{"id":101880,"date":"2024-02-23T14:13:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T19:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=101880"},"modified":"2024-02-23T14:13:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T19:13:01","slug":"interview-soprano-measha-brueggergosman-lee-composer-aaron-davis-talk-zombie-blizzard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/02\/23\/interview-soprano-measha-brueggergosman-lee-composer-aaron-davis-talk-zombie-blizzard\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee And Composer Aaron Davis Talk About Zombie Blizzard"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_101883\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-101883\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-101883\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-3.jpg\" alt=\"L-R: Soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee; Composer Aaron Davis (Photos courtesy of the artists)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-3.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-3-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-3-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-3-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-101883\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L-R: Soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee; Composer Aaron Davis (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Zombie Blizzard is a musical project that brings together the classically trained vocals of soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, the words of renowned author Margaret Atwood, and both classical and jazz idioms in the music of composer Aaron Davis.<\/p>\n<p>The album of concert arias includes performances by Davis\u2019 trio (with George Koller on bass and Mark Mariash on drums), and the Hannaford Street Silver Band, and drops digitally on Leaf Music on March 1. On March 3, the album gets a live premiere at Toronto\u2019s Jane Mallett Theatre<\/p>\n<p>We spoke to Measha and Aaron about the album and project.<\/p>\n<h2>The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>Composer\/musician Aaron Davis traces the project back to a concert that took place a few years ago pre-pandemic. It was the Christmas holiday show for the Hannaford Street Silver Band, and Measha was the featured vocalist. Aaron had arranged some of the music for the concert.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt exceeded my expectations,\u201d he said. He was fascinated by the flexibility of Hannaford, a classical horn ensemble, and its potential.<\/p>\n<p>Davis\u2019 background lies more in the realm of jazz. He was one of the co-founders and main composers for jazz-fusion band Manteca through the 1980s and into the 1990s. He\u2019s also a founding member of the Holly Cole Trio. Jazz and Western classical music may have some commonalities, but don\u2019t often meet in the middle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s a different way that people approach idioms,\u201d Davis notes. That\u2019s where he saw the difference. \u201cThe Hannafords really knocked it out of the park,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jxhFTgi-DYs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>The Music<\/h3>\n<p>Davis composed the music first for keyboard and voice, and then added the brass arrangement to it. \u201cMeasha has such an incredible range,\u201d he notes. It meant they could choose from a variety of different keys. In Digging Up The Scythians, she kind of shocked me,\u201d he says. Measha sang a tritone above what he thought would be possible. \u201cI want this to be a real soprano [part].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The end result is written for piano, string bass and drums, and then a 10-piece brass ensemble. The Hannaford Street Silver Band includes a broad range of instrumentation that Davis plays with in his music.<\/p>\n<p>Although he was experienced at setting poetry to music, (his father Chandler Davis was a poet, among other things), Atwood\u2019s writing posed some challenges. \u201cThis was the first time I&#8217;d been commissioned to do an entire cycle,\u201d he says. With different layers of meaning in the poems, it called for a custom approach. \u201cI had to approach it a little differently,\u201d he explains, noting that rhyming lines were rare, and the pattern of the lines irregular. \u201cSome of it flows like conversation. I adopted different strategies for different parts of the song cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Measha\u2019s vocals are, at times, part of the rhythm section. At others, they float above the instrumental accompaniment.<\/p>\n<p>Sections of the music are written in a style he calls \u201cpretty vague\u201d, i.e. leaving interpretation to the musicians, and includes polyrhythmic sections, even rhythmic breathing. \u201cThey were really comfortable with it.\u201d He credits Hannaford\u2019s Artistic Director David Pell for the ensemble\u2019s versatility and technical skill.<\/p>\n<p>It made for a great experience. \u201cWe really enjoyed ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Measha calls the sound, which blends elements of both jazz and classical simply a combination of the components, being a \u201cliving legend\u201d in Atwood, the talents of Aaron Davis, and the established musicality of the Hannafords.<\/p>\n<p>The result is stylistically seamless, and defies the usual conventions. It incorporates a jazz trio and (large) horn section, but it\u2019s not entirely jazz or classical. \u201cBut we&#8217;re calling them concert arias,\u201d she says. \u201cWe&#8217;re not over or underselling or stating anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Part of the impetus came from the pandemic, and the unexpected ways it affected artistic creation. \u201cWe were just making things up as we were going on,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to do things that make complete sense, but also completely baffle us.\u201d She points out that composers Schumann and Schubert had a friendship, out of which the tradition of German Lieder was developed, and rose to become a popular vocal form.<\/p>\n<p>Her own music practice takes her from her classical training to jazz and back. \u201cI\u2019m always thinking in the tradition of classical,\u201d she adds. In Western music, jazz and classical have developed on separate lines. \u201cBut, it doesn\u2019t have to be that way,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have to be able to do all the things that we&#8217;ve separated culturally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aaron points out that jazz greats like Herbie Hancock studied Stravinsky and Bartok. \u201cI started researching the history of fourth chords,\u201d he notes \u2014 chords which have become strongly associated with jazz. His research, though took him to Schoenberg before he adopted his 12-tone compositional style, Charles Ives, and other classical composers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_101884\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-101884\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-101884\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Hannaford-Stret.jpg\" alt=\"The Hannaford Street Silver Band in the studio (Photo courtesy of HSSB)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Hannaford-Stret.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Hannaford-Stret-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Hannaford-Stret-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Hannaford-Stret-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-101884\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Hannaford Street Silver Band in the studio (Photo courtesy of HSSB)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>The Words<\/h3>\n<p>Atwood published Dearly, her first collection of poems in several years, in 2020. Much of it touches on what was then the impending death of her husband Graeme. It does, though, delve into other topics. The seven poems chosen for the album cover a range of emotions and ideas, including sexism and gender equality, and flashes of Atwood\u2019s often ironic humour.<\/p>\n<p>Measha is a friend of Margaret Atwood&#8217;s, and really loved the new book of poems. She calls it \u201cdark and disturbing, and ironic, like a lot of Margaret Atwood&#8217;s poems are\u201d. Even in writing about grief, the poems are both unsentimental and emotional at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>It was Measha\u2019s idea to create a song cycle around the poems, and have it commissioned by the Hannafords.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI spent time with her and Graeme,\u201d Measha says. It drew parallels to the passing of her father. \u201cMy father had gone to glory in 2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The loss of a life partner, a closeness with her mother, a female spirit entering a state of maturity \u2014 these were themes she could relate to in the book. She calls being able to work with both the poet and the composer directly \u201cempowering\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>When it came to the music, she knew she wanted Aaron. They are frequent collaborators, although this project is the first to involve all of the components together from start to finish. \u201cI always wanted it to be Aaron. It feels complete, and yet it contains this freedom in it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeven is the number of completion,\u201d Measha points out. It\u2019s how they eventually decided on the form, a seven-song cycle. One of the poems is itself a collection of seven poems.<\/p>\n<p>Calling the songs concert arias is another deliberate choice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is important to me that it be classifiable, while also being something that sparks discussion and debate,\u201d Aaron says. \u201cI like that. I&#8217;m going to call it a thing, and then defy you to call it something else.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can pre-save the album from your streaming service of choice [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/leaf-music.lnk.to\/lm277\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>], and find more information and tickets for the Toronto show [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hssb.ca\/events\/zombie-blizzard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? 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