Charlie Wall-Andrews has developed a unique career in the Canadian music industry. She is simultaneously an academic, educator, industry executive, and most recently, she’s come back to composition.
Wall-Andrews is currently a faculty member at the Toronto Metropolitan University, and Executive Director of the SOCAN foundation, among other industry positions.
She is also an Associate Composer at the Canadian Music Centre.
Earlier this year, she released LUNAR: A Brass Chorale in conjunction with the Girls In Brass conference in Calgary. It’s typical of her work to combine passions, in this case, for equity in the music industry, along with her artistic voice.
Recently, she premiered two more works at an event held at the Canadian Music Centre.
Research
It’s worth noting that her research focuses on the music industry and its accessibility at various levels to all artists. Among recent published papers in peer reviewed journals:
- Wall-Andrews, C., & Cukier, W. (2024). The Music Industry: An Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts, 13.
- Wall-Andrews, C., Shakeir, R., & Hanssen, B. (2025). Racialized Leadership and Organizational Financial Performance in the Arts. International Journal of Arts Management, 27(2), 31-50
- Wall-Andrews, C., & Escandon, L. (2025). Navigating barriers: enhancing visibility and opportunities for Latin Canadian artists in the music industry. Cultural Trends, 1-19.
- Lightwala, O., & Wall-Andrews, C. (2024). Impact of Pay-What-You-Want Pricing Model. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 54(6), 323-347.
Two Swords, Movement I:
The Music
Her music is contemporary, but draws on traditions within the classical music world.
Two Swords: Violin Duet
Two of Swords was written with two specific violins — and violinists — in mind. Both historic instruments were awarded to the individual musicians via the Instrument Bank of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Christopher Whitley plays the 1900 Stefano Scarampella violin, named after its maker, a luthier based in Mantua, Italy. He’s considered to be one of the most significant instrument makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born into a poor family, Scarampella didn’t become a professional luthier until his late 30s. His father had been an amateur violin-maker. His old brother took on the profession as well.
The instrument body is made of selected maple back and ribs, with a spruce top. It has a rich sound quality that has been used by many artists in performance.
Kumiko Sakamoto performs on the 1820 Joannes Franciscus Pressenda violin. It’s the first known instrument crafted by luthier Giovanni Francesco Pressenda of Turin, Italy.
The back and ribs are made of burled maple with a two-piece top. For years, it was used by Remo Bolignini, a pupil of Ysaÿe.
Two Swords is a highly rhythmic work in 3/4 time with an irresistible sense of momentum.
Dusk Notes 1, Movement I:
Dusk Notes 1
Dusk Notes 1 is her first work written for a string quartet, written in three movements. In it, Wall-Andrews takes advantage of the varied colour possibilities of the ensemble from dark to light.
The work offers an interesting mix of textures, incorporating both repeated patterns and abrupt changes, lyrical and strident passages. It’s a dramatic piece overall, opening with a fast paced first movement.
The second movement is more lyrical in tone, with the first violin offering a melody that ebbs and swells in volume with the addition of the other instruments. Wall-Andrews is not afraid to use the darker, lower tones of the cello to cut through the sweet notes of the higher strings.
Some parts use melody and countermelodies between the four instruments, creating movement rather than traditional harmonic resolution. It’s effective in creating a sense of restless energy and emotion. Just when you are drawn into the piece’s hypnotic patterns, she inserts a shift in tone and harmony that resets the mood.
From the composer’s notes:
“This three-movement string quartet is a journey into the depths of sound and self. With its dark hues, haunting repetitions, and trance-inducing patterns, it creates a meditative space where the listener’s thoughts drift freely. Each movement layers shadow and light, building a soundscape that is both introspective and liberating, guiding audiences into a state of musical bliss where time and boundaries dissolve.”
You can listen to both works at the premiere event here. Two Swords is performed by Chris Whitely and Kumiko Sakamoto, and Dusk Notes 1 is performed by the Thalea String Quartet.
Charlie Wall-Andrews: Listen
Wall-Andrews’ music is available on Spotify.
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