Tell us about you.
I am a composer and performer specializing in piano performance and improvisation, as well as experimental vocalizations and conducting. Much of my practice involves social justice through artistic mediums. I am also the associate artistic director of Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based concert and education series organization, dedicated to celebrating Black Artistry through Music.

How would you define your style?
My compositional approach varies from extremely tonal and accessible to extremely experimental. I have works for children to play, works for children to hear, and I have multimedia pieces, music theater pieces, opera, open ensemble works, text-based pieces, and more. I do not like to be limited by boxes of genre, hence my pieces for pop vocalists, gospel, etc … Primarily, I focus on chamber music and vocal works.

Tell us about your work Sleep on the program of Works in progress 2019
It is a collaboration with my good friend Clio Em, who is Canadian/Polish, super talented, and is also a composer and a vocalist. It is about a human (organic) and robot (mechanical) who will soon be pitted against each other in a systemic competition. This opera explores the story of these characters, and their “emotions” during the night before they will compete.

Why did you decide to participate to Works in progress 2019?
Clio was recommended this opportunity and suggested that we apply as a team. Always wanting to increase my opera repertoire as well as my collaborations with Clio, we decided to apply, and are extremely honoured to have been selected.

Can you share a link emblematic of your work?

Your favourite instrument?
Harp. Definitely harp. But the harpejji is a close second.

Last favourite disc, performance, exhibition, TV show or movie?
Way too many to answer, so I will go with TV Show and say: Misfits

Lire la version française

An excerpt of SLEEP will be presented at Oper’Actuel – Works in progress 2019.
Two FREE performances:
Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 17, 4 p.m.
Gesù-Centre de créativité
Infos – 514 861-4036
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