Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, BA, Electronic Music Performance

Currently electronic musicians everywhere search for ways to include more live elements in their performances and Jazz musicians explore the possibilities of electronic music.

The EMP (Electronic Music Performance) programme prepares the student to be successful at the junction of those two directions.

The idea is to get the sound directly out of the head into songs and more importantly also on stage. Produce music on a professional level and then perform it, in new creative ways, with talented musicians. Enabled by all the possibilities that music technology offers.

Student interview - Georgiev Aleksiev

· Who you are and what's your musical history?

I am Georgi Aleksiev and I am the first student in the EMP course. I was born in Bulgaria but grew up in Belgium. I am an artist and producer, I studied jazz music, guitar, piano, vocals and drums in a music academy in Brussels. I produce pop, rock, reggae, house and many other genres and a lot of my work is already on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. Since my first year in the conservatory, I have been experimenting more and more with the jazz material that I study in class and apply it to my tracks, and also collaborating with different musicians in my year that also influence the songs with their ideas.

· Why did you choose EMP?

I chose EMP because I wanted to learn more about music production, editing, mastering and recording in a more professional environment. The course already introduced me to many new ideas and techniques that I could use to make my music sound better and more professional. I will also have the opportunity to present my work on stage in the near future and perform using new equipment and set up.

· What do you find the most interesting about EMP?

What I find most interesting about the course is the freedom of making the style of music that I love and having the opportunity to play it with a band. The whole course makes you try out new techniques and sounds that you may have not used before, equipment that you have never played with and that really just adds to your knowledge as a producer and musician.

· Why did you choose to study at Conservatorium Maastricht?

I chose to study here as I wanted to study music and the conservatory in Maastricht were the ones who offered me the course I was looking for exactly. In high school I used to produce my own music at home and I wanted to keep on doing the same, but in a more professional environment with experienced classmates and teachers who are there to help me improve as an artist. The school generally is amazing, I love the atmosphere and the people, I’ve made a lot of new friends and have learned a lot already. Absolutely no regrets.

· What aspects of the study challenge you and where do you find development?

Aspects that challenge me would have to be the use of the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) which in this case would be Ableton. Before I started my studies here I was unfamiliar on how to work with Ableton, but after a few classes and good advice from my teacher I was able to understand the programme better and improve the quality of my music. I had also never used midi controllers, synths and push pads but after several classes and band practices, I was able to fully use the given equipment both in a studio and live. I think this course has given me the opportunity to improve a lot as a producer and I am impatient to learn more.

· What would your future dream be like?

My future dream would be to build up an audience who listen and enjoy my music the way I did with my idols. I hope that maybe I will be able to go around on tours and perform on venues the same way my favorite artists did when I was going to see them live. I want to write music that people can relate to and most importantly I want to inspire more people to try and express themselves through music.

· Who is your musical hero?

My musical hero has to be Slash, lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses. Him and the band are the reason that I started listening to music as a kid and inspired me to grab the guitar for the first time. Now I listen to and make a lot more genres of music than just rock and I look up to other artists such as Mac Miller, Ed Sheeran and many more, but originally it all started as a love for rock music and crazy guitar solos.

· What is the best thing about the lectures of EMP?

The best thing about the lectures is the material. Your work is to make music and to produce new tracks, you get feedback from the teacher and later on you get to play your own music in a band setting. Writing music is not limited to jazz. You can make music in whatever style you like and at the same time you develop and make progress as an artist/producer.

· What advice would you give to a future EMP student?

My advice to future students would only be to just enjoy what you do and don’t be scared to always try out new methods, techniques, instruments and sounds to compose your music. In my opinion the course is great, I love studying here and I’m sure that future students would like it as well. This is the place where you can really get creative and use everything in a more professional environment that will help you build up as a future artist.