Philosophy

Music is a gift from God.  As such, it is to be highly respected, properly utilized, deeply cherished.

Composing

Many composers are moved by what they see, how they feel, or what they've experienced—inspiration.  Many write seeking discovery or to bring an idea life—creativity. Unfortunately, inspiration and creativity are difficult to harness. When they strike, it is often at an inconvenient time when the demands of everyday life and schedule prevent the composer from capitalizing on the tools needed to write. At other times, one shows up without the other. The scene out the window or the word on the page is captivating, but no distinctive auditory theme comes to mind. Or the desire to write arises, but there is no central theme to wrap that desire around.

Composing, for me, is often like knocking over a domino—if God will grant a successful score, each domino will continue to knock over another domino until the final musical work is completed. If a score is destined for failure, somewhere along the line one of those dominoes will fail to connect with another, and the process begins again. But it's also like a muscle, and the more you work it, the stronger it becomes.

You can't force creativity and you can't always expect to find inspiration...but every now and then everything falls into place, and the music emerges. It's those times I'm honored to share with you.

Arranging

Arranging is musical creativity in a much different form. Whereas composing begins with merely idea and a blank canvas, arranging offers the opportunity to leave one's creative mark on established work. This aspect of music writing is more mathematical, invoking many traits of problem-solving. How do I get a piece of music, written by a rock band for instance, reworked for practical performance by a men's quartet and palatable for the audience that will hear it? In a way, arranging is more of a challenge because the listener's ear is already primed; it is my task to leave the listener with an enjoyably distinctive package around what they've heard in the past. It's a challenge I relish—time and time again.

Whether composing or arranging, the highest privilege is sharing the music with the performers who play it, and serving through the music the audience that hears it.  Above all, it is a joy to glorify God with his creation—the gift of music.

Biography

Jeremy S. Bakken was born in 1981 in central Wisconsin of the United States of America. He began piano lessons at age four, played French horn in grade school and high school, and participated in church youth and adult choirs during his childhood and teenage years. He participated in high school band, pep band, and jazz band. Bakken attended Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in Milwaukee, WI, and graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Composition and Mathematics. While at WLC he participated in WLChoir, Revelation, Jazz Band, studied piano, and demonstrated high academic and musical scholarship in music theory, music history, counterpoint, arranging and composition.

Upon graduation, Bakken worked full-time for Milwaukee-based music company Beihoff Music Corp. as Store Manager, Internet Administrator, and Piano Division Manager. In late 2006 he moved into a position with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) as the Administrative Assistant for Youth Discipleship. His duties included Internet management, office management, and project coordination. He also directed Revelaton of Wisconsin Lutheran College from 2005-2008.

In fall 2009 Bakken relocated to Albuquerque, NM, where he attended the University of New Mexico to study Music Composition and Choral Conducting. He was awarded his master's degree, with distinction, in May 2013. In 2022 Bakken completed a doctorate in choral music from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

In 2016 Bakken returned to Milwaukee to begin working full-time as Director of Worship and Sacred Music at Northwestern Publishing House (NPH). His duties include editing music published by NPH and purchasing music from other publishers that is sold by NPH, among other activities.

Bakken has received many commissions for new compositions and arrangements, has published music with several U. S. music publishers, and has performed professionally across the country with Branches Band. He has performed throughout the U.S. and Asia with the USC Thornton Chamber Singers. He has been active in worship planning and music wherever he has lived. He attends Trinity Lutheran Church in Waukesha, WI, where he serves as the director of the adult mixed choir and coordinates the liturgical ensemble Trinitas.