Ján Števuliak (b. 1999, Slovakia) is a composer, organist and multidisciplinary artist,
exploring music in connection with the communal, the environmental (both human and non-human). Their interest and inspiration often lie in working with contrasts and exploration of anything positioned in between. Sonic features in Ján’s works can be a result of finding a way of translating extra- musical phenomena, working with thematic restraints, aleatorism or post-processing.
Ján’s recent engagements include Ensemble Modern, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Avanti! Orchestra or ManiFeste organised by IRCAM. Fond of collaboration, they have written music to accompany dance and stage performances since the start of their studies at Trinity Laban, London, and collaborated with dramaturges on interdisciplinary theatre shows at the University of Arts Helsinki. As an organist, they perform traditional or experimental works and are active as a performer in electroacoustic sets or onstage.
Originally from Orava region in northern Slovakia, Ján currently resides and works in Finland.
Ján is a recipient of both composition and organ performance prizes (XXII Gorazd Organ Days 2017, John Halford Composition Prize 2022). As an organist, they perform traditional or experimental works and are active as a performer in electroacoustic sets or onstage. Their work received support from Slovak Arts Council, The Finnish Music Foundation, and The Finnish Cultural Foundation.
CV
Structured CVs and bio in EN, FI or SK available upon inquiry (e-mail below)
Ján started committing to composition at the age of 17. Their upbringing was musical- they attended piano, organ, music theory and history lessons at local music institutes.
During studies in London, Ján received lessons from Gwyn Pritchard, Soosan Lolavar and Paul Newland. They composed works ranging from solo or chamber works to orchestral works, in which they would explore various techniques and practices. Often, works fuse acoustic and electronic elements. Trinity Laban was an inspiring environment, offering ventures towards contemporary dance, stage works and possibilities for combining music with different art forms, and this is reflected in Ján’s output. In 2021-22, in collaboration with choreographer Sunniva Moen Rørvik, they presented a baroque-inspired dance suite Suita Utopica.
In 2022, Ján received The John Halford Composition Prize and their works were performed at the Lake District Summer Music Festival or at the New Lights Festival.
Relocating to Helsinki, Ján studied towards a master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy with Lauri Kilpiö and Matthew Whittall. Moreover, they had the honour to workshop with Liza Lim, Martin Matalon or Cecilia McDowall. Ján has written works for the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Avanti! orchestra, in which, among others, they ventured into microtonality.
In the summer of 2024, Ján have collaborated with Krõõt-Kärt Kaev and Natalia Laguens on a work for Buster Keaton’s silent film The Cook. This work was premiered in Paris as an IRCAM production, performed by Ward De Ketelaeare of BL!NDMAN collective.
Ján’s practice as an organist has also greatly influenced their compositional output. They are dedicated to discourse around the instrument’s stereotypes, as a composer and as well as a performer. Ján is interested in performing early music, works by less-known composers (often significant to their home region) and new music, and is keen on improvisation. Ján has served as an organist at St Emeric in Čimhová, Slovakia (2014-) and St Martin’s in Trstená, Slovakia (2017-2018). They have given numerous recitals and taken part in nationwide organ competitions, placing first at the 2017 Young Organists Competition in Námestovo, and they became the laureate of XXII Gorazd Organ Days 2017. In 2023, they performed in Viitasaari with Musiikin Aika course members alongside Quatuor Bozzini, performing James Tenney’s In a large, open space.
In 2021, Ján has co-founded Orbweavers, a de-centralised label and collective. The collective organised events for new and performative music and released new music via Bandcamp.
They are active as a choir singer. Ján have sung in various choirs and scholas since age 7, performing a wide-ranging repertoire from plainchant or sacred works to works by R. Vaughan Williams, L. Bernstein or M. Monk.
Interested in music history and musicological research, they wish to popularise valuable works out of the canon, work with underperformed historical sources or use historical notations in current practice.
Ján created multiple live shows combining sonic arts, performance arts and electroacoustic music. For these, they often improvise on wind instruments such as clarinet or bassoon-reed 3D printed shawms, develop tape material from field recordings or by excessive processing, create own scenes or visuals or perform with their body.
