6
Friday, April 21, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Classically trained professor works with synthesizers
Paula D. Hofaker/KANSAN
- Continued from p. 1
Edward Mattilia, professor of music theory, teaches Electronic Music in a studio room at Murphy Hall.
sits next to a bookshelf filled with traditional texts on music theory. A JVC stereo amplifier rests near a metronome.
And on top of his aging acoustic piano, which he learned to play when he was 12, rests a stack of schematics for a digital synthesizer.
"He's very quiet and shy, but I can see him come alive in the studio," said Marcy Ziegler, a Lawrence graduate student in Mattila's Electronic music class. "I think he thrives on that equipment."
During his classes, Mattilla stands almost hidden from his students, talking quietly to students from behind a piano. Even though his student looks uncomfortable, looking down at his notes as he talks about synthesizers.
But in the studio, surrounded by the music equipment he uses to compose, Mattila seems more at ease talking to his students. More at
"I just think I'm a natural for this medium," Mattila said.
He seems to be right. His electronic compositions have been featured in KU's annual Symposium of Contemporary Music. Several of his works have been used in performances by the KU Dance Company, and he has spoken at music conferences and workshops across the country.
"He's very energetic," said Ellen Johnson, former librarian of the KU archives of recorded sound at Murphy Hall.
Johnson said that a former KU student who traveled with Mattila to a seminar worried that the professor would slow him down on the trip. The professor was more energetic than he Mattila was more energetic than he at first seemed, Johnson said.
"He said, 'Dr. Mattila went so fast I couldn't keep up with him,'" Johnson said, laughing.
Mattila keeps busy enough with teaching and running the studio that finding time to write is often difficult.
"I wouldn't just sit down for an hour," Mattila said. "You can't get the juices flowing."
With a slight hint of envy, Mattila talked about great composers who had long, uninterrupted stretches of time in which to write their music.
"Stravinsky used to work six months out of the year, and he would work like a dog. Absolutely nobody would interrupt him," he said. "No wonder they just turned out reams of stuff."
Although he never can find enough time for composing, Mattila does manage to squeeze in other interests, including photography, astronomy and music. She admits she also admits rather sheepishly, listening to the Bob and Ray radio show.
"I think you've got to have a variety in your life, or you can just get saturated with something," he said. "One of the most precious things in life is time. If you haven't used it well time well, you haven'tgot much."
Mattila said he never wasted time trying to figure out what to do.
Except for a brief flirtation with engineering, he always knew that he
wanted to be a composer. By the age of 15, Mattila already was playing piano professionally in dance bands and jazz combs.
Mattila earned a bachelor of arts degree and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and a massachusetts degree from the New England Conservatory.
After previous teaching jobs, Mattsa came to KU in 1964. Eight years later, he discovered electronic music and began to use KU to open the electronic music studio.
"I knew we had to have a studio in order to stay abreast of the developments," he said. "If you're going to be a music major, you need to know a little bit about (electronic equipment)."
With the growing potential of the electronic world and his own musical talent, Mattila looks forward to writing more compositions.
"There's more to go," he said.
"You always want to write another piece. A better piece."
Now, if he can just find the time.
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