JELANI N. SURPRIS

JELANI N. SURPRIS is a contemporary classical composer who hails from Atlanta, Georgia. His musical style can be looped into the “New Simplicity” style - that being said, Surpris is an active participant in numerous genres and styles. When returning to composition after years of studying jazz harmony, punk rock, and modern production, it only seemed natural for Surpris to incorporate all things that surrounded him.

Surpris is currently in his 5th semester of studying Music Composition with Dr. James Ogburn and Audio Engineering with Dr. Mathew McCabe at the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, Georgia. Surpris owes a great deal of his musical ability to jazz composers and soloists who have been teaching, inspiring, and motivating him from the early age of seven, including John Coltrane, Joshua Redman, and Thelonious Monk. In addition, Surpris is an advocate and supporter of the modernity in 21st Century contemporary music. Among his favorite composers and artists are that of Thomas Adès, Rebecca Saunders, Unsuk Chin, Hans Abrahamsen, and Georg Frederich Haas.

As of recent, Surpris has been branching out in the world of new music and has been able to collaborate with the premiere USA-based string quartet, JACK Quartet on his piece entitled, “from total darkness.”