About
Batya Frenklakh (b. 1992) is an Israeli composer. She has completed a second master's degree in composition at the Anton Bruckner Private University under the direction of Prof. Carola Bauckholt ('19-'21). Previously she studied with Mr. Dan Yuhas ('14-'17) and Mr. Reuben Seroussi ('17-'19) at The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University.
Her works were performed by the Israel Contemporary Players, Ensemble Adapter, Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, Schallfeld Ensemble, Divertimento Ensemble, Meitar Ensemble, Janus Ensemble, The Israel NK Orchestra (conducted by Maestro Christian Lindberg), The BMSM Orchestra (conducted by Maestro Yoav Talmi), Duo Alto and more. She has attended masterclasses with Francesco Filidei, Franck Bedrossian, Clara Iannotta, Fabien Levy, Mauro Lanza and Manuela Kerer, and took part in several projects, such as composing in collaboration at Labor Beethoven 2020, constructing musical representations at the Biennale Urbana (Venice) and composing for the film department at TAU.
She won the 3rd prize of the Klon Competition Scholarship and received a master's degree scholarship from The Colton Foundation, a scholarship for excellence in a memory of lawyer Dan Ben-Basat, the Rotary Club Wels Stipendium 2019/20, and a scholarship for composing after the Israeli poet Aviva Or-Shalom.
photo: Margarita Brun
Thoughts
Art is a personal craft, and its side effect is the audience. It would be a lie to say that I do not think about the listener when I compose, but I do my best to keep the listener away from the composition process. I mean that I want my music to be performed, but that fact should not affect art. If art, as it is, makes someone feel anything, it is a very sufficient bonus.
Genre is a limitation. Sticking to some questions of genre makes me compose pieces that have aesthetics of the conflict itself. However, accepting that I can be influenced by different factors or be motivated by varied styles, helps me compose a bit freer. It is not a matter of who I am or who I am more, but a recognition of the idea that there is nothing inside us except for the moment itself.
Music is an aesthetic combination of sounds and noises, which is mainly expressed in the sense of time and timbre. It is a rare gift to be a great innovator, but aesthetics allows us to express ourselves in our own way, and sometimes even to be a bit different. Therefore, as a young composer, I enjoy discovering new music that inspires me and helps me find my voice.
I am inspired by the complex simplicity of Ligeti and Reich, and I admire the patience and the timbre in the music of Grisey. To be honest, many contemporary composers can be written in this paragraph, mainly because I try to find musical moments that can pull my heart out of my body, regardless of name or technique. However, I also enjoy baroque music, as much as electronic music, pop and indie rock.
Gender is not an issue when there are equal opportunities. Concerning contemporary music, I think that thanks to previous brave actions that have started a huge change, the next step is to embrace the change and act as equal in the first place. Therefore, I prefer for example, to not participate in competitions that are restricted to female composers.
Nevertheless, I strongly believe that there is an urgent need to expose children. youth and even adults to women composers as part of the history. In my opinion, education is the key. We cannot change the past - there were fewer female composers because of inequality – but their story and music must be heard.
photos: Margarita Brun, Maxim Reider, Bar Gordon, Tania Rubio, Meitar Ensemble, Batya Frenklakh