Zeena Parkins Quotes

United States, Musician
January 1, 1956

Zeena Parkins is an American harpist active in free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion. She is currently a guest faculty member for composition courses at Mills College.

The irony is that I use computers every day of my life to do music because I edit all of my music in a computer. But when it comes to doing live processing, I prefer, as a performer with an instrument, not just having the computer as the only thing I have. I really prefer and find it much more flexible to have the limitations of pedals.

Zeena Parkins
- Life
- Music
- Live
I was a dancer. I was really seriously into dancing.

Zeena Parkins

Computers have their own aleatoric aspect, too. They crash! But I'm a knob person. I like twiddling knobs.

Zeena Parkins
That's one of the main things I do, work with choreographers. I've been doing it a long time, and it's a real important part of my life as a soundmaker, making music for dance.

Zeena Parkins
- Life
- Time
- Work
I applied, and I got in as a pianist. Their idea in the music department was that pianists, if they were good enough to get in, they were good enough to learn a new instrument. They felt sorry for pianists being alone in the practice room all the time, and they really wanted to socialize us pianists.

Zeena Parkins
- Time
- Good
- Music
The harp was so much more gestural and physical for me than the piano - something about bringing this instrument into your body.

Zeena Parkins
I find the relationship of sensation and physicality, and, for me, it's music like anything else. It's a different way of expressing and exploring sound. I find it really beautiful.

Zeena Parkins