Interviews – Page 14

“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.

Since winning first prize at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in 2010, the aura of Canadian violinist Kerson Leong has never ceased to shine. Critically acclaimed as one of the country’s greatest violinists (Toronto Star), in numerous recordings including his most recent album released in 2023 featuring concertos by Britten and Bruch, his playing presents “a blend of spontaneity and mastery, elegance, fantasy, intensity that makes his sound recognizable from the first notes” (Le Monde). A sought-after soloist and passionate chamber musician, Kerson Leong will perform with Les Violons du Roy, conducted for the occasion by Nicolas Ellis, in a program featuring the repertoire of Mendelssohn and Bach, as well as a new work from Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy. A dialogue between eras and styles, with the timelessness of music as a canvas. We spoke to him about it.

PAN M 360: The program you’ll be performing with Les Violons du Roy has timelessness as its underlying theme, with works by Felix Mendelssohn and Johann Sebastian Bach. What do you think makes this music timeless?

Kerson Leong: For me, the “secret” of timeless music is that it never fails to transport the listener and the musician to a different world. Perhaps a more idyllic world, far removed from our reality, and that it never fails to comfort, console or uplift us. This is exactly what the music of Mendelssohn and Bach brings.

PAN M 360: Can you tell us a little bit about the Mendelssohn works that surround the Bach pieces?

Kerson Leong: We have the contrast between his symphony for strings, composed when he was just a teenager, and his last string quartet (arranged for string orchestra), which is a very powerful and heartfelt requiem for his sister, who died at the time. So we can get an idea of the course of his life, literally.

PAN M 360: Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy’s Found in Lostness, which you will be premiering, is a one-movement concerto exploring the theme of loss. How do you, as a performer, approach a new work that has never been heard, make it your own and convey the intentions and emotions inherent in the work?

Kerson Leong: I always started with the subject in mind and the types of colours, shades and textures I associated with it. This is the source of all the musical decisions I would make. The score of a piece is like a map that can point you in the right direction or at least give you clues, and in this case, it’s a real luxury to be able to exchange ideas with the composer herself.

PAN M 360: How would you describe Kelly-Marie Murphy’s music?

Kerson Leong: Evocative, visceral and vivid.

PAN M 360: What role does new music play in your artistic practice

Kerson Leong: I think it’s important to develop an open mind and be receptive to many different kinds of influences, not only to develop your own sound, but also your musical personality in general. This process of “finding your own way” through a new piece is a direct reflection of this.

PAN M 360: Bach’s violin repertoire is imposing and important in the history of music. You once described Bach’s partitas and sonatas as a “violinist’s bible.” In what way are this repertoire and the figure of Bach significant for violinists?

Kerson Leong: For me, Bach is the best test for letting the violin express itself with maximum acoustic freedom and purity, and for being able to capture a deep sense of reverence and weight in the music with “simpler” means. One learns not only the importance of passion, but also the importance of restraint, and to see oneself as part of something greater than oneself.

PAN M 360: The two Bach works you are about to perform were not originally composed for the violin, but for organ and voice respectively. Does this change the way you conceive phrasing and the direction of musical lines and intention? Are there any technical elements both for your instrument and the orchestra that are put in place to imitate the timbre of the original versions?

Kerson Leong: This question brings us to the importance of the voice as a source of inspiration for string players. Even if the bow gives us unlimited breath, the natural phrase and musical “gravity,” for me, are always governed by the rise and fall of the human voice and breath. The violin solo in “Erbarme dich” is one of the most famous and beloved of all violin solos, and the sung viola part with which it is dueted serves as a direct inspiration.

PAN M 360: This isn’t the first time you’ve collaborated with Nicolas Ellis. What kind of work do you do with him in rehearsals to bring together the different elements of your playing with that of the orchestra, and in this case, in the context of creating a contemporary work?

Kerson Leong: First of all, Nicolas is a good friend and we get on well together, which certainly facilitates the musical process. We can be open with each other in rehearsals, but at the same time, I always feel a natural complicity in the way we see the music.

PAN M 360: What are your next projects?

Kerson Leong: Next month, I’ll be recording Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 3 in Vienna with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra as part of a collective project on Saint-Saëns. I’m also very much looking forward to the release of my next album, devoted to Gabriel Fauré’s works for violin and piano, produced with a friend, the French pianist Jonathan Fournel.

Les Violons du Roy kick off the second half of their season with violinist Kerson Leong as guest soloist in a program entitled Un violon hors du temps. With conductor Nicolas Ellis at the helm of this concert, on February 13 in Quebec City and February 14 in Montreal, the ensemble offers a journey centered on the theme of time, in a dialogue between the Baroque, Romantic and contemporary eras. Between works by Felix Mendelssohn, including his magnificent String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, subtitled “Requiem for Fanny”, and the String Symphony No. 10 in B minor, Kerson Leong will join the musicians in two pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach (the aria “Erbarme dich”, from the St. Matthew Passion, and the chorale O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622) and will premiere an original piece by award-winning Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy: Found in Lostness. On the eve of this event, PAN M 360’s Alexandre Villemaire spoke to Laurent Patenaude, co-general manager and artistic director of Les Violons du Roy, about this program and the rest of the season ahead.

**Due to weather conditions, the performances on Thursday February 13 in Quebec City have been postponed to a later date, which will be communicated to ticket holders in the coming days.

Afternoon Program (February 13)

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

Choral O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622 (arr. pour cordes M. Reger) « Erbarme dich, mein Gott » extrait de la Passion selon saint Matthieu,

BWV 244 (arr. pour violon et orchestre à cordes) Solistes : Kerson Leong violon

Jean-Louis Blouin alto

KELLY-MARIE MURPHY (Née en 1964)

Found in Lostness (création)
Soliste : Kerson Leong violon

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)

Quatuor à cordes n° 6 en fa mineur, op. 80 (version pour orchestre à cordes)

• Allegro vivace assai • Allegro assai
• Adagio
• Finale. Allegro molto

Evening Program (February 13 and 14)

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)

Symphonie pour cordes n° 10 en si mineur, MWV N 10

• Adagio – Allegro – Più presto

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

Choral O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622 (arr. pour cordes M. Reger) « Erbarme dich, mein Gott » extrait de la Passion selon saint Matthieu,

BWV 244 (arr. pour violon et orchestre à cordes) Solistes : Kerson Leong violon

Jean-Louis Blouin alto

KELLY-MARIE MURPHY (Née en 1964)

Found in Lostness (création)
Soliste : Kerson Leong violon

• PAUSE •

Quatuor à cordes n° 6 en fa mineur, op. 80 (version pour orchestre à cordes)

• Allegro vivace assai
• Allegro assai
• Adagio
• Finale. Allegro molto

TICKETS AND INFO HERE

Young Quebec composer Corie Rose Soumah is currently completing her doctorate at Columbia University in New York. On 24 February 2025, as part of the Festival Montréal / Nouvelles Musiques, her friends from the New York-based vocal ensemble Ekmeles will be performing her piece Like a Frog on the Road to it in the Agora Hydro-Québec in UQAM’s Cœur des sciences. I spoke to the Montrealer.

DETAILS AND TICKETS

Programme :

Motorman Sextet (2013), 35:00

Taylor Brook

We Live the Opposite Daring (2023), 14:00

Zosha Di Castri

Sweet Flag! (2022), 13:00

Charlotte Mundy

Like a frog on the road to it (2023), 21:00

Corie Rose Soumah

The Kohlenstoff collective invites you to a music-video evening at Centre Phi on Saturday, February 14. Composers will be paired with guest video artists, with exploration and innovation the cardinal virtues of this community of Montreal artists: Estelle Schorpp & Charline Dally, Roger Tellier-Craig & Sabrina Ratté, Michael Gary Dean & Laine Butler, Dominic Thibault & Alan Dunyo Avorgbedor. The evening’s coordinator, Guillaume Cliche, tells us all about it. Alain Brunet interviewed him for PAN M 360.

DETAILS AND TICKETS HERE

As she prepares to defend her latest album, We Did the Damn Thing, Naya Ali took the time to talk to our journalist Sandra Gasana about the creative process, her most recent trip to Ethiopia, and the importance of taking the time to celebrate our victories. She’ll be at Le Ministère on Saturday, February 15, surrounded by a live band for the occasion, with an opening act provided by an artist also from NDG, just like Naya.

The Quatuor Molinari is pulling out all the stops (with the help of the Fondation Famille Lupien): composer Franghiz Ali Zadeh is in Montreal for three days of presentations and explorations of her musical universe. Two of these days (February 13 and 14) are entirely free of charge, and the third (February 15) will culminate in a performance of all the string quartets by this great Azerbaijani composer, plus the creation of a brand new work dedicated to the Montrealers! Ali Zadeh, an artist who has won admiration from the world’s great musicians for nearly 50 years (Kronos Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma, etc.), will be in Canada probably for the first time and will be meeting the public during two days of free activities at the Conservatoire and the Maison de la culture du Plateau. It’s a unique opportunity to come and talk to one of the great contemporary artists of our time, and above all to experience her extraordinarily communicative, accessible yet rigorous music, which fuses the learned language of the religious chants known as mughams with that of the modern West. I spoke about all this with Olga Ranzenhofer of the Molinari Quartet.

DETAILS AND TICKETS (concert on 15 February)

The Quartet according to Ali-Zadeh. Round table: Folklore in contemporary music (13 February – FREE event)

The Quartet according to Ali-Zadeh. Dialogue sur le Plateau: The string quartets of Ali-Zadeh (14 February – FREE event)

Studio of the Molinari Quartet (podcast series) (in French)

A student of Dang Thai Son, the great Vietnamese-born pianist and fantastic professor at the Université de Montréal’s Music Department, young Sophia Shuya Liu would be the next local prodigy to make the leap into the international arena. With agents from all over the world interested in her supravirtuoso potential, it won’t be long before her admirers multiply across the entire classical planet.

Born in Shanghai in 2008, Sophia Shuya Liu lived in Japan with her family, and has since settled in Montreal, where she studied piano with Dang Thai Son from the age of 9.

Numerous awards followed until now (she is actually 16) : the first prizes of the Kobe Art Center Piano Competition (Japan), the Hangzhou Competition (China), the 18th Ettlingen International Piano Competition (Germany), the Hartford International Chopin Competition and the Philadelphia International Chopin Competition (both in the United States). In 2023, she won the Thomas & Evon Cooper Competition for young soloists (in the United States), which earned her the opportunity to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra and David Robertson, then Second Prize in the first Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli International Piano Competition in Brescia, Italy, with several Special Prizes, including the Audience Prize.

Sophia Shuya Liu has since performed on prestigious stages in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Her first CD was released recently. In 2025, she will perform at Chopin Festivals in Warsaw and Duszniki, at the Boston Summer Piano Festival, also at the Festival de la Roque d’Anthéron International Festival. She just made her Paris debut at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, as well as La Folle Journée de Nantes, in Geneva, the Piano à Saint-Ursanne Festival.

PAN M 360 : People talk about you with boundless admiration. How do you live with this pressure to excel?

Sophia Shuya Liu : I am very grateful that people admire me. I think that their enthusiasm turns into a source of inspiration for me and motivates me to always reach new heights.

PAN M 360 : How do you manage your emergence and stay zen?

Sophia Shuya Liu : I am generally not too concerned about what happens around me, especially in the context of my performances. I focus on playing and interpreting music the best way I can.

PAN M 360 : How do you live through all these eloquent stages?

Sophia Shuya Liu : These competitions have allowed me to learn, grow, and gain new experiences. I think they were quite beneficial, but competition prizes ultimately don’t mean too much.

PAN M 360 : How do you see the joy of playing while taking on these extraordinary challenges?

Sophia Shuya Liu : I love music. As I play, I convey messages through this beautiful universal language that people can resonate with. Performing is always a great joy for me, and it is what I was meant to do.

PAN M 360 :Do you have any absolute role models in piano performance?

Sophia Shuya Liu : I have had many different role models and musicians that I admire, and my taste is always changing, so I don’t always have a definitive answer. But if I have to choose one musician in particular, I very much admire my teacher, Prof. Dang Thai Son.

PAN M 360 : What do you think sets you apart from your peers, even at your young age?

Sophia Shuya Liu : I think I have considerably solid technique, thanks to being taught by excellent teachers from a young age which I’m always very grateful for. Having received such education, I have also been fascinated by the depth of music from a young age.

PAN M 360 : We’re living in a time when hundreds of thousands of young musicians want to make their mark on this planet. Where do you want to be? What motivates you?

Sophia Shuya Liu : Of course, I also have the same desire: to leave an important mark on this planet. And I’m constantly working towards this goal. I try to develop my own interpretations as well as techniques used to realize my ideas, but I strive for these slight differences to be approved and recognized by experts.

PAN M 360 : How do you see your multiple cultural identities?

Sophia Shuya Liu : Every culture has its own unique essence, and studying different cultures is very beneficial in expressing music through different perspectives.

PAN M 360 : You’ve chosen to introduce us to the music of the composer prodigies Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Chopin. How do you justify your choice?

Sophia Shuya Liu : First of all, I’m always very touched by the music of these composers and I deeply admire their ability to convey their messages through their own musical language. Every time I play their music, I feel like my mind and soul are being cleansed. Their works are precious treasures of humanity. But of course, I’m constantly learning new music and I will introduce music by many other fascinating composers in the future.

PAN M 360 : Could you briefly comment on your relationship to these works?

Sophia Shuya Liu : It is difficult to explain my association with each one of these works. But, in general, some of these works are orchestral or operatic transcriptions.

* Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite is a ballet transcription, and the story of the Nutcracker serves as important context and background. Within the suite, many of them are dances, and each of their characteristics stand out. Overall, this is a piece that many people are familiar with and certainly a crowd favorite.

* Liszt’s Reminiscences de Norma is an opera transcription. The themes used throughout the piece are all very melodic and have a singing quality. At the same time, the piece is portrayed by a grandiose orchestrational tone. Of course, the work tells a meaningful story and is very narrative.

* Chopin’s Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” is also an opera transcription based on Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”. Chopin used this popular duet, sung by Don Giovanni and Zerlina, as the theme of this piece. The piece contains three main parts: the introduction and theme, the variations which are brilliant and attractive, and the “Alla Polacca” (polonaise) which is the final variation and the coda. This final part contains some of the most enchanting elements of this piece. It is important to remember that Chopin wrote this piece when he was only 17 years old!

Publicité panam

Tuesday, February 25 sees the premiere of the musical/multimedia show Il teatro rosso, presented by Montreal ensemble No Hay Banda and the Festival Montréal / Nouvelles Musiques. At the heart of this intriguing project, featuring avant-garde music, video and out-of-the-box staging, is the Montreal of the 1920s-1930s, that of the theaters and cinemas of a bygone era linked to that of the Red Light and its vices and dark deviances, themselves camouflaged behind glittering neon lights. The mystery of this hidden world, which today has the allure of legend, fascinates the work’s creator and musical director Steven Kazuo Takasugi, and Noam Bierstone, percussionist and founding member of No Hay Banda. I spoke to him about this Red Theatre.

DETAILS AND TICKETS HERE

Publicité panam

On February 21, 2025, at McGill University’s new multimedia hall in Montreal, the Montreal / New Musics festival and Ensemble Éclats, directed by Charles-Éric Fontaine, will present the concert À l’écoute du geste. New music indeed, but from a perspective that leaves plenty of room for gesture and movement. Dance, of course, but not only dance. Musicians will be on the move, and we’ll be presenting the creation of a work for orchestra and… three Karlax! But what is a Karlax? Among other things, I talk about it with chef Charles-Éric Fontaine.

DÉTAILS ET BILLETS ICI

Publicité panam

The ONJM continues its season with a remarkable collaboration: singer and composer Malika Tirolien presents HIGHER, her 2021 album reimagined for a large ensemble under the direction of conductor and arranger Jean-Nicolas Trottier. Inspired by the element of air, HIGHER is marked by its ethereal textures and vibrant energy. Now, with the depth and richness of an orchestra, the music takes on new dimensions. Ahead of the concert, PAN M 360 spoke with Malika Tirolien about the process of adapting her work, the challenges of orchestration, and the experience of hearing her music evolve in this new setting.

PAN M 360: Malika, this sounds like such an exciting project! HIGHER has been out for a few years now—what’s it like revisiting it in this new orchestral setting?

Malika Tirolien: Oh, absolutely. It’s been a while since we last performed HIGHER, especially since other projects have come out in the meantime. But bringing it back in this grand orchestral format really gives it another life. It’s incredible to hear it with bigger arrangements, and it just makes everything feel even more expansive. I’ve always loved orchestras, and anytime I get the chance to perform with one, it’s a high point for me.

PAN M 360: You mentioned the word “grandiose,” which is interesting because I already found HIGHER to be so lush and cinematic in its production. With an orchestra on top of that, how do you find space for all these layers?

Malika Tirolien: First of all, thank you! My colleague and I co-produced HIGHER, and from the start, we wanted it to feel airy and expansive. Since the album represents the element of air, we really focused on creating an open, floating atmosphere. But for the orchestral version, we had to rethink some of the synth textures and let go of certain elements to make room for the strings and brass. It was about shifting things around while still preserving the essence of the original sound. At the same time, we added more depth in the vocals, which helped maintain balance.

PAN M 360: That must have been quite the process. How was it working with Jean-Nicolas Trottier on the arrangements?

Malika Tirolien: Oh, it was amazing. Jean-Nicolas is such a brilliant arranger, and it’s been great to see how excited he is about this project. The first time I heard his orchestrations, I was blown away! He really found a way to elevate the music without losing its core identity. I can’t wait to bring everything together with the full band and orchestra in rehearsal—it’s going to be a magical moment.

PAN M 360: Speaking of rehearsals, it seems like they happen really close to the performance date. Is that how it usually works with such a large ensemble?

Malika Tirolien: Exactly. Since there are so many musicians involved, we had to rehearse separately—first the band, then the orchestra. Only towards the end do we bring everyone together. It’s definitely a logistical challenge, but it’s worth it to hear everything come together in the final stages.

PAN M 360: Hearing your songs in this orchestral form, does it change how you feel about them or how you perform them?

Malika Tirolien: Oh, absolutely! There are so many new layers and instrumental lines that weren’t there before. Vocally, I have to adjust—sometimes doing less because the orchestra is filling in spaces I used to occupy. I have to be aware of that and make sure my performance translates seamlessly into this new setting.

PAN M 360: Is there one arrangement you’re particularly excited about?

Malika Tirolien: Yes for sure. Prière is a special one for me. It’s based on a poem my grandfather wrote, and I think it’s probably my favorite song on the album. Jean-Nicolas’s orchestration for this piece is absolutely stunning.

PAN M 360: If I recall, Prière has a rhythmic, almost hip-hop-infused spoken-word quality to it. How does that translate into this orchestral arrangement?

Malika Tirolien: Well it’s very much a spoken-word piece, but with a strong melodic core. My guitarist, Philippe Lalli, composed the music, and his chord choices really highlight the power of the lyrics. At first, the music takes a backseat to let the words breathe, but then it builds—becoming more expansive with a huge crescendo, especially with the drums. Seeing how the orchestra will enhance that transition is really exciting.

PAN M 360: It sounds like there will be plenty of goosebump-inducing moments!

Malika Tirolien: Oh, for sure! I’m just trying not to cry during rehearsals—that would be embarrassing! (laughs) But yeah, that first full run-through will be a huge moment for me.

PAN M 360: Beyond this project, do you have other music or collaborations in the works?

Malika Tirolien: Yes! In November, I released a new project called Gen Y Lens with my duo Gemini Crab. It’s a collaboration with Anash, a fantastic musician, producer, and friend who will also be performing with me at this show. It’s been such a joy creating with him. The album is playful and experimental, and we’ll actually be performing a few of those songs with the orchestra as well, just to give the audience a taste of what we’ve been up to.

PAN M 360: That sounds like such an exciting year ahead for you! Before we wrap up, I have to ask—your vocal performances are always so powerful. How do you get in the right mindset before a show?

Malika Tirolien: Thank you! Honestly, my main focus is staying grounded. With a busy schedule, I try to sing whenever I can, but what’s most important for me is keeping stress in check. I remind myself that it’s not about me—it’s about the music, about love for the craft. That mindset really centers me. Leading up to a performance, I do a lot of breathing exercises to stay calm and connected to the music.

PAN M 360: That’s a beautiful approach. We wish you an amazing performance, Malika. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat!

Ahead of her show at the Sala Rossa as part of the Taverne Tour, we enjoyed talking to singer-songwriter Alexandra Levy, better known as Ada Lea. Deeply rooted in the Montreal scene and its iconic venues such as La Rockette and Quai des Brumes, her music was a natural fit for this festival.

Following what we say in private (2019) and one hand on the sterling wheel the other sewing a garden (2021), in October the artist unveiled the EP notes, a collection of tracks left over from her last album. Following a long tour in 2022, Ada Lea has refocused on writing and creating her third album, due this year. To immerse yourself in the poetry of her lyrics and the sweetness of her voice, head to the Sala Rossa this Saturday, February 8, for an indie/folk evening also featuring Charlotte Cornfield. In the meantime, here’s our interview with Ada Lea.

PAN M 360: In your song come on, baby! be a good girl for the camera, taken from your latest EP notes, you explore the difficulties of life on tour, but also the expectations imposed on women. What do you think is the biggest challenge of being a woman in the music industry today?
Ada Lea: That’s a good question. Of course, I can’t speak for all women, but in my experience, I find travel physically and spiritually exhausting. Flying, driving, changing time zones… it’s all very taxing on my body. Driving is also scary. You don’t always feel safe, and when you have to drive more than six hours a day, the risk of an accident increases. The older I get, the more I realize how fragile we are. Accidents happen. My grandmother was hit and killed by a car on a normal day! What if something like that happened on tour? What if I was in charge of this tour, took my friends with me and we all died? For a few concerts? What’s the point?

Obviously, this is a somewhat exaggerated situation, but in the end, going on tour requires a lot of physical work, for very little reward, and with no real security. The only rewards are the human connections. So if my aim is to share moments with my friends, why not just go and see a film together on the street corner? Of course, playing in front of an audience, sharing a space and experiencing something together is an exhilarating experience, but I’m beginning to wonder: at what price?

PAN M 360: I loved your song “serait-il…? “and was wondering if your writing process differs between a song in French and one in English. Do you enjoy writing in both languages equally, or do you have a preference?

Ada Lea: I love writing in French. I co-wrote this song with Liberté-Anne Lymberiou. She speaks several languages fluently: English, French, Greek, Spanish, and another that escapes me. She even speaks a little Italian, which is funny because my mother is Italian. So we get into absurd discussions between nonna and yiayia, mixing Greek and Italian – “Why you no call me no more?” and things like that. I imagine one of us cleaning the sidewalk with a broom while the other shouts “Bonjour!” from the balcony.

PAN M 360: I’ve read that a third album is planned for 2025. How does it differ from your previous projects?

Ada Lea: It’s more pictorial. After 2022, I took a break from concerts and retired. I needed to reconnect with myself. The visual arts have always been an important part of my life. For this album, I went for it. I wrote songs that, for me, were like paintings. Which went beyond anything I imagined I could create in writing. It felt like a gift from the universe, and fortunately, I was there to seize it.

PAN M 360: When you develop a new project, do you have an established writing routine, or do you leave more room for spontaneous bursts of creativity?

Ada Lea : Moyra Davey dit qu’elle obtient une bonne photo pour cinq rouleaux de pellicule. Je pense que c’est pareil pour l’écriture de chansons et la peinture. J’essaie d’écrire et de peindre autant que possible physiquement. J’aimerais avoir une routine plus rigoureuse.

PAN M 360 : Quelles sont tes plus grandes inspirations musicales en ce moment ?

Ada Lea : Les autres auteurs-compositeurs qui partagent ma méthode. Chaque chanson est un cadeau.

PAN M 360 : Il y a quelques jours, tu as sorti une reprise de Out on the Weekend de Neil Young avec Alex Nicol. Qu’est-ce qui vous a poussé à collaborer ensemble pour cette chanson et comment cette idée de reprise est-elle née ?

Ada Lea : Alex m’a contactée pour me proposer de chanter une chanson ensemble. Je me suis dit que si on passait une journée en studio, autant essayer un classique de Neil Young. C’est l’une de mes préférées de Harvest.

PAN M 360: You’re also a visual artist. How do you juggle your music and your art?

Ada Lea: If I could, I’d do nothing but music and painting all day, every day. It’s such a pleasure. There’s nothing like it. I dream of mixing colors and letting my brush glide across the canvas.

Le plus difficile, c’est de jongler entre mes nombreux emplois, mes multiples casquettes. Travailler sur l’art, ça, c’est la partie facile.

PAN M 360: What can we expect from your show at the Sala Rossa?

Ada Lea: No idea. I’m looking forward to playing with my long-time friends and collaborators, Tasy Hudson and Chris Hauer. For the first time, Chrissy Lawson will be joining us. I’m also looking forward to seeing Charlotte Cornfield. I lived with her in New York, and played bass in her band for a few years, before writing my own songs. I learned a lot from her. Her bass player, Kate Palumbo, was one of my idols when I was studying music in CEGEP.

PAN M 360: Do you get stage fright before a concert? And if so, how do you manage it?

Ada Lea: I almost always get sick before a concert. Sometimes it’s covid, sometimes a stomach bug, sometimes the flu or some other illness. I once had bronchitis because of a persistent cough, and had to have an X-ray and take an inhaler the day before a tour. They thought my rib was broken from coughing so much. I’m so afraid of getting sick and not having the energy to play that I exhaust my body. For example, I’m running a fever at the moment.

PAN M 360: What can we wish you for the coming year?

Ada Lea : World peace. Good health, food, music, painting and love.

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