Alexander Sartakov

Alexander Jan Sartakov began playing classical guitar at the age of 11 in Russia. In 1993, he moved to the United States and lived in both New York and San Francisco, playing guitar with various bands. While in San Francisco, he studied with Alex Skolnik (founder of the rock band Testament).

In 1998, Sartakov received a performance scholarship to attend Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he studied with guitar Professor Jon Damian and computer music composer Dr. Richard Boulanger. He completed a dual degree in Music Business/Management and Music Production & Engineering with a minor in Music Synthesis, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2002. In addition, Alexander worked as a staff writer for The Groove – Berklee’s Student Voice and co-director of Berklee’s Heavy Rotation Records, the only student-run record label distributed by a major record label (Epic/Sony).

In his music, Sartakov synthesizes his broad knowledge of classical, jazz, and contemporary styles to create thoughtful and compelling compositions. His innovative use of recording and computer equipment allows Sartakov to merge unique musical forms with unconventional textures and sounds. His composition “In A Forest” has been selected for the 2003 Berklee Music Technology Compilation CD.

At the present time, Alexander is pursuing his graduate degree in composition at New York University and continuing to work as producer, engineer, and guitarist.

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February 7, 2006
Listen to My Music Here:
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April 27, 2005
Alex joins Man On Earth. Get all the info here:
www.manonearth.com
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January 5, 2005
Links to news and projects:

Music
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Heavy Rotation Records
www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2002/0308/p13s02-almp.html
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VH-1 Feature,
I arranged, produced, and recorded Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" for a string quartet with turntables. To my surprise, VH1 picked it for this video as a background track. Check it out.
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August 14, 2003
Alexander Jan Sartakov
Composer, Producer, Sound Designer
Debut Album OUTROSPECTION

Outrospection is Sartakov’s first attempt to combine computer-based sound design with diverse forms of composition. The first track, “In a Forest,” showcases Sartakov’s ability to produce a piece of formal musical work out of spontaneous performances. “In a Forest” is a freeform piece incorporating the live improvisations of 2 drummers (jazz and rock), 2 keyboard players (jazz and pop), 2 guitarists (jazz and synth), bass, saxophone, and turntable. The musicians played freely in the studio for about 3 hours, with dynamics and orchestration conducted by Sartakov on the spot. Changes in the mood of the music were achieved by alternating green, blue, and red lighting in the studio. The entire improvisation was later edited on the computer and complemented with a variety of sound effects, including sound design, samples, and vocal overdubs. The result is a freeform composition that moves from ambient sounds to more intense colors and back, capturing and holding the listener’s attention.

“In a City,” the second piece on Outrospection, is an exploration of the Drum n Bass style, but in a more improvisational and unconventional way. The track focuses on capturing the most innovative and challenging performances in this style possible on the drums, bass, and turntable. A number of turntable parts were recorded over drum and bass tracks, elevating it as a solo instrument, and later edited and enhanced with studio and computer effects. “In a City” demonstrates Sartakov’s talent for creating new styles incorporating electronic influences and live improvisation.

“In A Restaurant” is a sound design composition that draws from the French-Canadian school of computer-music composers that work in the Soundscape style. This piece is dedicated to all of the innocent victims of terrorism. This theme is very close to the composer, as members of his family live in Israel and are dealing with the horrible nightmare of terrorism on a daily basis. “In A Restaurant” was created by combining samples of philosophical and psychological ideas about the reality of suicidal tendencies in men, which were then placed in a restaurant setting so that the listener experiences the sensation of walking from table to table and hearing what these men have to say. On another level, several distinct spaces and ambient sounds can be clearly heard. Sartakov engineered and produced the music in the first part of the track (Brahms’ 1st Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 38) in 2001, and the fugue (from the same sonata) in the second part of the piece was transformed into a scream using CSound and other advanced computer software. “In A Restaurant” concludes with a woman screaming about the loss of her loved one and the sounds of church bells, designed using FM synthesis technology.

Originally created as a demonstration of Sartakov’s multi-talented skills as a composer, producer, and sound designer, Outrospection stands as solid album, featuring more than 30 minutes of music that essentially creates mental pictures of the ideas he strives to bring to life. Though many artists choose to look inward for inspiration, Sartakov’s work is filled with reflections on the world around him: society, politics, and the human condition. Like the powerful concepts he chooses to explore, Sartakov’s music is challenging, moving, and undeniably captivating.

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