This traction is still felt in Charles ‘ solo and compositional function. As the Senior Division success of the 2022 Sphinx Contest, Charles has established themselves as a virtuosic and functional solo musician, sharing the step with Tyshawn Sorey, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, A Far Cry, Palaver Strings, and the Sphinx Virtuosi. And Charles, who is a composer, leans into the manner in which people naturally go through a music: effortlessly moving from one musical style to the next.
Through the American Composers Orchestra, Charles just received a position as a 2023-2024 EarShot CoLABoratory Resident, joining seven other artist fellows whose works have been established in represented genres in the orchestral canon. Their piece Bass Concerto ( Nightlife ) is set to premiere with ACO on Oct. 30 at Carnegie Hall. This multi-genre work explores party, which Charles claims has always been woven into all different musical genres. Their sonata “infuses them with contemporary genres like home music, jazz, and particularly gospel” by using widely recognized traditional music forms like the European Baroque overture. The visitors may experience this flexibility in this symphony in the same way that people float from genre to type in their daily hearing. I emailed Charles with questions about their careers and what this accomplishment means to them in advance of this remarkable comeback.
At ACO CoLABoratory Workshop, Curtis Stewart and Kebra-Seyoun Charles Photo by Lyndsay Werking
Nearly every historical singer aspires to perform at Carnegie Hall. What does it mean for you to have your composition premiered in this space, and how has this success impacted the way you view your career as a artist?
When I see a performance at Carnegie, in some ways it feels like a rite of passage because I usually make it a priority to pay tribute to the artists who inspired me by the scores that are displayed on the roof. I do n’t understand Carnegie Hall’s rich tradition of premiering music that leaves a lasting impression on music; in fact, I had all I could think of when writing this piece, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue! Simply put, this premiere feels like finding a way in the forest, but knowing various well-known artists have followed the same path makes sense.
How has your work with the American Composers Orchestra improved your compositional process?
I had the opportunity to test with the fundamental principles of automation and instrumentation while also receiving the opportunity to create for the American Composers Orchestra through the EarShot CoLABoratory Citizenship. As a Counterclassical artist, I find it invaluable to thoroughly understand the tradition and hone my abilities as an orchestra composer while bringing the custom into the twenty-first century.
But subsequently, I realized, through this powerful study, that I already had this talent set in my legs! In addition to my designing occupation, I’m also a solo musician, which means I’ve played in high-level ensembles throughout my existence. After a while, I realized that I could rely on my lips to guide me toward the same outcome as thorough analysis of principle.
You point out that your compositional type evokes the experience of moving through a different playlist while incorporating various musical styles. What composers do you think of when you think about your effects, and how has that record changed as you developed as a artist?
Because EVERY artist has had an influence on my songwriting (yes, dear reader, you too! ), this is such a difficult question. However, there are artists whose works and ideas are key to this part: Nina Simone, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Erich Korngold, Sergei Prokofiev, and Fred Hammond are some of the forces viewers will understand. In addition, how I interpret their song in relation to one another has changed as I’ve matured rather than the list of artists I look up to. Recognizing that Miley Cyrus ‘” Flowers” follows the same rhythmic growth as Handel and Halvorsen’s Passacaglia ( for true, check it out ) has been an instance of my artistic development.
Can you discuss more about having music parents as a family? What aspects of your family’s drumming influence your bass process?
I never, ever as a child, always wanted to attend my mother’s rehearsals or anything that a child of that time would do but see TV and play video games. However, I was fortunate that I was able to fully understand the culture and rhythms of Kenya through evaporation. She regularly performed songs and gospel songs in the temple, and she was a household name. My constant exposure to music solidified my perspective that song was meant to create area, and more significantly, to dance to! I combine that fundamental principle with Western Classical music, which I discovered and fell in love with in my own music.
As a local of Miami, a town with a famous song tradition and culture, how has the vitality of the 305 inspired your craft?
How has it never?! Every inch of my song has been impacted by the liveliness and richness of Miami’s songs. Like I mentioned before, song is created to create a sense of community based on our shared passion for dancing. Finally, that’s the one thing someone takes away from my songs.
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