Sonja Vectomov

Sonja Vectomov (born 21 May 1979) is a Czech-Finnish electronic musician and composer who descends from a family rooted in the classical music world.[1] Vectomov is married to American writer and conductor David Woodard.[2] Her parents are Vladimír Večtomov and Sonja Vectomov.

Not to be confused with Sonja Vectomov (sculptor).
Sonja Vectomov
Vectomov in 2016
Background information
Birth nameSoňa Večtomová
Born (1979-05-21) 21 May 1979
Hradec Králové, Czechoslovakia
GenresElectronic, classical
Occupation(s)Musical artist, philanthropist, music pedagogue

Education

In the early 2000s Vectomov studied at Norwich University of the Arts, where she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree in 2005.[2][3]

Career

Vectomov's initial music experiments began during the 1980s in Finland and involved musique concrète with home tape recorders, four years of performing and touring with the children's choir Vox Aurea under the direction of Kari Ala-Pöllänen,[4] and violin and piano studies under a curriculum for precocious children at Keski-Suomen konservatorio, where her father Vladimír Večtomov taught classical guitar. Her grandfather Ivan Večtomov, also a composer, was a cellist with the Czech Philharmonic for 22 years, and her uncle was the cellist Saša Večtomov.[2]

During the mid-1990s, Vectomov moved to Prague to assume a 1st violin chair with the Pražský studentský orchestr under the direction of Mirko Škampa. Concomitantly she monitored the electronic music scenes in Finland and England.[5]

As a solo artist Vectomov's concerts sometimes involve elements of installation, e.g., the transformation of a stage into a salon.[6] She has stated that Conlon Nancarrow and David Byrne are important influences.[7]

Lamprophrenia

The title of Vectomov's experimental debut album is her self-coined portmanteau of the New Latin / Greek words lampron (bright) and phrenia (mind).[8] The album features electronic compositions with vocals,[5] and is considered unpredictable and "full of unexpected twists and turns."[9]

The first single "Two in One," for which Mika Johnson directed a music video featuring prima ballerina Jana Andrsová, "recounts a story of death and transfiguration, interspecies karma and plant consciousness—this maiden release from Lamprophrenia pulses with nucleopatriphobic synthesizer rhythms, violin, viola, harmonica, mandolin and the consummate intonements of Vectomov."[10]

Miscellaneous

Like both of her parents, Vectomov is a pedagogue. She has designed and taught music workshops for at-risk youths and disadvantaged Romani children in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic.[11][12]

Vectomov makes a cameo appearance in H*art On, Andrea Culková's 2016 documentary film about the virtually unknown early 20th century writer Milada Součková and her husband, Devětsil-era painter Zdeněk Rykr.[13][14]

References
  1. Poncar, M., "Sonja Vectomov právě vydala album Lamprophrenia", Techno.cz, Sep 26, 2016.
  2. Uneventful Records, Sonja Vectomov bio, 2016.
  3. Master Guide, Norwich University of the Arts.
  4. Vodolánová, K., "Rozhovor se Sonja Vectomov, aka Neverstop", The Black Light, Jan 13, 2015.
  5. Spaceboss, P., "Sonja Vectomov albově debutuje s Lamprophrenií," Spaceboss, Oct 4, 2016.
  6. Perälä, K., "Jyväskylän Kesässä taiteeseen törmätään taas kadullakin", Keskisuomalainen, Jun 22, 2017.
  7. Meronen, A., "Kaikenlaisissa laittomissa metsäbileissä tuli käytyä—Jyväskylässä kasvanut suomalais-tsekkiläinen Sonja Vectomov tekee sekä klassista että konemusiikkia", Keskisuomalainen, Feb 2, 2019.
  8. Räty, H., "Sonja Vectomov nimesi debyyttilevynsä itse keksimällään sanalla", Finnish Urban Media, Oct 10, 2016.
  9. Franta, T., "Premiéra: Sonja Vectomov—Lamprophrenia", AlterEcho, Sep 23, 2016.
  10. Franta, T., "Echolokátor: Sonja Vectomov—Two in One", AlterEcho, Jul 25, 2016.
  11. Galerie Středočeského kraje (GASK), "Umění spojení 014 / Junior", Dec 12, 2014.
  12. Pinnoy, V., "Obrazem: V GASK se konaly další akce projektu Umění spojení", Kutnohorské listy, Jul 1, 2014.
  13. Jægtnes, H. S., "The artist’s talking head", Modern Times Review, Oct 28, 2016 (translated from Norwegian, "Kunstnerens snakkende hode", Ny Tid, Oct 13, 2016).
  14. Institute of Documentary Film, H*art On (Czech Republic / France), 2016.
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