the Crescent Duo, text by Joanna White and available through Centaur Records (2016)  as if to each other for piano and electronics, recorded by R. Andrew Lee and available from Irritable Hedgehog (2015)​