Holding Liat Wins Berlin Prize
Dear Friends,
I am humbled to report a new film I scored, HOLDING LIAT, has won the Berlinale Documentary Award — as well as the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury — at the Berlin International Film Festival last Saturday. In their comment at the awards ceremony, the jury (headed by Jury President Todd Haynes) said:
“Sometimes a film can do something that nothing else seems to be able to do. A family decides to open the door for a film team, in the worst moment of their lives. The director treats this gesture not only with care and respect for this particular family’s pain, but also for a collective pain. It creates a space where the complexity of violence and justice and the contradictions of history are not silenced, but brought forward, and with such delicate humor. Holding Liat shows us not a path of revenge but of humanity. Where we are challenged to look beyond the fence, and care, rather than kill our neighbors.”
A summary of the film, from IMDb: Liat is one of the hostages taken on October 7th. The film follows her relatives from right up close, with a focus on her father, as he tries to stay on the path of pacifism and humanity amidst war, trauma and diplomacy.
A clip from the film is available to watch on the Deadline website and below are some score excerpts.
For now,
Jordan
Game Transfer Phenomena
Cover of “Game Transfer Phenomena” (EVT001) featuring Michael Asher’s photography.
Dear Friends,
Next week, on January 10, a collaboration with the estate of Joshua Caleb Weibley — an exhibition called Game Transfer Phenomena — will open at CHART Gallery in New York City and will run until February 15, 2025. I composed and performed a 12’ stereo loop which will be installed alongside Joshua’s sculptures. From the CHART Gallery website:
Game Transfer Phenomena consists of 7 crates made to hold objects derived from Tetris’s 7 Tetromino shapes. The installation takes its name from repetitive gameplay’s influence on spatial reasoning and the visual/auditory hallucinations it induces. These perceptual occurrences were first observed following the wider release of Tetris during the late 1980s and are also called “The Tetris Effect.”
In tandem with the opening, there will also be a cassette release of the sound installation which will be presented in three 12’ iterations and limited to 50 copies. In collaboration with Joshua and I, Christian Alborz Oldham designed the release, which will be available at the gallery (74 Franklin Street, NYC), the Editions Verde website, and on the EV Bandcamp page, starting January 10. A bit more about the sound installation:
Composer and sound artist Jordan Dykstra succeeds Tetris’s iconic Gameboy soundtrack with a score for the installation mimicking the benefits of Tetris-play for alleviating PTSD. Inspired by the practice of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Dykstra’s composition allows listeners a meditative envelope for reconditioning painful memories. His walking-pace metronomic elements direct tempo through right and left channels at opposite ends of the room, using echo and delay to align or disorient the listener through sections of varying complexity. The piece’s rhythm is made from the sound of crates being struck with a hammer. These strikes stack, collect, become disorganized, and suddenly click together with the satisfaction of removing a row in Tetris over the course of a 12 minute loop.
Hope to see you there,
Jordan
UPDATE (1/24): An Interlocutor podcast interview with Josh and I has been released. Available on all streaming platforms as well as their website: https://interlocutorinterviews.com/new-blog/2025/1/22/interlocutor-interviews-podcast-game-transfer-phenomena-amp-the-tetris-effect-a-conversation-with-the-executor-of-the-estate-of-joshua-caleb-weibley-amp-composer-jordan-dykstra
DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40
Dear Friends,
Just months before my 40th birthday, I am honored to be a part of the 2024 class of DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40! As announced by IndieWire on August 20:
“The annual honor celebrates young creatives that are making an impact in the field of documentary, ranging from documentarians to editors and sound designers. This year, the seventh annual season for the list, celebrates emerging documentary talent from filmmakers based in the U.S., Canada, and/or Mexico. The 2024 cohort will be honored during the November festival at a private cocktail reception, with the 15th edition of DOC NYC taking place in theaters in New York and online November 13 through 21.”
I am, indeed, in excellent company — including Shaken director Asher Levinthal — and look forward to celebrating with the other filmmakers in November.
For now,
Jordan
The Leaky Eye
Dear Friends,
It was a pleasure to perform with my friends in Ordinary Affects over the weekend in the Grand Gallery at the RISD Museum in Providence, Rhode Island. We premiered pieces by each of the ensemble members — J. P. A. Falzone, Morgan Evans-Weiler, Laura Cetilia, and myself — including my composition “The Leaky Eye.” A live recording is embedded.
For now,
Jordan
BMI Award
It’s actually quite heavy! Photo by Melanie Barksdale
Dear Friends,
On Wednesday, June 5th I was honored to receive a BMI Award for my score for 20 Days in Mariupol at the ceremony in Beverly Hills, CA at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel. It was a very special evening for me and I am so grateful for the recognition, my first award of its kind.
I am grateful to my manager Sami Posner for her help these past few months and looking forward to telling more compelling stories through music in the future.
For now,
Jordan
Ovid, New York premiere
Beautifully stylized poster for Ovid, New York
Dear Friends,
I am very happy to share the world premiere of Vito A. Rowland’s first feature film Ovid, New York — featuring an original score by myself — on June 9, 2024 at the Brooklyn Film Festival. The beautiful film, shot entirely on 35mm, has this synopsis: Seven tales of transformation poetically reimagine Ovid's Metamorphoses and paint a picture of violence and catharsis, anchored in mythical landscapes.
The soundtrack releases June 7, 2024 digitally worldwide, as well as on Bandcamp Friday.
Score credits:
Composed and Arranged by Jordan Dykstra
"Still-Life with Flowers and Dead-Game" is an arrangement of "Bebe" by Hermeto Pascoal. Licenced and distributed with permission.
Performed by (in order of appearance)
Dobro, Acoustic Guitar: Caspar Sonnet
Viola, Vibraphone, Waterphone, Bass Drum, Gong, Synthesizer, Lyrics, Finger Snaps, Melodica, Programming: Jordan Dykstra
Piccolo: Davide Bonomo
Violin: Rimma Agbo
Double Bass: Bob Jones
Cello: Josh Wise
Tenor and Baritone Saxophone: Ben Wareham
Flute: Michael Pestel
Guitar: Taku Sugimoto
Flute: Wakana Ikeda
Voice, Piano, Finger Snaps: Evan Johnston
Whistle: Vito A. Rowlands
Score samples available here:
Also worth mentioning, another of Vito’s films — a short flicker film called Immaculate Generations no. 1 (which also uses music by yours truly) — screens June 5 at the same festival. The film’s synopsis for this one is: If the eyes are the window to the soul, Immaculate Generations no. 1 presents its viewer with a singular look into thousands of souls. Equal parts Carl Sagan and William Blake, this flicker film is composed of tens of thousands of individual retinal photographs from public scientific databases. Its flickering landscapes evoke the violence of the big bang and balance somewhere between threat and seduction, like the paintings of J.M.W. Turner. Animated between 12 and 24 frames per second, they make for a dazzling rush into the maelstrom of life as we perceive it.
For now,
Jordan
Rewind Podcast
Dear Friends,
I am happy to share a recent recording I did with Amit Weiner on the podcast Rewind: How to Grow Your Music Career. We talked about composing chamber music and the performer-composer-audience relationship, working on the score for 20 Days in Mariupol, artificial intelligence, and much more.
Links to listen:
Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FAFBmOALZxWlYc7gpFzku?si=5HQm2OpnTAqYq-o5Y91e8Q
Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rewind-the-musicians-podcast-how-to-grow-your-music-career/id1717600709
for now,
Jordan
Loved So Hard
Dear Friends,
Cover page
I am happy to announce an upcoming premiere of my new work “Loved So Hard My Ribs Were Bruised” tomorrow, April 5 at Spectrum (481 Van Brunt St.) in Brooklyn, NY at 7pm. The piece is composed for pre-recorded piano (with field recording) and one (or more, and in this case 5) melodicas. Teodora Stepančić — who played piano and who runs the piano+ concert series — will join Douglas Farrand, Grzegorz Marciniak, Tilen Lebar, Assaf Gidron, and I on melodica for the performance. Grzegorz and Tilen will also perform melodica duets and the whole ensemble will perform Nomi Epstein’s piece “Combine, Juxtapose, Delayed Overlap.”
Hope to see you there!
For now,
Jordan
We Won An OSCAR!
Mstyslav Chernov and I at a photoshoot in Beverly Hills, CA before attending the Oscar ceremony at the Dolby Theater.
Dear Friends,
I am still in awe… — last week at the 96th Academy Awards, 20 Days in Mariupol won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature!!!! In his headline-making acceptance speech, director and producer Mstyslav Chernov said:
“This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honored but probably I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I never made this film,” said Chernov. He went on to remind the public that “we can make sure that the history record is set straight, that the truth prevails, and that the people of Mariupol and those who’ve given their lives will never be forgotten — because cinema forms memory and memory forms history.”
Watch his full speech here. I am honored to be able to attend the event on March 10 in Los Angeles and humbled by the amount of people who honored the film, which can be viewed in the States for free on YouTube here.
Slava Ukraini!
Love,
Jordan
20 Days Oscar Nomination!
Full list of nominations here
Dear Friends,
It has been a wild ride with 20 Days in Mariupol — from working on it all throughout the fall and into Christmas in 2022, to the Sundance premiere in 2023 (and winning the Audience Award), to having it shown to world leaders at the United Nations — but having it shortlisted for TWO Oscars (Best Documentary Feature Film and Best International Film) and, today, securing the nomination for the Documentary category is something beyond expectation.
The film is also nominated for 2 BAFTA awards (as well as DGA, PGA, and many other awards) and I’m feeling overwhelmed and grateful for the team of so many talented filmmakers.
The Academy Awards will be held on March 20th and air on ABC.
For now,
Jordan
RISD performance
Dear Friends,
There are
On December 28 I will once again join the Providence Research Ensemble — Francesca Caruso (violin), Genevieve Cross (flute), Jordan Dykstra (viola), J. P. A. Falzone (piano/vibraphone), and Christopher Sadlers (double bass) — for a performance of new material at the RISD Museum in Providence, RI. The free concert will start at 5pm in the Grand Gallery at the museum and will feature new works composed for the ensemble, including Neo-Geo: Triptych by James Falzone, my new work There Are Whales Swimming Beneath You, and others.
Please join us for an evening of new music and great art.
For now,
Jordan
20 Days in Mariupol Broadcast Premiere
Dear Friends,
After nearly a year on the festival circuit, 20 Days in Mariupol had it’s broadcast premiere last night on PBS. The film will have a number of encore broadcasts and, like each of the past films made by Frontline, is also streaming — for free — on their Youtube channel.
Thank you for watching.
For now,
Jordan
SHAKEN DOC NYC Premiere
Filmmakers, with stars of the film Danya and Nigel (top center), at the DOC NYC premiere on Nov. 9
Dear Friends,
A new documentary film — co-composed by Brian McOmber and myself — had it’s world premiere at Village East Cinema as part of the 2023 DOC NYC Film Festival in New York, NY. The synopsis: “Following a seizure, a father is arrested after his daughter is hospitalized and stabilized, a doctor claims that her episode could only be the result of severe abuse, and prosecutors arrest the father.” If you’d like to hear bits of the score, posted below are some excerpts.
For now,
Jordan
One More Time With Feeling
Dear Friends,
It is with much pleasure that I can finally share the news that Morgan Green’s beautiful short film “One More Time With Feeling” will premiere in London this Thursday (October 26, 2023) at the Raindance Film Festival. The film has been programed on the “Gone Astray” block which begins, local time, at 6pm. Below you can find the trailer, as well as some excerpts from the score.
For now,
Jordan
ONE MORE TIME WITH FEELING
Cast: Madeline Wise, Gabriel Marin, Mohammad Shehata
Writers: Morgan Green & Laura Sampson Hemingway
Producer: Rose Frullani-Bacon
Director of Photography: Kusi-Quyllur Del Castillo
Editor: Andrew Mazzei
Composer: Jordan Dykstra
The score was performed by:
Zachary Paul, violin
Matt Lau, violin
Alec Santamaria, viola
Jordan Dykstra, viola, piano, percussion, programming, synthesizers
Joshua Wise, cello
Tristan Kasten-Krause, double bass
Recorded by Jordan Dykstra and Noah Chevan
String ensemble produced by Zachary Paul
Soundtracking with Edith Bowman
Dear friends,
Cute, no?
I recently had a nice conversation with the enduring podcast Soundtracking host Edith Bowman about scoring the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” — which airs on TV on November 21, 2023 on PBS Frontline (and thereafter on their YouTube channel). You can listen to my interview with Edith (as well as many other excellent interviews) on her website in addition to all podcast distributors. In other exciting news, last month “20 Days” was submitted to the 2024 Oscars as Ukraine’s pick for the category of International Feature! The final five nominees will be announced on January 23, 2024 and the 95th Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 10.
For now,
Jordan
Interview with Film Score Monthly
Dear friends,
A recent interview I had with reporter Chris Hadley for Film Score Monthly has been published in their August 2023 issue. Chris wrote many generous words about my work on the 20 Days in Mariupol score including this:
The score’s combination of eerie sound design and twisted instrumentation conjures up the darkness and desperation of the Russo-Ukrainian war itself, while also boosting the dramatic urgency of Chernov’s second-by-second struggle to share his coverage of the onslaught, and quietly emphasizing the unbreakable resolve of the citizens of Mariupol as their fight becomes a worldwide cause.
If you would like to read the full interview, here is the PDF.
For now,
Jordan
Now an online magazine, the print edition of FSM ran from 1990 to 2013.
Early print cover (early 90s I would guess) featuring Ennio Morricone.
20 Days Soundtrack Released!
Dear friends,
The soundtrack to 20 Days in Mariupol is now available worldwide in digital/streaming format! I am overjoyed to be a part of this “relentless and truly important documentary” (NYTimes, Critic Pick) which screens in theaters across America for the next few weeks.
Here are links to purchasing the soundtrack
And here are links to streaming
Visit www.20daysinmariupol.com for more information about the film’s theatrical run and film festival dates. It will air in August on PBS FRONTLINE.
For now,
Jordan
Yarn/Wire Premiere at Roulette
Dear Friends,
Eyes hope to see you there!
Next Wednesday (May 3) Yarn/Wire will premiere new works by Heather Stebbins, Jessie Cox, and myself at Roulette in Brooklyn, NY at 8pm. My piece, titled Pitiless as the Sun, recalls and abstracts my experience of seeing the total solar eclipse in August of 2017. I travelled across the country to view this profoundly wild gift from nature and based my composition on three particularly memorable aspects from that morning: the psychedelic crescent shadows, the temperature dropping, and the total eclipse itself.
Tickets are available on the Roulette website and — for those outside of New York City — the performance will be streamed (and archived) on that same webpage.
The Yarn/Wire performing ensemble:
Laura Barger, piano
Julia Den Boer, piano
Russell Greenberg, percussion
Sae Hashimoto, percussion
Heather Stebbins, electronics
for now,
Jordan
Sundance Interviews
Dear Friends,
While in Park City last month for the Sundance Film Festival I spoke to Chandler Poling on his Dublab radio show “Studio Soundtracks” about my score — and specifically the opening cue — for 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL. Listen and download the episode here. I also spoke to Dempsey Pillot at FilmSpeak about the film addressing, and disproving, Russia’s claims about a number of Ukrainian atrocities as fake news. That interview is available here. And last, but certainly not least, an in-depth interview with The New Current is available here.
Thank you for listening!
for now,
Jordan
Click the above image for link!
20 Days in Mariupol
Dear Friends,
These past few months I have been working on a new Frontline film called “20 Days in Mariupol” and I am more than excited to share the news that it will be premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT on January 20th. It will also be available to stream online from January 24-30. “20 Days in Mariupol,” which is the first Frontline film to ever show at Sundance, is described as:
Told through the perspective of Ukrainian-born director and AP video journalist Mstyslav Chernov, 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL is a visceral, first-person view of the early days of Russia’s invasion of the city of Mariupol, Ukraine.
I will update this page when the trailer is unveiled but, for now, I am embedding some excerpts from the score — please enjoy.
for now,
Jordan
UPDATE (January 27): 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL has won the Sundance 2023 Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary! For a full list of winners see the official press release at Sundance.org. Congratulations to the whole team at Frontline and AP News — with a special thanks to Mstyslav Chernov and Michelle Mizner for bringing me on as the composer.