{"id":104347,"date":"2024-05-21T13:40:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T17:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=104347"},"modified":"2024-05-22T08:00:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T12:00:02","slug":"interview-composer-anna-clyne-talks-music-canadian-premiere-glasslands-nac-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/05\/21\/interview-composer-anna-clyne-talks-music-canadian-premiere-glasslands-nac-orchestra\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Composer Anna Clyne Talks About Music &amp; The Canadian Premiere Of Glasslands By NAC Orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_104349\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-104349\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-104349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg\" alt=\"Composer Anna Clyne (Photo: Christina Kernohan)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-104349\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Composer Anna Clyne (Photo: Christina Kernohan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Anna Clyne\u2019s composition Glasslands will receive its Canadian premiere on June 19 in Ottawa with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and conductor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/02\/09\/interview-alexander-shelley-talks-truth-time-nacos-latest-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alexander Shelley<\/a>. The composition is a co-commission of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, BBC Radio 3, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Artis-Naples, Naples Philharmonic and the Orquesta Sinf\u00f3nica de Castilla y Le\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p>From the Composer&#8217;s Notes: \u201cGlasslands conjures an imaginary world of three realms governed by the banshee \u2014 a female spirit who, in Irish folklore, heralds the death of a family member, usually by wailing, shrieking, or keening in the silence of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We spoke to Anna Clyne about composition, career, and the work that had its world premiere in Detroit in 2023.<\/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\/x0iryZzGNqw?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<h2>Anna Clyne, Composer<\/h2>\n<p>Anna Clyne has been named one of the top ten most performed living composers in the world, and the most performed living woman British composer in 2022 and 2023. Beyond the headlines, it means her work has been heard by audiences across the globe \u2014 including in some of its most respected institutions, like Carnegie Hall, the Barbican, Philharmonie de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and many others.<\/p>\n<p>She is known for her many collaborations, including working with pop icon Nico, as well as multi-disciplinary projects. Along with Jess Gillam, she has collaborated with noted artists such as Jess Gillam, Jeremy Denk, Martin Fr\u00f6st, Pekka Kuusisto, and Yo-Yo Ma.<\/p>\n<p>Anna often writes works that are choreographed for dance productions, including the Royal Ballet\u2019s world premiere of choreographer Pam Tanowitz\u2019s dance set to Breathing Statues in London. Her projects often involve visual arts, such as Color Field, which was inspired by the work of artist Mark Rothko.<\/p>\n<p>Anna\u2019s work veers from acoustic to electroacoustic, depending on the project. The Augmented Orchestra, which Clyne is developing with sound designer <strong>Jody Elff<\/strong>, explores the use of technology. The AO premiered in performance in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>This past season (2023-2024), Clyne held the position of Composer-in-Residence with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their Artistic Team; as Composer-in-Residence at the BBC Philharmonic, and as Artist-in-Residence with Symphony Orchestra of Castilla y Le\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<h3>The Interview<\/h3>\n<p>Clyne says she knew she wanted to be a composer at a very young age.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI started composing when I was seven,\u201d she says. She recounts that friends of the family had gifted them with a piano, albeit with a few keys missing at the top. She began to write music not long after.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just something that I\u2019ve always loved,\u201d she adds. Still, it didn&#8217;t necessarily follow that she&#8217;d pursue it as a profession. That revelation came later on.<\/p>\n<p>Anna says she was studying as an undergraduate in Edinburgh, and took advantage of third-year exchange program to study at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario under award-winning Canadian composer <strong>Marjan Mozetich<\/strong>. She went on to a Master\u2019s at the Manhattan School of Music, and makes her home in NYC today.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cComing out of that degree program really put me on that road,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>With a varied style and output, it\u2019s difficult to pinpoint a single style or genre when it comes to her work. \u201cI put it under the bracket of contemporary music,\u201d she says, also noting the many collaborative projects. \u201cThere are lots of external influences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Purely acoustic or with live electronics, the choice is always dictated the project itself \u2014 with one possible common thread. \u201cMelody is increasingly at the heart of my music.\u201d Anna notes that her own musical influences and background include exposure to pop, folk, and jazz, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac along with Beethoven. \u201cThat sense of melody is important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, she\u2019s devoting a lot of time to developing Augmented Orchestra, and a performance with live electronic processing, dance and theatre to take it to the next level. \u201cI\u2019m definitely looking at lager scale project.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_104350\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-104350\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-104350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Anna-Clyne-2.jpg\" alt=\"Composer Anna Clyne (Photo: Jennifer Taylor)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Anna-Clyne-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Anna-Clyne-2-300x147.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Anna-Clyne-2-1024x502.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Anna-Clyne-2-768x376.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-104350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Composer Anna Clyne (Photo: Jennifer Taylor)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C32qSbHItoB\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Glasslands, Clyne, Anna (2022)<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif\">The 25-minute piece is written for orchestra and saxophone soloist, specifically <strong>Jess Gillam<\/strong>, who premiered the piece last year with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and conductor <strong>Han-Na Chang<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very drawn to folklore and mythology,\u201d Clyne says, noting that through her grandmother, she has a connection to that heritage.<\/p>\n<p>She has written concertos for several instruments, including the cello. \u201cI\u2019m a cellist,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Clyne\u2019s cello concerto DANCE was recorded by soloist <strong>Inbal Segev<\/strong> in 2020 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Marin Alsop. The recording has racked up more than 11 million plays on Spotify.<\/p>\n<p>For other concertos, Anna enjoys the prep work, which involves getting to know the instrument, and talking to the soloist. \u201cI wanted to know, what is the lowest note you can reach first,\u201d she says. As she points out, the highest note often depends on a player\u2019s skill. She\u2019ll go through various aspects of technique, including, as with the saxophone, alternate fingerings and other details.<\/p>\n<p>Did the instrument in this case have a bearing on Glassland\u2019s folkloric theme? \u201cIt\u2019s very piercing,\u201d she acknowledges. \u201cIt\u2019s the connection with the cry of banshees in the night.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Compositions<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been writing a lot of concerti,\u201d she says. Her piano concerto ATLAS was premiered by the Dallas Symphony and soloist <strong>Jeremy Denk<\/strong> in March 2024. \u201cThe next logical step is a concerto for orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She used <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C32qSbHItoB\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a> to recently announce Palette, a new project for augmented orchestra. The movements are titled Plum, Amber, Lava, Ebony, Teal, Tangerine, and Emerald, and she will be producing seven paintings, one to go along with each.<\/p>\n<p>It will be a 35-minute work, consisting of seven movements of five minutes each. Each will explore the relationship between sound and colour.<\/p>\n<p>Both the paintings and the music will explore the concepts of colour, texture, and gesture through the emotions she attaches to each. The St. Louis Symphony will premiere the piece on Valentine\u2019s Day, February 14, 2025, performed by the orchestra with custom software that allows for real time augmentation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m also an artist,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s very much a symbiotic process between the music and the art.\u201d Collaborations and projects like it break down the barriers we\u2019ve set up between disciplines. \u201cThey\u2019re all connected.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Ottawa Concert Dates<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI think people really connect with music that has a strong melodic core in it,\u201d Clyne says of her work and its worldwide popularity. \u201cIt\u2019s always there, whether it\u2019s obvious or not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ottawa audiences will get a chance to hear Glasslands first in the country. The program also includes \u14c2\u152d niya (I Am) by Winnipeg composer <strong>Andrew Balfour<\/strong>, and Beethoven\u2019s perennially popular Ninth.<\/p>\n<p>With a combination of virtuosity and upbeat charisma, British saxophonist and BBC radio broadcaster <strong>Jess Gillam<\/strong> has created a unique profile in the music world. She was the youngest soloist to perform at the prestigious Last Night at the Proms broadcast, and the first saxophonist to sign an exclusive contract with Decca Records.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find more information on the Ottawa concerts with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and conductor Alexander Shelley on June 19 &amp; 20 [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nac-cna.ca\/en\/event\/33733\" 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>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anna Clyne\u2019s composition Glasslands gets its Canadian premiere on June 19 in Ottawa with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and conductor Alexander Shelley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":104349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[40967,76,18,19,4967,29,38,9570],"tags":[4074,39132,1726,41209,6014,30543],"yst_prominent_words":[39128,13078,34779,38639,10453,13077,6613],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-16.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-r91","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104347"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104347"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104385,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104347\/revisions\/104385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104347"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=104347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}