It’s all about the base
December 7,2023
Last spring, I had the loveliest conversation with the marvelous composer Gemma Peacocke. It is refreshing to learn about the lives of others as personal stories make such an impact on how I listen to, think about, and teach music. My conversation with Gemma was an excellent reminder that so many of us share many joyful, painful, and important life events. It was a treat to peer into a small snippet of Gemma’s musical world.
Gemma is a BUSY musician. A few of her more prominent positions include: being a co-founder of composer collective Kinds of Kings, which is a composer collective focused on amplifying and advocating for under-heard voices, writing for I Care if You Listen, a multimedia hub for living music creators powered by American Composers Forum, and teaching at NYU Steinhardt and precept at Princeton University.
After having a deep dive into Peacocke’s compositions, I would love to introduce you to three of her works. Be sure to check out more about Gemma (information below). She is a fascinating person and makes a big impact on her community through the music she creates.
During my conversation with Gemma, I asked her what composition she was most proud of and why? Her response was Rianta (2022) for Tenor, piano. The text from this composition comes from the poem Stains written by Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, which is an impossibly sad story of the horrors surrounding the abduction and murder of Jean McConville, mother of 10, in Northern Ireland in 1972. The music is powerful, haunting, and beautiful. The text is in Gaelic and accompanied by a simple, but completely satisfying piano part. From Gemma’s perspective, being able to work with a language that was new to her as well as work through the meanings and vocal nuances of the words were extremely satisfying. She expressed that Rianta “...is a sad poem, but I am proud that the words [with the music] made sense and were important to express the horror of the story.”
MY TAKE: Listening to traditional Irish singer, Iarla Ó Lionáird and pianist, Isabelle O’Connell is breathtaking.
The next composition describes “the shrill sound of a bagpipe and the keening of the bereaved.” From Gemma’s program notes, she writes, “Women and girls are called shrill by people who do not want to recognise the meaning of their words. It is a way to infantilize, to degrade, and to silence. Skirl is a celebration of the millions of women and girls reclaiming autonomy and the right to be heard.”
For many folks, you have to learn how to be heard (I will put myself in this category). Gemma and I spoke at length about how various people learn how to express themselves. We are profoundly affected by those who are around us and the importance of having supportive and positive mentors is immeasurable. It was a treat to learn more about two particular mentors - New Zealand composer John Psathas and American composer Julia Wolfe - who made huge impacts on Gemma’s career through their continual encouragement.
John continued to push Gemma to continue with her composition during her formative years and once Gemma moved to New York, her teacher Julia Wolfe helped her “lots behind the scenes - referencing me to others. She was secretly building pathways, which helped build my confidence.”
The importance of positive mentorship founded by trust and encouragement allows for the possibility of expressing one’s voice. These mentors provided a place for confidence to bloom. This is a great reminder for those of us who strive to be positive leaders and mentors in our community.
MY TAKE: A fantastic performance of Alarm Will Sound at the 2018 Mizzou Composers Festival.
I asked Gemma which piece she would introduce to someone if they had never heard her music. Her response was Waves and Lines, a 50-minute multimedia song cycle for soprano, electronics, and chamber ensemble. This composition is based on a collection of eight Afghan women’s folk poems called Landays (or landai). These particular poems were collected and translated by Eliza Griswold in the book “I am the Beggar of the World.”
MY TAKE: This composition perfectly demonstrates the strength of music and how it can perfectly express the unspeakable. Waves and Lines is a remarkable piece, with an equally remarkable story.
To learn more about what Gemma is up to, please make sure to check out her website here: https://www.gemmapeacocke.com/
And on another fun note, if anyone happens to know Richard O’Brien (writer of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, please help Gemma contact him. Story HERE. :-)
There are many new additions this month to the database including music of Soon Hee Newbold, Yukiko Nishimura, Barbara Harbach, Angelique Poteat, as well as updates on many other composers. Please let me know if you have any composers you would like me to check out. Also, please let me know if you have any problems with or suggestions for the database.