Nessa Glen

Feeling the need to broaden her horizons beyond music, Nessa took degrees in Social Anthropology and Folklore-Folklife Studies (Meta-Social Science) at the University of Pennsylvania. She was a founder member of the Philadelphia Baroque Trio, performed in concerts of classical & modern music. and worked as a session musician. Summers were spent on archaeological sites and, having fallen in love with England, she emigrated after graduate studies.

Since then Nessa has pursued successful parallel careers in music ~ as a composer, performer, arranger & producer ~ and in musicology. She has composed concert works as well as music for television and radio, and has appeared on numerous recordings. Describing herself as 'A Child of the Rhythm and Blues Era', Nessa has never limited herself exclusively to classical music ~ a fine blues pianist, she also regularly works at the cutting edge of Abstract Dance, Ambient Music, and Progressive Soul & Rock.

Her years of experience in the music business have led her to approach research in musicology with an eye to the commercial aspect ~ she points out that, no matter how great the composer or performer, music was the profession by which they chose to make a living. One of the world's experts on Harmoniemusik and the wind ensemble, she has published a number of books on musicology and prepared many critical editions of music from the period 1780-1840. As the result of her research into the classical/jazz interface in 1920s Prague a CD of her piano interpretations will soon be released on Sarastro Records, and the premiere of her Sinfonia Folklorica is scheduled for 2000.

Nessa's interests include science fiction & adult fantasy, opera, travel, haute cuisine, wolves, and house rabbits. She considers dancing to be an essential part of her life and is a regular habitué of the London club scene. She regards being transgendered as largely irrelevant to her music, but will not go out of her way to avoid the issue. Her wry web site dealing with this aspect of her life can be found by clicking the 'Other' Button on the left.