This Interview, by Kathy Parsons of Mainlypiano.com, is one of the best! (October 2001)

Jeff Bjorck was one of the five composers who came to be with us for David Lanz’ workshop last month. I reviewed Jeff’s first album, “Pure Piano Portraits” for “Wind and Wire” magazine, and emailed him to tell him how much I enjoyed his work. We have been online pals ever since, and when we met in person for the first time on October 5, we felt we already knew each other quite well. Jeff’s second CD, “Pure Piano Panoramas” was on my “Top 10 for 2000” - both albums are among my favorites. Jeff has generously donated several copies of both CDs to be given away at the December recital. I’m not sure how we’ll do it yet, but will keep you posted. Here is Jeff’s story so far:

Jeffrey Bjorck was born on November 17, 1960, in Hackensack, New Jersey. His parents were both artists who met while attending commercial art school. His mom, Irene, worked for Norcross Greeting cards and painted watercolors of the “Norcross Rose” (Norcross was as popular as Hallmark at the time). She is now retired, but worked at various jobs over the years, focusing mostly on making and selling crafts and artwork. “She can make anything out of anything!” Jeff’s dad, Walter, Jr., worked as an artist, drawing and painting advertisements, book jackets and magazine covers, etc.. He was also the main artist for the American Tract Society from 1959 to the mid 1960s. Next, he worked with Walter Martin, who founded Christian Research Institute, an organization that produced literature regarding religious issues. “My father was a bit of a Renaissance man too. While he worked as a freelance artist and also worked for CRI, he got involved in Christian talk radio in the mid-1960s. He hosted call-in programs on a variety of Christian stations for 20 years. The format of the programs would entail listeners calling in with questions about the Bible, or cults, or current issues in the context of faith, etc.” Walter died in 1991, shortly after Jeff and his wife, Sharon, moved to California. Jeff has an older brother named Walter III and a younger sister named Ellen. All three kids took piano lessons from their mother for several years, but Jeff is the only one who still plays. Ellen sings solos for church.

The Bjorck family moved from Hackensack, New Jersey to Hamburg, NJ in January of 1963. Jeff lived in that house (where his mom still lives) until he left for college at Colgate University in New York (where he earned his BA in Psychology). Later on, he lived at home for a year and then moved to The University of Delaware for graduate school (where he earned an MA and PhD in Psychology). He met his wife, Sharon, there. After that, he moved to Oklahoma City, OK for his year of internship, and then back to Delaware to finish his dissertation. “ Sharon and I moved to CA so that I could start my first job as a psychologist, while the ink was still drying on my diploma. I came to work at Fuller Seminary’s Graduate School of Psychology as a psychology professor in November of 1990.” They just bought their first house and are now living in Monrovia, CA.

Jeff took piano lessons from his mother from the ages of nine to thirteen. “When I stopped lessons, I had mastered the first movement of Moonlight Sonata and a few other classical pieces, but I could not sight read because I never lost the bad habit of looking down. My mother did not realize at the time that I had a photographic memory, so I would quickly memorize the music and then look away from it to play. Today, I don’t have to look at the keys much when I play, but unfortunately, I still can’t sight read.” His mom insisted that Jeff not improvise when he was practicing his lessons, and he started composing at about the same time as he stopped taking lessons. There is an interesting story behind Jeff’s improvising at the piano. “I had been doing a ’push-up’ contest with my dad, and I did 65. Then, I noticed that I had a weird strain, which turned out to be a hernia. The doctor said, ’no gym class, lifting, clarinet blowing, or any straining.’ As a hyperactive kid, this about drove me crazy! There was nothing to do but sit at the piano and fool around. But this ’fooling around’ led me to discover that I could improvise and figure out songs on the radio, etc., and also compose my own music. After that, I played the piano constantly, all the way through my high school years. I think Mom’s piano lessons were one of the greatest gifts she ever gave me.” Jeff wrote his first song at nine, and his first piano compositions when he was thirteen. He played two of these at a band concert in eighth grade. He was approached after the concert by a professor from Julliard School of Music, who encouraged Jeff to apply there after high school. He did not.

Jeff also played the clarinet from grades 4-10. “I won several scholarship competitions based on recital performances, and the scholarships would always pay for more lessons. Interestingly, I could sight-read clarinet music. My clarinet teacher strongly discouraged me from improvising, which I also loved to do on the clarinet. I confess that I did not take his advice. I loved to improvise and play along with my dad’s Big Band records (e.g., Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw). In my first year of high school, I joined the marching band, but I abandoned the clarinet after a year in favor of the triple drums, which I played for another year. I really enjoy percussion! I still played clarinet in the high school concert band, but I quit this, too, after my sophomore year because the band at my school was more of a ’partying group’ rather than serious musicians. Besides, I concentrated my musical energy on a jazz band, in which I played piano. This jazz band ran through my freshman, sophomore, and junior years. During my sophomore year, I was given an award for ’outstanding musician’ (along with a number of other musicians from other schools) at a NJ state jazz band festival/competition.”

KP: Did you ever consider being a musician only?

JB: Almost never. This is one reason that I did not pursue formal lessons in high school. Even in my early teens, I knew that I did not want to be a full-time composer. Rather, I wanted to work more directly with helping people. Another reason that I did not pursue music as a career was that, for me, playing at the piano was--and is--a very special and wonderful emotional release. I always feared that “going pro” would turn this special recreational activity into “just work” and I did not want to risk this. Today, I am still glad for this choice, because I found that even the process of recording one CD turned music much more into “work” than “play.” I really admire full-time professional musicians, but I don’t think I was cut out to be one.

KP: Have you always been a “Renaissance” person?

JB: Yes! When I was a little boy, I was already frustratedly aware that there just wasn’t enough time in life to pursue all the interests I had. I told my folks (tongue in cheek) that my hobby was collecting hobbies. My father always said I should have been five people due to my multiple interests.

KP: Did being a hyperactive child make growing up more difficult?

JB: YES!!! It was very hard to just sit still (and it still is! If you looked over your shoulder during the David Lanz workshop, you might have noticed that I stood in the kitchen and walked around occasionally!) Piano was always a great energy outlet, and my compositions earlier in life were a lot more energetic! When I was 11, though, I found a way to focus my energy on being still. I developed a love for wild birds, and I wanted more than anything to be able to have them fly to my hand and let me feed them. Birds are very skittish, of course, so this required me to stand out in the snow, stock still for hours, moving only an inch every 1/4 hour or so. Well, the
double good news is that I succeeded in getting right up to the birds, and I succeeded in learning how to “energetically pursue stillness.”

KP: Who or what are your biggest musical influences?

JB: I would have to start with my parents! My mother, obviously, because she was my teacher and I think teachers have the most profound influence on their students. My father, because he loved to listen to music and had an extensive record (yes, even 78s) collection of big band, orchestral, classical, and opera music. There was always music playing in my home, and my father’s love of big band jazz was the strongest factor in instilling my love of improvisation. After my parents, I must confess that I never really tried to imitate anyone. I was playing “new age” piano before I had ever heard anyone else play it. Classically, I am not very literate, but I love Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and Brahms among others. I think these composers were particularly adept at expressing emotion with their music, which is something I have definitely focused on.

KP: Has your music been used for films and/or TV?

JB: Films, yes. TV....not yet, although all my music is part of a commercial music library owned by every major studio in Hollywood. So time will tell! My music has been used in videos, commercials, and various films (but nothing like a major motion picture).

KP: What are some of the jobs you’ve had?

JB: My first full-time professional job is the one I still have...as a clinical psychologist and professor at a graduate school, where I teach future clinical psychologists working for their doctoral degrees. As for part-time jobs, that’s another story! I have done everything from gardening, handyman work, dishwashing, restaurant and institutional cooking, and working as a nursing assistant in a psychiatric hospital.

KP: How do you see your musical future shaping up?

JB: I hope to continue composing and recording, perhaps producing a new CD every 2 or 3 years. At this point, I am so grateful to those who have expressed appreciation for my music and purchased it from my website and elsewhere. They not only affirm my desire to be heard, but they make this all possible! I will most likely never approach music as a “full-time” endeavor or “day job,” and so I am very grateful for those who allow me to experience the joys of being a “recording artist” rather than simply a “closet musician.”

KP: What has been your most exciting musical moment or experience so far?

JB: No one experience clearly stands out, but I would actually need to rate my weekend in Hercules as one of the most wonderful musical experiences I have had. Starting with David Lanz’ concert Saturday night, then getting to see all your students perform David’s musi in front of him (they don’t know how lucky they are!), and then capping it off when a number of us who are composers played for each other later that evening. What a weekend! I will long remember it!

KP: You have said that you are doing too many things to focus on music only. What are some of those other things?

JB: Well, I am a clinical psychologist with a private practice. I am a professor who teaches full time. I am a researcher who conducts research and writes scientific articles published in research journals (part of my professor job). I have written a professional book for those in mental health. I am an avid hang glider pilot. I lift weights and have participated in competitive power lifting competitions. I do step aerobics twice a week with my wife Sharon (who is the volunteer instructor when she is not working as a professor herself). I love photography, gardening and landscaping, hiking with Sharon and occasionally camping, traveling (often to national parks or other locations where we can hike, camp, and go hunting for wildlife (with my camera). I am also active in my church, where I preach occasionally and teach occasionally as well. And....If I had more time (!) I would love to spend more time on some of my other interests, like drawing, painting, sculpture, poetry, snorkeling/skin-diving, carpentry, and collecting things stamps, coins, rocks/minerals, baseball cards from the turn of the century. Does that give you an idea? I could go on if you like!

KP: How do you go about writing a piece of music?

JB: I typically just sit at the piano and play spontaneously from my heart, with a tape recorder going to catch any particular themes that strike me. Then I return and work on these themes, developing them more fully. My compositions, however, are rarely, if ever, “exactly” finished note for note. Thus, I play even “finished” works slightly differently every time. One of the challenges of recording is that I feel I have to “trap” a piece in a more “unchanging” format to record it. Fortunately, I am still able to keep many pieces more spontaneous and even my recorded pieces are seldom played note for note in a performance. In fact, I have to listen to my CDs to “learn” some of my own pieces if I wish to perform them, because the recording was quite spontaneous. If I performed more often, I am sure that my pieces would become less spontaneous, but then again, I would be able to play them even better!

KP: Do you have a favorite of any of your pieces?

JB: I have several favorites, not in a particular order: On my first CD, I am partial to Living Waters (my first recorded piece), Waiting For Farewell (written for my dad), and Walk Down Steward Lane (perhaps a bit Mozart-like???). On Panoramas, my favorites are Soaring Mesa Cliffs, Desert Cloudburst, and both hymns (Deep, Deep Love of Jesus and Holy, Holy, Holy).

KP: Is there one particular piece that you feels says the most about who you are as a person?

JB: No, I am afraid not. I feel that each person is too complex to be “portrayed” with one piece of music. I think, however, that you might obtain a “sketch” (rather than a detailed portrait) of Jeff Bjorck by combining Living Waters (which portrays my energy, my love of motion and nature, and my deep faith) with Waiting For Farewell (which demonstrates my readiness to engage with the sorrows of life and my compassion and passion that I experience as central to who I am). Regarding my deep faith, the liner notes of my CDs offer some insights. What might not be clear, however, is that “Living Waters” is actually a reference to my Christian faith while it also refers to the beauty of water in nature. There is a poem in my first CD’s liner notes that expresses this.

KP: What is your ultimate goal as a composer/musician?

JB: I want to use the gifts God has given me to bring joy to others through the vehicle of my compositions. I feel most fulfilled when a listener tells me that my music has moved them deep in their spirit and/or emotions.

KP: Is there a particular philosophy that you try to convey in your music?

JB: I confess that this is not one of my objectives. I would say, however, that I hope my music conveys my appreciation for the value of beauty, peace, emotion, and art. I would like to think that I might be able to convey love with my music, but I view love as much more than a feeling or sentiment, so I do not know that I succeed in this area. In other words, I do believe that I can convey the importance of feelings or sentiments, but I think love is actually more of a decision to act for the good of others, whether I feel like it or not, and I don’t know quite how to convey this through music! Philosophies are so much easier to convey through words, which leaves instrumental music at a disadvantage. To that end, I have included two hymns on each of my CDs, and the lyrics of these hymns are central to my worldview.

KP: Do you compose all the time, or does composing come in spurts?

JB: Definitely in spurts! This also relates to the (sad) fact that I only play in spurts, and that means I don’t get to play every day as I wish I could.

KP: If you could have any three wishes, what would they be?

JB: Well, I will assume you mean wishes for me personally, so I will go right past wishes for the obvious like world peace, etc. So...for me? That I could sight-read piano music!!! That I could have visual depth perception (I have worn glasses or contacts since the age of two), and that my arthritic shoulder would be completely back to normal.

KP: Do you have any words of advice for young people who are studying music now?

JB: Yes, I do. Practice, Practice, PRACTICE!!! Start slow and work up to fast, because you actually improve all your skills more by playing slowly. NEVER look at your hands while you play and NEVER stop sight reading even if you start composing. Also, remember that the harder you work at your piano skills, the more FUN you will have in the long run! Finally, remember that technical skill comes from practice, but beautiful expression comes from the heart, so play from your heart!

KP: Is there anything else I missed or you would like to share with us?

JB: If I would add anything, it might be that my wife is my best friend for eleven years of our marriage and for 4 years before that. We live with three cats and we have always had at least one cat at any given time who liked to “play the piano” from time to time! (walk on it).

Volume 9, Number 2

How to handle hosts of interests

While Rorschach--his white cat with amorphous tan blots--purrs in his lap, Jeff Bjorck, AS '91PhD, recalls a time in his childhood when he told his parents, "My hobby is collecting hobbies."

Bjorck's interests then ranged from playing the piano and clarinet, to drawing, painting and sculpting, to tree climbing, bird watching and spending hours in the woods near his home. "I also had every collection imaginable, from stamps and coins to minerals and leaves, not to mention a dust collection under my bed!"

Bjorck says he was a hyperactive child, which often made life for him and his parents a challenge. "My hobbies helped me sit still and stay focused, for at least a few minutes at a time."

Growing up with parents who encouraged his many pursuits, Bjorck (who says he feels hyperactive even now) still retains a wide assortment of avocations. A licensed clinical psychologist, he is a psychology professor at Fuller Theological Seminary's Graduate School of Psychology in Pasadena, Calif., where he teaches, conducts research and writes. He also maintains a part-time private practice that includes a wide variety of cases.

"I enjoy treating young children, adolescents, adults of all ages, families and couples. I think a broad focus helps me to be a better clinician, given my own personality," he says.

His recently published book, Casebook for Managing Managed Care (American Psychiatric Press, coauthored by Janet Brown, R.N., and Michael Goodman, M.D.) teaches mental-health professionals how to communicate patients' needs to managed-care organizations so that patients get proper treatment. "Writing this book proved that things always take longer than you plan, and that life is never predictable," Bjorck says. "For example, I started working on it officially in 1996, and the original second author died suddenly only a week after we began. There were many unexpected hurdles along the way, but it feels terrific to finally be done."

When not working, Bjorck says he enjoys hiking, camping and attending the step-aerobics class directed by his wife, Sharon McConnell, BE '86, who is a professor of English as a second language at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. Jeff also hang glides regularly, participates in weight-lifting competitions, enjoys photography and still plays the piano.

Recently, he independently released 12 of his instrumental compositions on a CD, Pure Piano Portraits, which has received airplay on a number of public radio stations across the country. The CD cover features one of his photographs, taken in Glacier National Park, Mont.

"Some of the pieces on the CD were actually given birth on the piano in the lounge of Brown Hall, while I was a graduate student," he says. "I had an office in Elliott Hall for several years, which served as a psychology clinic then, and I would often play in that residence hall as a study break."

Nearly a decade after graduating, Bjorck says he has many fond memories of his graduate school years, from meeting his wife at an Intervarsity Christian Fellowship meeting to working with his mentor, psychology Prof. Larry Cohen. "Larry was someone who could give me frank, constructive, critical feedback on my scientific writing on the one hand, and, on the other, be comfortable going up to the gym and sharing a game of racquetball. We still keep in touch and occasionally collaborate."

Were there any negative aspects to Bjorck's graduate education? "One of the things I liked least," he says, laughing, "was losing every one of those racquetball games in six years."

Today, racquetball has been replaced by hang gliding. "Years ago, it was a very risky sport, but this is no longer true. I am the kind of person who does his research before trying something new, and statistically, I would much rather be hang gliding than skiing, mountain biking or driving on L.A. freeways," he says.

Bjorck frequently launches from a mountain 2,100 feet above a landing site in Sylmar, Calif., outside Los Angeles. Using thermals (rising columns of hot air), he is able to climb a mile or more above the ground and stay aloft for hours at a time.

"For me, this is not a thrill-seeking activity," he says. "It's one of the most peaceful places I know. To be soaring beside a hawk at perhaps 1,000 feet above mountain tops, with only the wind in my ears, is wonderful."

Bjorck still finds that there is never enough time to do everything he would like. To this end, he says he has found two maxims to be valuable: "All decisions involve loss" and "Embrace your limits."

"Limits are God's gift. They help to keep me focused on what's important in life, like loving my wife and trying to make a difference in the world. I waste no energy feeling guilty about my limits, though. Rather, I give myself permission to be sad about the losses involved in every choice I make. (I can't be two places at once, can I?) This frees me up to enjoy the fact that all decisions also involve gain. Frankly, given all the opportunities and experiences I have gained already, I feel extremely grateful and blessed."

-Gary Libman

When was it that you started composing for the piano? Is this something you've been doing all your life?

I first began composing for piano at the age of 13. I began lessons at 9,and my mother was my teacher. She had taken lessons herself until age 13. I also took lessons until I was 13, playing such pieces as Moonlight Sonata. Two factors from those years have had a lasting impact on my composing, for better or worse. First, when taking lessons, neither my mother nor I realized that I had a very visual (photographic?) memory. Thus, I would quickly memorize music and then look down at my fingers, which made playing much easier. As a result, although I can read music (and do not need to look at my hands while playing), I never learned to sight-read. Second, I discovered at the age of 13 that I could improvise and make arrangements of music I heard. As a result, my love for playing increased dramatically as I began to focus on my own compositions. On the one hand, this doubtless helped by increasing my motivation for practice and playing. On the other, my compositions favored my right hand (I am right-handed), and kept me from reading music much at all. Thus, today, whereas I still greatly enjoy playing my own music, I am truly sad at my lack of ability to sit down and play sheet music. I would particularly love to be able to play classical music. When I retire, I hope to take piano lessons again and learn to play "correctly," including learning to sight-read.

"Catskill Mountain Meadow" has some passages which, technique wise, are above average for New Age music. Have you had any formal training at the piano?

I did receive formal training from my mother. Unfortunately, I have probably lost some of the benefits of that training over time by primarily playing my own music. As for the complexity of my technique, I believe that my combining notes--and the space between them--can give the illusion of technique far greater than I actually employ. I have had friends who are accomplished pianists say, "I could never play that," particularly to one rapid section in "Living Waters." When I show them what I am actually doing, however, the response was "Oh! So that's what you are doing! It sounds more complex than that." My right hand can be quite active at times, but it is actually a chore for me even to play C scales up and down the keyboard with both hands simultaneously! In short, I believe that skill of my compositions lies in my ability to convey emotion much more than in my ability to employ technical skill. I have the utmost admiration for those who actually are skilled in such ways.

When writing, do you notate the music and go through several drafts before the finished product, or do you just record as the music comes to you?

Here might be another locus of my abilities. I actually never write a single note. Rather, I play spontaneously, with a tape recorder going at times (to catch on tape whatever "surprises" me). Then, I stop to develop themes that emerge. As a result, the vast majority of my compositions are never played exactly the same twice (although some approach this). In fact, several pieces on my CD, Pure Piano Portraits, were done in basically one take, for example, Butterfly Sunrise. Before I ever played this piece in public, I needed to listen to my CD a number of times to learn my own composition!

I generally don't like attaching labels to music, but music in the "New Age" genre can often be grouped into two categories: relaxing/background music such as Jim Brickman, David Lanz, or George Winston; and the more technically demanding music of Julie Rivers and Suzanne Ciani. Which, do you think, your music falls into?

I also dislike labels, particularly "New Age" which often erroneously suggests a religious orientation to those less familiar with the genre. In fact, my own Christian faith is about as far from New Age beliefs as one can get. Before I answer your question, let me make two qualifications. First, I do not believe I merit placement in the same category as the other artists whom you mention. Second, my next CD may not be as calming as Pure Piano Portraits, because I enjoy a wide variety of compositional styles including rock, blues, and jazz. So let me respond to your question regarding Pure Piano Portraits.
     I apologize for sounding equivocal, but I believe this CD can fall into both categories! For the casual listener, Pure Piano Portraits can drop comfortably into the background quite readily. For the tired listener, it can easily prompt the onset of peaceful sleep! In fact, when a relative of mine needed a respirator and was kept unconscious in the hospital, the nurses would play my CD because it would calm her and actually stabilize her vital signs. Other women have used Pure Piano Portraits during labor in the delivery room. So my music can certainly be called "relaxing. "The technical qualities of my compositions are also present, but I think they stand out less than the relaxing qualities. To appreciate the technical, I would suggest that one listens to Pure Piano Portraits in a very quiet setting, when one is already relaxed but completely awake and totally focused on the music. In this way, I feel that the technical dimensions of my compositions can be best appreciated. If I were to select my own category for Pure Piano Portraits, I think I would refer to perhaps the nicest compliment I have received. It came from a professor I had in college, who described this music as a cross between New Age and Debussy. I don't believe that this was due to the technical prowess of my work. Rather, I would like to think that this description suggests my music has a depth of emotional expression that compliments melody. Thus, I believe that my pieces might be said to have more structure than more formless new age (e.g., ambient) compositions, while retaining an emphasis on emotion.

Do you listen to classical music?

I do, but I confess that I do not listen with great frequency. My musical tastes are quite eclectic. The radio buttons in my pick-up truck probably tell it all, being set respectively to classical, contemporary Christian, and adult/contemporary (the closest thing to new age I can get). I also had a button set to a station broadcasting the big band music of the 30s and 40s, and I grieve the day that station went off the air! I grew up in a home where music of the 30s and 40s was predominant, and the improvisational skill of musicians like Goodman, Shaw, and James truly inspired me.

Who are some of your favorite composers?

My appreciation of composers is as eclectic as my appreciation of music. Of course, I love music that expresses emotion. To that end, I think that I prefer Beethoven and Chopin to Mozart, for example. I also appreciate Debussy, which should come as no surprise, but the number of different composers I admire is endless. One lesser known that immediately comes to mind is Art Tatum, a jazz genius who typically sounded like two people playing. His talent was so amazing, it made his contemporaries want to pack up and go home! I should qualify my comments here too, however. I do not consider myself in the least bit qualified to truly make comparisons of the great composers of any era. I simply have not spent the time or discipline required to develop such informed opinions.

Have you performed your music in concert?

I have only done so rarely, and only in relatively small venues (e.g,. Borders Bookstore in Pasadena, California). The difficulty of composing one's own music in one's head is that each piece changes (at least in minor ways) constantly. This makes preparing for a concert more difficult. As such, I enjoy the recording studio where my music can be more readily "caught" on tape and "harvested" for listening! Still, I am open to performing, and I have enjoyed those performances I have given. It is nice to get such immediate feedback!

Do you plan on recording more albums?

Absolutely. I already have plenty for another complete CD. Hopefully, I would like to return to the recording studio within the year. Time will tell. [Pure Piano Panoramas is now available!]

Copyright 1999   Justin Sims