Additional Information
“Breathtaking”, “imaginative and expressive”, “Bartók on steroids”. These are the words used by critics to describe the music of Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy. Recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, her works have been performed by major Canadian ensembles such as the Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg orchestras, as well as by such performers as The Gryphon Trio, James Campbell, Shauna Rolston, the Cecilia and Afiara String Quartets and Judy Loman. Les Violons du Roy was the only string left to her bow, and this was her first collaboration with them, with her piece for violin and orchestra Found in Lostness, to be performed by Kerson Leong. A perfect opportunity to learn more about her career as a composer and one of her most recent creations.
PAN M 360: Tell us a little about your musical background. What triggered your decision to become a composer?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: I think it was obvious from very early on that I loved music! Finally, at the age of 8, we got a piano and I started taking lessons. I sang in choirs throughout my school years, and I started taking voice lessons when I was 16. In high school I became really interested in jazz, so I played piano in the jazz band, and did a little singing on the side. I started my music degree on my 18th birthday, really thinking more along the lines of either performance or even education. It became obvious that I was not comfortable in front of an audience, so I had to find something else to do with my musical abilities. I was encouraged to take composition. So, by accident, I found my vocation!
PAN M 360: Which composers or individuals have influenced you or have been significant on your journey as a musician and as a composer?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: On a personal level, my composition professor, Allan Gordon Bell. He was a wonderful mentor and always believed in me, even when I didn’t. As far as composers who literally woke me up, I would have to say Stravinsky and Bartok to begin with. It was a case of sitting in a music history class and hanging on through classicism and romanticism, but really having the WOW moment with Stravinsky ballets and Bartok string quartets. I would also say that my enjoyment of jazz and bebop has had an influence on how I think about music. I continue to be inspired by contemporary music. Living composers are a part of the artistic fabric, and we observe and comment on what is around us.
PAN M 360: How did the theme of loss emerge as a narrative framework in Found in Lostness, the work you composed for Kerson Leong?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: Kerson and I had a lovely meeting about a year ago. I asked him what kind of things he was interested in; what imagery; what he would like to have in a concerto, etc. He asked if I might be able to write something about being “lost in the woods” and that feeling of emerging from that. I really liked this concept because it opens a lot of different paths. Being lost is multifaceted: you can be lost physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.; you can lose things or people. That gave me a lot to work with. The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, would frame “lostness” as an opportunity for discovery and growth. Throughout the piece, I explore the ideas of searching and the discomfort of lostness — the idea of connecting with things in hopes that they bring you where you need to be. The ending is a bit unresolved: did we find what we needed?
PAN M 360: This is only the second violin concerto you’ve written! How did you approach writing for this instrument? Did you challenge yourself by experimenting with writing and instrumental techniques?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: The first violin concerto was quite big: 4 movements; full orchestra; around 20 minutes long; and very dramatic. This new piece is only scored for string orchestra, and yet still needed to navigate the dramatic needs of the concept. My challenge was in keeping the colour and the texture fresh with just strings. I love percussive sounds, so I wanted to make a little accompaniment section where the soloist is supported by taps and shrieks. I also wrote quite an extended solo for bass!
PAN M 360: How is the work structured? Did you keep to the classical form of the concerto, or was it freer?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: This is a single movement work with slow and fast sections. The cadenzas are woven in throughout. There is certainly some rhythmic freedom in the piece. There are thematic things that return and are developed, but that is as close as it gets to a classical concerto 🙂
PAN M 360: What is your compositional approach? What inspires you when you compose?
Kelly-Marie Murphy: I’m a composer every day. For me, writing is a daily practice. I need to plan and experiment. I need to make choices between ideas to ensure that I’m using the strongest ones. I try to write and “draw” what a piece is about — how I want it to move; what I want to say…. Then it’s just a matter of finding the right material. I love when there is a poem or piece of art to anchor the thoughts.
