Jordan Dykstra

Jordan Isaiah Whitney Dykstra
Origin	Sioux City, Iowa
Genres	experimental, microtonal, ambient, drone, film music
Occupation(s)	composer, performer, film composer
Instrument	viola
Labels	Important Records, elsewhere, New World Records, Milan Records, Marriage Records, Editions Verde, Shatter Your Leaves, Modern Documents
Website	jordandykstra.com

Jordan Dykstra is an American film music and chamber music composer and violist from Sioux City, Iowa.[1]

Academically, Dykstra studied composition at CalArts with Michael Pisaro, Wolfgang von Schweinitz, and Ulrich Krieger; privately with Daníel Bjarnason,[2] Chiyoko Szlavnics, and at Wesleyan University with Alvin Lucier.[3] Dykstra contributed to the score of the 2017 psychological thriller/horror film It Comes At Night (dir. Trey Edward Shults), which received the NYT Critic's Pick from A.O. Scott, film critic at the New York Times.[4] He has also worked as a composer on film music for Gus Van Sant's 2011 film Restless,[5] Penny Lane's 2019 documentary Hail Satan?,[6] and the 2019 narrative film Blow the Man Down[7] which was directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy. His composition work with Frontline documentaries includes Mstyslav Chernov's 20 Days in Mariupol (which won the Audience Award for Best World Cinema Documentary[8] at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the 2024 Academy Award for Best Documentary[9]) and Plot to Overturn The Election, while his work as a music consultant includes the 2023 Peabody Award Winning[10] Michael Flynn's Holy War, American Insurrection,[11] and the Documenting Hate[12] series. Dykstra was a session violist and string director for Dirty Projectors' 2009 album Bitte Orca and has performed at venues worldwide including MOCA, Los Angeles, CA,[13] the RISD Museum in Providence, RI,[14] the Portland Art Museum in Portland, OR,[15] Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland,[16] and at the Syros Institute in Ano Syros, Greece.[17] In 2024 Dykstra received a BMI Award for his score for 20 Days in Mariupol.[18]

While in Val Verde, CA in 2015, Jordan Dykstra founded Editions Verde, which publishes art and musical objects.[19]

Discography

as Jordan Dykstra (film composer, performer, audio recording engineer, music consultant)

• Ovid, New York (2024) - premiered at the 2024 Brooklyn Film Festival on June 9, 2024[20]
• 20 Days in Mariupol (2023) PBS Frontline/AP News - premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023[20]
• Globes (2021) Avila Film[21] - premiered at 2021 Ji.Hlava International Documentary Film Festival on October 27, 2021[22]
• Magic Hour (2020)[23] - premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 18, 2020[24]
• Blow the Man Down (2019) Amazon Studios[25] - premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2019
• Hail Satan? (2019) Magnolia Pictures - premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival[26] on January 25, 2019
• Documenting Hate (2018) PBS/ProPublica - Emmy nominated[27] 2-part series which premiered on FRONTLINE[28] on August 7, 2017
• It Comes At Night (2017) A24[29] - premiered at the Overlook Film Festival at Timberline Lodge on April 29, 2017
• Restless (2011) Sony Pictures Classic - premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 2011

as Jordan Dykstra

• The Arrow of Time - CD for string quintet and percussion, chamber ensemble (2 violas, vibraphone, pedal synthesizer, reed organ), string trio, duet of viola and Sheng, and solo piano with hand-crank siren and fixed playback (New World Records, September 2020)[30]
• 14 Horse Bells - CD for electronics, viola, percussion, and prepared speakers with electronics (Editions Verde, September 2020)[31]
• A Known Unknown - Bundle containing sheet music, CD, and download code - for grand piano, percussion, and electronics (Editions Verde, June 2018)[32]
• Found Clouds - CD for vibraphone, pedal harp, Farfisa organ, and grand piano (Editions Verde, March 2018)[33]
• Is Land a Voice - CD for field recording, air-horns, and sine-tones (Editions Verde, March 2017)[34]
• The Psychological Future - digital LP for gamelan, percussion, viola, cello, double bass, and sine-tones (January 2017)[35]
• Chimes Nine Times - digital EP for viola, electric guitar, and sine-tones (July 2016)[36][37]
• Stressings - CD (Editions Verde, April 2016)[38][39][40][41]
• Elegant Music - digital EP for viola, koto, noh-kan, ryūteki, and percussion (June 2015)[42]
• Three Horns - digital EP for air-horn and sine-tones in 3 movements (May 2015)[43]
• Like a Sun That Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth - digital LP, composed for Allie Hankins' solo dance show at Conduit Dance Studio in Portland, Ore. from October 24–26, 2014 (January 2015)[44]
• Audition[45] - LP (Marriage Records / Shatter Your Leaves / Modern Documents, August 2014)[46]
• Phonography - digital album of 20 field recordings (March 2014)[47]
• Sundries - ongoing digital album (2013–present)[48]
• Pianodrones - digital EP card in 3 movements (December, 2012)[49]
• A Quiet Night - film score (April, 2011) for "A Quiet Night"[50][a]

as DASH!

• TSS REMIXES - digital download card (Self released, March 2013)[52]
• TAKES SWIFT STRIDES - digital download card (Marriage Records, August 2009)[53]

with Alvin Lucier

• Out of Our Hands - LP (Important Records, March 2022)[54]

with Koen Nutters

• In Better Shape Than You Found Me - CD (elsewhere, October 2021)[55]

with Beau Breather

• College Hotel - CD (Editions Verde, August 2016)[56][57]

with Tom Blood and Jordan Dykstra

• Seems Like It Means Something Else[58] from EXP3 (Editions Verde, March 2016)[59]
• Preludes (November 2014)*
• Greatest Hits Live: Volume One (May 2012)*
• A June Afternoon (June 2011)*
• The Act (June 2011)*

*Digital EPs[60]

with The Righteous and Harmonious Fists

• Fangs, But No Fanks – Split 7-inch EP with White Fang (Marriage Records, 2008)[61]

Composing Credits

Film Credits

• Ovid, New York — directed by Vito A. Rowlands — composer (2024)[62]
• Inside the Uvalde Response — directed by Juanita Ceballos — composer (PBS Frontline/ProPublica/The Texas Tribune, 2023)[63]
• Shaken — directed by Asher Levinthal — co-composer (with Brian McOmber), viola, synthesizer, percussion, keyboards (2023)[64]
• Fair Play — directed by Chloe Dumont — score conductor, viola (Netflix, 2023)[65]
• 20 Days in Mariupol — directed by Mstyslav Chernov — composer (PBS Frontline/AP News, 2023)[66]
• Michael Flynn's Holy War — directed by Rick Rowley — music consultant (PBS Frontline/AP News, 2022)[67]
• Plot to Overturn the Election — directed by Sam Black — composer, viola, piano, percussion (PBS Frontline/ProPublica, 2022)[68][69]
• Globes — directed by Nina de Vroome — piano, viola, percussion, programming (Avila Film, 2021)[70]
• Magic Hour — directed by Che Grayson — synth, viola, percussion, programming (2020)[71] - premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 18, 2020[72]
• Blow the Man Down — directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy — co-composed with Brian McOmber, string arranger, viola, prepared piano, percussion (Amazon Studios, 2020),[73] film soundtrack (Editions Verde, 2020)[74]
• It Comes At Night — directed by Trey Shults — assistant composer with Brian McOmber, string arranger, viola, percussion, musical collaborator, synthesizer and electronics, additional music preparation, recording engineer (A24, 2017), film soundtrack (Milan Records, 2017)[75]
• Annabel's Wake — written by Jordan Dykstra and Danny Elfman[76] — composer and mellotron, Restless (2011 film) directed by Gus Van Sant, film soundtrack (Sony Pictures Classics, 2011)

Album Credits

• Identify — by Caspar Sonnet — composer and viola,[77] LP (Marriage Records, 2013)
• Belfast Sessions — by Davis Hooker — string trio director, composer, and viola,[78] LP (self-released, 2012)
• Bitte Orca — by Dirty Projectors — string quartet director and viola,[79] LP (Domino Recording Company, 2009)
• Stillness Is The Move — by Dirty Projectors —string quartet director and viola,[80] LP (Domino Recording Company, 2009)
• False Face Society — by Valet — composer and viola,[81] LP (Mexican Summer, 2009)
• Malaikat Dan Singa — by Arrington de Dionyso — composer and viola, LP and CD (K Records, 2009)
• Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money — by Jared Mees and the Grown Children — composer, string director, and viola, CD (Tender Loving Empire, 2008)[82]

Dance Credits

• Like a Sun that Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth — by Allie Hankins — composer, string quintet director, and viola,[83] dance performance (October, 2014)

Other projects

• Rob Walmart - an improvised electronic music collective

Notes

1. an Official Selection of the Oregon Independent Film Festival in 2012[51]

References

1. "Stream Jordan Dykstra's Audition - New Music - Impose Magazine". Imposemagazine.com. August 14, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
2. "Bethany violist heads to Iceland to study with composer Daniel Bjarnason". OregonLive.com. February 22, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
3. "Thomas Buckner sings Robert Ashley and Alvin Lucier - Center for the Arts - Wesleyan University". www.wesleyan.edu. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
4. Scott, A. O. (June 8, 2017). "Review: Mom, Dad, the Kid and the Dog. What Could Be Scarier?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
5. "RESTLESS". Library of Congress. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
6. "Magnolia Pictures: Hail Satan?". www.magpictures.com. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
7. "Blow the Man Down | 2019 Tribeca Film Festival". Tribeca. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
8. "Program Guide | Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
9. "Oscar nomination for '20 Days in Mariupol,' AP's first, comes as bombs fall on filmmaker's hometown". AP News. January 23, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
10. "FRONTLINE: Michael Flynn's Holy War". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
11. "American Insurrection". FRONTLINE. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
12. "Documenting Hate: Charlottesville". FRONTLINE. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
13. "MOCA show's gentle jab at departed artist-trustee John Baldessari". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
14. "Concert: Ordinary Affects – Calendar - RISD MUSEUM". RISDMuseum.org. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
15. "Portland Art Museum Artist Talk Jen Delos Reyes full talk - YouTube". YouTube.com. September 12, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
16. "Grapevine_06_2014.pdf" (PDF). Grapevine.is. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
17. "Image-sound/word residency". Sound/Word Residency.WordPress.com. July 30, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
18. "2024 BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Award". BMI.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
19. "Editions Verde". Editions Verde. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
20. "Showtimes @ Brooklyn Film Festival". Retrieved June 24, 2024.
    • 20 Days in Mariupol (2023) PBS Frontline/AP News - premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023<ref>"Program Guide | Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
21. "Nina de Vroome - §∞". Nina de Vroome. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
22. "Globes Ji.hlava IDFF". Ji.hlava. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
23. "Magic Hour (Short 2020) - IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
24. "Magic Hour". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
25. "Amazon Nabs Rights to Noir 'Blow the Man Down' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
26. "hail-satan". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
27. "FRONTLINE Nominated for 10 Emmy Awards". FRONTLINE. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
28. "Documenting Hate: Charlottesville - Credits". FRONTLINE. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
29. It Comes At Night, retrieved August 28, 2019
30. "Jordan Dykstra: The Arrow of Time". newworld-records. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
31. "Editions Verde — Jordan Dykstra — 14 Horse Bells (CD)". Editions Verde. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
32. "EVSTF007: A Known Unknown - Limited Edition Bundle (Sheet Music + CD-R + Download Card), by Editions Verde". Editions Verde. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
33. "EVSTF001: Found Clouds, by Jordan Dykstra". Editions Verde. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
34. "EV005: Is Land a Voice, by Editions Verde". Editions Verde. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
35. "The Psychological Future, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
36. "Chimes Nine Times, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
37. "Chimes Nine Times by Jordan Dykstra on Apple Music". iTunes. July 3, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
38. "EV003: Stressings, by Jordan Dykstra". Editions Verde. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
39. "textura". www.textura.org. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
40. "Jordan Dykstra - Stressings". Discogs. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
41. "Stressings by Jordan Dykstra on Apple Music". iTunes. April 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
42. "Elegant Music, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
43. "Three Horns, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
44. "Like a Sun That Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
45. "Jordan Dykstra - Audition (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. August 19, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
46. "Jordan Dykstra - "Darkened Bar" (oxalis version) - PREMIERE - Chocolate Grinder - Tiny Mix Tapes". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
47. "Phonography, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
48. "sundries, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
49. "pianodrones, by Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
50. "A Quiet Night". Vimeo. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
51. "Aug 28th". Oregonindependentfilmfest.com. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
52. "TSS REMIXES - Jordan Dykstra". Jordan Dykstra. March 1, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
53. "iTunes - Music - Takes Swift Strides - EP by Dash!". iTunes. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
54. "Alvin Lucier / Jordan Dykstra "Out of Our Hands" - PRE-ORDER". Important Records. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
55. "Jordan Dykstra / Koen Nutters - In Better Shape Than You Found Me". elsewhere. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
56. "EV004: College Hotel, by Beau Breather". Editions Verde. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
57. "textura". www.textura.org. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
58. "seems like it means something else, by Tom Blood & Jordan Dykstra". Tom Blood & Jordan Dykstra. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
59. "EV002: Tom Blood & Jordan Dykstra - EXP3 | Editions Verde". editionsverde.bandcamp.com. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
60. "Tom Blood & Jordan Dykstra - Business Of Composing For Strings". Businessofcomposingforstrings.com. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
61. "iTunes - Music - Fangs, But No Fanks - EP by White Fang & The Righteous and Harmonious Fists". iTunes. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
62. Ovid, New York (2024) - IMDb. Retrieved June 24, 2024 – via www.imdb.com.
63. "Inside the Uvalde Response". FRONTLINE. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
64. "Shaken - Cast | IMDbPro". pro.imdb.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
65. Fair Play (2023) - IMDb, retrieved December 6, 2023
66. "Program Guide | 2023 Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
67. "Michael Flynn's Holy War". FRONTLINE. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
68. "Plot to Overturn the Election - Credits FRONTLINE". www.pbs.org. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
69. "Plot to Overturn the Election - IMDB". www.imdb.com. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
70. "Nina de Vroome - §∞". www.ninadevroome.be. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
71. "Magic Hour (Short 2020) - IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
72. "Magic Hour". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
73. Cole, Bridget Savage; Krudy, Danielle (March 20, 2020), Blow the Man Down (Comedy, Drama, Mystery), David Coffin, David Pridemore, Adam Wolf Mayerson, Mark S. Cartier, Secret Engine, Tango Entertainment (III), retrieved September 16, 2020
74. "Editions Verde — Jordan Dykstra & Brian McOmber — Blow the Man Down". www.editions-verde.com. December 25, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
75. "It Comes At Night - press packet by Mongrel Media" (PDF). www.mongrelmedia.com. June 10, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
76. "Restless (2011) - Soundtrack.Net". Soundtrack.net. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
77. "Where Are All The Watchmen? - Caspar Sonnet". Caspar Sonnet. April 5, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
78. "Davis Hooker - Business Of Composing For Strings". Businessofcomposingforstrings.com. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
79. "Dirty Projectors - Albums". Dirtyprojectors.net. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
80. "Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
81. "Valet - False Face Society (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
82. "Jared Mees The Grown Children Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money". Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
83. "Portland choreographer Allie Hankins' full-length debut 'Like a Sun That Pours Forth Light but Never Warmth' resurrects the movements of Vaslav Nijinsky". OregonLive.com. October 22, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.

External links

• Official site
• Jordan Dykstra on IMDB
• Editions Verde