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François Villon's Ballade des pendus: new song & music video

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When in 1463 François Villon wrote the Ballade des pendus from his prison cell, he launched a poignant appeal to his fellow human beings. Speaking on behalf of those found guilty by the courts – imprisoned or put to death, he implores his neighbors to have heart and not to condemn them a second time through their contempt and ignorance. With this song, Anika Kildegaard and I relay this call, which is still highly relevant more than five centuries later. The video also evokes a work dear to Villon: the Danse macabre from the Holy Innocents’ Cemetery in Paris , which reminds us that we are all equal in the face of death, regardless of our education, pecuniary wealth, or skin color. The song belongs to Jean-François Charles's Missa brevis Abbaye de Thélème . Missa brevis Abbaye de Thélème by Anika Kildegaard & Jean-François Charles
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame with live musical group

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After a sold-out premiere at FilmScene , we are performing our new soundtrack to the 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame , starring Lon Chaney in Ainsworth, Iowa! Here is some press coverage of this unique performance: Washington Live hosted by Diana Rich with guests Jean-Francois Charles, Nicolas Sidoroff, Mike Zahs, November 1, 2023 on KCTC : Article in the Southeast Iowa Union - a.k.a. the Washington paper !, by Kalen McCain, November 2, 2023: Hunchback of Notre Dame, screening to feature live soundtrack . Interview on KCII radio hosted by Jennifer Wilkerson, with Michael Zahs, Jean-Francois Charles, and Nicolas Sidoroff, November 3, 2023: Halcyon House Washington Page on KCII radio, Nov 3, 2023 . Article in The Kalona News, by Cheryl Allen, October 25, 2023: Live music to accompany ‘Hunchback’ at Ainworth Opera House . The show is organized by Michael Zahs at the Ainsworth Opera House. Dinner is included - we hope to see you there! Tuesday, Nov 14, starting at 6 p.m. Review
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Jamshid Jam Fall Tour 2023

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September 8: theory & musicology colloquium, University of Iowa. Thank you colleagues, and Sarah Suhadolnik for the pictures! September 11: University of Nebraska, Omaha. Thank you music technologist Seth Shafer ! September 12: Iowa State University, Ames. Thank you astromusicologist Ritwik Banerji ! September 15: Impromptu Fest, High Concept Labs, Chicago. Thank you pianist and composer Amy Wurtz , pianist Marianne Parker , composer Ben Zucker , cellist Alyson Berger , photographer Andy Yau for the pictures, and everyone at New Music Chicago! September 22: Stanley Museum of Art , University of Iowa. Thank you curator of learning & engagement Kimberly Datchuk, and everyone at the Stanley - we love this museum! We hope to see you today at the Stanley, 6:30-8pm!
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Petrified, for tubax & live electronics, live

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The tubax is a contrabass saxophone with a 1999 design by Benedikt Eppelsheim . During his doctoral studies at the University of Iowa - and under the guidance of virtuoso saxophonist Kenneth Tse - saxophonist Yo-yo Su developed strong skills on the tubax. He commissioned new music and dedicated a recording project to new music for tubax. I was glad that we performed and recorded a new version of my composition Petrified , for tubax & live electronics. Before the recording, we performed the piece during our fall Laptop Orchestra Concert and during Yo-yo's doctoral recital: More videos featuring Yo-yo Su .
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Jamshid Jam at the Englert

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From the Jamshid Jam duet archives: an excerpt from our Englert Theatre 2021 show . Studio album: jamshidjam.com
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Voltaic, starring Marco Fusi on viola d'amore

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In April 2022, virtuoso Marco Fusi gave a wonderful violin and viola d'amore recital at the University of Iowa. The piece I wrote for him is titled Voltaic . As mentioned in the score , Voltaic may be played as a solo for viola d'amore, or with live electronics accompaniment.
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14 speakers with the Klais organ

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One of the interesting concerts we organized this season in the Voxman Music Building was the Composers' Workshop on December 6, 2022 . For this concert, we set-up a system of 14 speakers in the Voxman Concert Hall. Composer Ziang Han had written a new piece for organ and live electronics. I helped him mixing it in Atmos to make the spatialization work in the beautiful space. The program also included Flo Menezes 's recent spatialized composition Perpetui decoris structura . Flo is an incredible person and composer, I hope we can invite him in Iowa at some point! I really enjoyed hearing the organ with our ad hoc orchestra of loudspeakers. To know more about the impressive Klais organ, I let the passionate Professor of Organ Gregory Hand show you inside:
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