Collection: Briece, Jack

Also of great importance to Briece’s life and works was his ongoing study of astrology, planetary movements, and the I-Ching. These would come to inform every aspect of his life and inspire much of his output as an artist. In his own words, “The cosmological, magical and political connotations of musical conceptions are of particular interest and have manifested in my work in various ways.” Briece was eager to stretch the bounds of form as well as experiment with new media and technologies. Having developed a keen interest in the music, arts, and culture of Finland, Briece sought the opportunity to travel, study and work there, and received grants to visit in 1985 and again in 1987. He published articles about his experiences and findings in Musical America and Nordic Sounds.

Serving on the Board of Directors for the Sibelius Society, Ltd., he also published his Letter[s] from Finland in that organization’s newsletter. His grant activities in Finland were divided between music and video concentrations. Concerning the former, Briece was collecting information about music in Finland and focused on getting to know Finnish composers and their music. Concerning the latter, he was presenting information and working to raise public consciousness about video art and encourage its official recognition. Briece arranged opportunities to exhibit the work of American artists in both music and video, including: Charles Amirkhanian, Beth Anderson, Eugenia Balcells, Chris Berg, Chris Brown, Robert Campbell, Larry Cuba, Peter Garland, Tony Gnazzo, Ron Gregory, Phil Harmonic, Jerry Hunt, Neil Rolnick, Bob Sheff, Steina & Woody Vasulka, Joseph Weber, and Reynold Weidenaar, among others.

In a letter to his parents in 1972, Briece describes the goal of an artists’ placement program “to give concerts, lectures and … rouse the general cultural climate.” These words, in short, also exemplify Briece’s own interests and indeed his successes. In 1988 Briece was commissioned by the Santa Fe Community Orchestra to compose a piece for winds, brass, and percussion, for a concert to be held the following year. The opportunity seemed to commemorate his steadfast efforts and he was very excited to produce the work, however he never got to see it to fruition. Jack Briece died of AIDS in Aptos, California at the age of 43 on March 26, 1988.