Jazz student takes composing experience to new level, livestreaming process online

Eddie Codrington created the perfect space for livestreaming composing sessions at home.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Social distancing is spurring creative connectivity around the globe. As physical connections become scarce, people are exploring virtual collaboration opportunities. But, it's nothing new for Eddie Codrington. The highly lauded jazz student is always looking for ways to push the boundaries of composition.

In December, he linked up with friend and Bronco alumnus Yakiv Tvietinskyi, who lives in Ukraine, for a "virtual big band" collaboration. The pair composed and arranged a song, recorded all of the parts themselves, mixed, mastered, edited the video and then released the finished product online—all from thousands of miles apart.

Now that they have some extra time on their hands with the new stay-at-home orders related to the pandemic, they decided to try it again.

"Oddly enough, the (isolation during the) pandemic has had a rather positive effect on my work," Codrington says. "I have been incredibly fortunate that it's worked out this way for me."

This time, he took the collaboration to a new level by livestreaming his composing sessions.

"I'm hoping the live composing will give people a chance to connect with me so that we can learn from each other," says Codrington. "Hopefully this helps us become a stronger community of musicians."

He and Tvietinskyi are working on two pieces each, with plans to create an EP.

"The response has been fairly positive so far. Students seem to enjoy seeing how the two of us approach composition, especially in a setting that's entirely virtual."

Staying Busy

This isn't the only project keeping Codrington—who will graduate this semester with his master's in jazz studies—busy. Fresh off winning his second Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, he recorded his first solo album a couple of weeks ago. It features some of WMU's world-class music faculty, including bass professor John Hébert, piano professor Matthew Fries and a string quartet made up of current students and alumni. The album should be ready for release in the fall.

Just as he thrives on and finds solace in creating music, Codrington acknowledges the catharsis of experiencing it. It's something, he says, we all need to survive.

"Music—and I'm pretty sure all forms of art—is what every human being is now turning to," he says, pointing out things like dance challenges, virtual performances and shared playlists sweeping social media right now. "This sort of thing gets taken for granted when people aren't quarantined, and hopefully this time it helps people realize how important art is to this society."

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