PRESS

Reviews of ONEIRA: 

TAKE EFFECT

“Of Maker And Movement” opens the listen with 3 movements of animated and dreamy mallet manipulation that emits a very unique energy that radiates with warmth and playfulness. The title track lands in the middle, and it blends the trio’s many strengths into a climate that touches on jazz, ambient and New Age ideas in the very creative demeanor. At the end, “This We Have Now” alternates between intimacy and exploration, where a charming, cinematic appeal is very much appreciated. The 3 are joined by the guest percussionists Megan Arns and Kyle Flens, and together they illuminate Bellor’s vision with fascinating and exciting musicianship that illustrates an inimitable approach to percussion that few will ever replicate.”

TEXTURA

True to form, her writing is melodically alluring as well as rousing and infectious. While it’s possible to detect traces of Classical Minimalism and Balinese Gamelan in the material, she possesses a natural gift for eluding reductive categorization. Stated otherwise, her writing is more identified by an expressive personal signature than allegiance to a particular genre or tradition. Without restricting itself necessarily, the music eschews dissonance for a vibrant, harmonious sound that dovetails excellently with the quartet’s vibrant playing.

Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review

It turns out that Ms. Bellor came through with music that is not rote-ly repetitively Minimalist or New in an expected sense. Rather you might experience this music as I did, as a kind of New Classical Ethnic-Folk hybrid of pentatonic and diatonic musics of infectious rhythm and brightly chiming and syncopating excitement, like perhaps in essence Balinese Gamelan, only wholly original and local to the US like the legacy of percussion group music classics from here, only evolved and inventive in its own ways.

Each work unfolds in nicely built structures of expression, in ways that those who love melodic percussion groups will doubtless find as charming and continually invigorating as I did. Happily recommended!

Avant Music News:

“There’s a certain consistency of sound tying the pieces together—Bellor writes music that’s harmonically accessible and rhythmically propulsive, even as it moves through multiple time signatures with beats divided into variably accented odd and even groupings.”

I Care If You Listen  – Video Premiere of ONEIRA 

Click HERE to view article

textura – Review of Reflections at Dusk 

“Neither a serialist nor a minimalist, she’s fashioned a personal style that’s easy to embrace; she’s also that rare composer whose music manages to be instantly listenable and emotionally resonant without any compromise to its sophistication.” – textura, Reflections at Dusk

Full Article – Textura Review

Spotlight Feature on Textura

Jazz Weekly – Review of Reflections at Dusk 

“A collection of saxophones directed by Chien-Kwan Lin create a rich texture that hovers on “Skylark Lullaby” while dark shadows lurk with a pair of pianos by Olga Shupyatskaya and Futaba Niekawa teamed with percussionists Hannah Weaver and Kyle Peters on the noir “Amethyst.” Rich chimes form lovely impressions with bass and marimba on “Cerulean Twilight” while dramatic strings and harps create a soundtrack of a landscape for “High Resolution.” Evocative musical images.” – Jazz Weekly – Review

Innova Recordings

https://www.innova.mu/albums/jennifer-bellor/reflections-dusk

I liked her use of instruments: melodic percussion vs. non-melodic percussion, a variety of saxophone sounds, she really must like twilight, sunset, dusk because she understands the magic of that time of day. Be sure to check this out. – AArbor KFJC 89.7FM

Clocks In Motion: Of Maker and Movement (2019)

“Jennifer Bellor’s three-movement Of Maker and Movement (2018-19) created ethereal sounds with various mallet instruments, sometimes approaching an ambient aesthetic.

The simple, yet detailed beauty of the sounds, some motoric, others melodic, was arresting. Bellor writes ravishingly and imaginatively for percussion, and Clocks in Motion have made her their resident composer. Three more quartets will come from her pen in the near future.”
David Kulma, Cleveland Classical

New York Concert Review, Inc.

Review of High Resolution: “This work has an atmospheric, dream-like quality. It is an effective work that is a worthy addition to the repertoire.” (Click HERE to read full article.)

Clock Shop 2018-2021

https://www.clocksinmotionpercussion.com/index.cfm?id=88972

2018 Music Now Festival, Indiana State University

https://www.indstate.edu/cas/cmf/contests/contest-results

NewMusicBox 2016 Staff Picks

debut album STAY, December 13, 2016 

“wonderful demonstration of how to maintain a highly individual compositional identity without needing to take refuge in pre-post-genre musical silos” – Frank J. Oteri, NewMusicBox
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/newmusicbox-mix-2016-staff-picks/

Washington Post

Duffy’s Cut (2013) 

“flair for full-bodied, operatic sound” – Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-national-opera-gives-young-writers-a-chance-to-emerge/2013/11/14/ce73eb46-4d77-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html?utm_term=.03ddaade2c07

Huffington Post

Duffy’s Cut (2013) 

“using contrasting rhythms and clever harmonies to an intriguing effect” – Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-dormady-eisenberg/review-three-mini-operas_b_4280687.html

AdZel Duo makes music for two clarinets

https://news.ku.edu/2018/06/29/adzel-duo-makes-music-two-clarinets

2018 The American Prize, Ernst Bacon Award, 2nd Place by College Division Ensemble

http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2018/08/ernst-bacon-award-american-music.html

2018 The American Prize, Honorable Mention for Songs in the Dark

http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2018/04/winning-composers-vocal-chamber-music.html

Fanfare Magazine

Bordello Nights 

“Jennifer Bellor tops exuberance with raciness in Bordello Nights, evoking smoky erotic haunts in New Orleans. Bellor is amazingly deft at pitting jazz soloists against big-band splashiness. I was riveted and entertained by its unfolding air of fantasia and improvisation.” – Huntley Dent, Fanfare Magazine
“Jennifer’s special ability to guide the listener on an introspective tour encompassing a wide range of emotions is realized with this brilliant composition.The use of contemporary/popular music compositional form and technique, the essence of a jazz-like performance, and a serious piece for wind orchestra such as this, are great combinations resulting in this superb piece for wind orchestra and jazz ensemble.” – Fanfare Magazine interview with Tom Leslie, UNLV Wind Orchestra
http://fanfarearchive.com/ntbm/articles/leslie-int-dent.html
“terrific piece of big band jazz” – Henry Fogel, Fanfare Magazine
http://fanfarearchive.com/ntbm/articles/leslie-fogel.html

2016 The American Prize

Winner, Chase the Stars, in the orchestra category
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2017/01/composer-winners-orchestra.html

No Depression

debut album STAY, October 9, 2016

“raw and wild with a beauty that’s so enchanting it is unforgettable” – No Depression
http://nodepression.com/album-review/poetic-imagery-and-stylistic-diversity-make-new-jennifer-bellor-album-enchanting

Jazz Corner

debut album STAY, January 13, 2017

“like a piece of literature through the form of music. Every cut tells a story that is worth listening and understanding” (Jazz Corner and Wavelengthla)
http://www.jazzcorner.com/news/display.php?news=7754

KNPR

898 Hildegard, March 30, 2017 

898 Hildegard with the Las Vegas Philharmonic
Interview on KNPR with Dave Becker March 29, 2017

Alamosa News

Music in the Air throughout the San Luis Valley, January 21, 2018

Performance of Querencia
Read full article

UNLV News Center

UNLV Dance Announces 2017-18 Season —”The In Crowd”, August 17, 2018

Performance of Chase the Stars with choreography
Read full article

Rochester City Newspaper

CLASSICAL | “Sonic Cluster II”

Premiere of Crystalline

Adams State University News

SLV Cultural Commissions to be premiered at CMEA convention, January 20, 2017

Premiere of Querencia
Read full article

UNLV News Center

NEON Festival Returns September 13-17

Performance of Songs in the Dark
Read full article

All About Jazz

Take Five with Jennifer Bellor, August 23, 2016

Read full article

Rochester City Newspaper

Album release concert at Bop Shop Records

“gorgeously ethereal” – Rochester City Newspaper
http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/classical-jazz-jennifer-bellor/Content?oid=2864491

Eastman School of Music Newsroom

Eastman School of Music Saxophonists perform, teach in China this Summer, June 10, 2016

Read full article

Las Vegas Weekly

Neon Rhythm: A Spontaneous Symphony Among Historical Signs, April 27, 2016

“Moments Shared, Moments Lost,” is sentimental and jazz-like. With a slow, free-flowing beat on a tubano drum, it echoes the stories of the once-fantastic, worn and retired signs enveloping us.”
Read the full article – Las Vegas Weekly

Las Vegas Review Journal

Philharmonic Announces 2016-17 Concert Season

Read full article

Jazz @ Eastman

Overdrive (2015) , July 7, 2015

University of Rochester News Room

THREE EASTMAN GRADUATE STUDENTS WIN DOWNBEAT AWARDS, May 9, 2013

Midnight Swim, Downbeat Award in the original composition, orchestrated work category at the graduate college level
Read full article