Interview with Kelly-Marie Murphy
Check out Les Violons du Roy's Coexecutive Director, Artistic Director Laurent Patenaude's interview with Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy on the eve of the premiere of Found in Lostness for violin and string orchestra, a work composed for Kerson Leong and Les Violons du Roy.
LP What did you know about Kerson Leong and Les Violons du Roy when you were approached to compose for them?
KMM I knew of Les Violons du Roy mostly as a period ensemble playing Baroque music with historically accurate bows and less vibrato. I also knew they are an ensemble that won a few JUNO awards.
Kerson Leong is a very well-respected and sought-after soloist. I had the great pleasure of meeting him at the Toronto Summer Music Festival a few years ago. He is a brilliant musician and has a captivating presence on stage.
LP What do you do first when you start composing a new work?
KMM When it's a concerto like this, I try to get a sense of what the soloist is looking for. I think concertos are a place to be serious and to say something important or informative. Kerson and I had a meeting over coffee in late March of 2024. I asked him about what kind of music inspires him, what kind of imagery, what kind of poetry. Just general questions that help me to understand the person behind the instrument.
With this type of information, I can start to collect ideas and think about how to tell a story. Music communicates on many levels, and it is important for me to make sure I bring the audience along on the journey.
LP What inspires you about the violin as a solo instrument?
KMM Well, honestly, this is only the second time I was asked to write a violin concerto. It is a great thrill (and a bit scary!) to contribute something to a very deep repertoire that covers not only centuries, but music by the absolute titans of composition.
LP You have already written five works for string orchestra. What do you like about this type of ensemble? What does it allow you?
KMM It is always interesting to return to any medium and see what has been learned and absorbed. Certainly, I think composers want to see improvement in each of their pieces, but I think they also want to try new things. There are things that a string ensemble can do very well. To ignore that or go against that would be foolish. But it's about making sure to tell a clear story. Whatever style of music one writes, it has to be interesting.
LP In this new work, are there things that you experienced for the first time? Have you already written for the double bass the way you do here, like the solo that opens the piece?
KMM I think I learned a few things in writing this piece. The first challenge for me was to pair solo violin with the string ensemble. How would I make that solo voice sound different from the ensemble? In writing a concerto with, for example, a symphonic orchestra, there is a larger color palette: percussion, harp, etc. I also wanted to learn a more lyrical approach to the bass. Hopefully my bass writing is improving.
LP How did you choose the title of the work, Found in Lostness? Does it hide a notion of hope?
KMM The title was actually suggested by Kerson. We knew it was a piece about being lost... Lost can mean a lot of things! We can be lost physically, spiritually, or emotionally, for example. We can lose things and go on a quest to find them. Being lost is disconcerting, but, like making mistakes, it is a path to discovery and growth. I left the ending a little bit enigmatic : was anything found, if you find something, does that end the search for something else. The solo violin in some ways is the beacon of hope in this story. The journey continues.