Can you tell us about your ethos for creating music?
When I write music, I always want it to be expressing something deep from within me, that is a feeling or emotion that can’t be expressed by words. I write almost solely for cello, but I do also use a bit of piano and textural vocals. I also like to use samples I’ve recorded from places that mean a lot to me, like birds by a river or distant church bells.
Can you tell me about some of the themes you incorporated to create Swift & Raven?
The live show that we (projection artist Tom Hume and myself) are creating is about raven spirituality. There are many ancient beliefs that the raven is the mediator between the living and the dead and is able to pass between both realms. Our version is that the raven is the creator of all birds.
What drew you to fuse classical and contemporary themes?
I was classically trained, but have been playing in bands for years, so it’s not surprising that my music has a more contemporary feel. Swift & Raven is my 4th solo release, and for each album I’ve come back to my classical roots more than the previous one. Often people are moved by my live performances. People have told me on many occasions that they found themselves holding back tears, not because they felt sad but because the music and visuals triggered a deep emotion in them. It means a lot to me to know that the music is being felt that deeply.
What else do you add to a live show?
My performances always include visuals where possible. Tom is very intuitive in the way he puts video to music. I want my performances to be an encompassing, sensory experience. I also want to create a space that is cut off from reality, like a dream space. For the show I’m inviting some guest string players to join me on stage, and also Cy Gorman on piano.
