Broken Grooves, written for Marcel Rominger in the Fall of 2009, employs a group of evolving riff-like rhythmic patterns in both the piano and electronics. These patterns undergo continual transformation, creating dramatic textures, interludes and terraced panels, which continually fragment and represent the material.

Broken Grooves is a sister piece to she quietly enters and leaves the fray, a work with the same instrumentation and a similar set of compositional goals. A third work, meant to complete a set of three, is in progress.

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Clausen’s work has been presented at the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), Society for Electronic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), Electronic Music Midwest, the Spark Festival of Electronic Music and Art, the Minnesota Institute of Art, Minnesota Museum of American Art, and the Burren College of Art. In addition to frequent performances and events in and around Minneapolis/St. Paul, Mr. Clausen’s work has been performed in New York City, Portland, Santa Barbara, New Orleans, Kansas City, and Ballyvaughn, Ireland.

Clausen holds a B.M. in Theory from Concordia College in Moorhead MN, and an M.A. in Composition from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where his primary instructors were Douglas Geers and Judith Lang Zaimont. Clausen also studied Time and Interactivity at the U. of MN art dept. where his primary teacher was Lynn Lukkas.

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Contact:
Email: claus120@gmail.com
Post: 3036 Fremont Ave S., Minneapolis, MN. 55408

Music Stuff.

Intro:

Bridges and Borders:

This is a Product:

Sadness is an Old Scene:

Beat 11_v.6:

String Quartet, Percussion and Electronics

These excerpts come from a score to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, produced by Concordia Collage and directed by David Wintersteen. The score integrated recorded electronics with an acoustic ensemble, as well as vocal performances by actors onstage.

Ariel’s Theme:

Sycorax Music:

Calliban’s Theme:

Miranda’s Theme:

Masque Celebration:

The Pillowman

Violin, Cello, Piano

These three excerpts come from a score for The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, produced by Theater B and directed by Brad Delzer. The play tells the tale of Katurian, a fiction writer living in a police state who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories, and their similarities to a number of bizarre child murders occurring in his town.

Execution:

Intermission:

Pillowman Theme:

Medea

Flute, Percussion, Harps and Chorus

These excerpts come from a score to Euripides’ Medea, which was produced by Concordia College Theater and directed by David Wintersteen. The recorded score featured percussion, harp  and extensive flute performances by Debra Harris, while the Chorus’ music was sung onstage by an ensemble of five women.

Medea’s Theme:

Song 1:

Medea Deceives:

Song 4:

Medea’s Lament:

Keening: