Hobart Blankenburg March 13th, 1982 - October 27th, 2020.

Hobart and I met in 2003 in college.  We both studied Film, Video, & Thearte at Villa Julie College in Maryland.  We wouldn't have met if it wasn't for the insistence of our professor Chas Marsh who encouraged  us both to meet and play together after he had heard both our musical work independently.  We did meet, eventually, in the lobby of our college's theatre and made plans to jam togeher.  Hobart and I did meet, started to and continued jamming, experimenting, and playing music together as we conceptualized the future of both Nahja Mora and Precision Field.  

From 2005-2014, Hobart and I experimented with a homemade instrument I built (that only he could play!) called the knose; cheap bamboo flutes; violin; glockenspiel; synthesizers and samplers; home made drum kits, guitars and basses, miniature sitars, pungi, accordion, ocarina-- whatever we could find and could make sound with throughout this whole period.  Many of my ideas were bounced off of him, he always heard my demos, and I always wanted his opinions and input.  I hope the same was true of him for me.  We played live improvised electronic music for art gallery receptions at our college.  We jammed at center ave in towson.  we jammed in my parents' basement. we jammed in his uncle's basement.  we jammed a lot.  we were musical partners.  


left to right
Josef Saint; Hobart Blankenburg 2006

Hobart was my musical partner of 17 years.  I learned more than I could ever say from having this man in my life, sharing the creation of art with me, and having him as one of my best friends.  I will miss him for the rest of my life.  There is a major void now for me professionally and personally.  Music is my life's work and I have chosen the electronic music "tradition." 
But Nahja Mora's loss and my own loss is nothing compared to the loss of his family.  Hobart left behind a wife who was and is the best thing that could have ever happened to him.  I remember being in my apartment with my wife, fiancée then, and getting news that he and Sara were engaged.  I was literally jumping up and down, nearly hitting my head on the ceiling, and dancing (I don't dance!) in happiness.  
Sara and Hobart were also lucky to have a beautiful daughter, Aria.  Hobart loved his daughter more than breathing air.  He involved her in music creation in Precision Field.  But now both Sara and Aria are feeling a major vacuum in their lives.   As they try to put together the pieces, I ask you please to help however you can.  There is a gofundme set up for them as well as a college fund for Aria.  





The world has lost one of the best that ever was.
Вся моя любовь,
-Josef Saint, Nahja Mora; live keyboardist of Precision Field.


Hobart 2004