Titilayo Ayangade started her cello journey on the age of 5. Nonetheless, it was her introduction to chamber music in her teenage years that really ignited her ardour. She cherished the intimate dialogue that emerged when musicians communicated by means of their devices reasonably than phrases. Wanting to refine her expertise, Ayangade labored diligently, leading to her incomes music levels from the College of Cincinnati-CCM and the College of Texas at Austin. Her profession has taken her across the globe, and he or she has held the place of Strathmore Artist-in-Residence whereas additionally serving because the cellist for the esteemed Thalea String Quartet for 5 years. With the quartet, she gained prestigious accolades at famend competitions, together with the Fischoff and Chamber Music Yellow Springs worldwide contests.
At present, Ayangade is channeling her love for chamber music by means of duo kayo, a partnership together with her fiancé, violist Edwin Kaplan of the Tesla Quartet. Their distinctive cello and viola mixture permits them to discover wealthy, darker tones, and the duo enjoys difficult typical norms with their “joyous musical expression.” A spotlight of their latest work, supported by a Sphinx Artist MPower Grant, features a new recording impressed by Curtis Stewart, drawing affect from Gil Scott-Heron’s impactful piece, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
Whereas pictures entered Ayangade’s creative repertoire later in her profession, she has already achieved spectacular success. She has photographed a whole bunch of musicians, with purchasers starting from the Colburn Faculty to the New York Youth Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. In 2023, she had the glory of attending the distinguished Eddie Adams Workshop for rising photographers. On the workshop’s podcast, “The Lengthy Roll,” Ayangade articulated how her musical background shapes her pictures: “Music emits sound, and images emit mild,” she mirrored. “[When I’m photographing subjects], I attempt to disclose their internal mild or convey what they sound like in a roundabout way.”
Ayangade’s enthusiasm and creative power are really inspiring, main me to delve deeper into her ideas on pictures, rehearsal practices, and her sources of inspiration.
Duo Kayo — Picture by Titilayo Ayangade
Having transitioned from a member of the Thalea String Quartet to forming duo kayo, how has your expertise different between these two distinct musical codecs?
The shift from performing within the Thalea String Quartet to duo kayo has granted me profound insights into the varied dynamics of chamber ensembles, revealing how communication evolves and the way artistry unfolds. Within the quartet, the interaction of 4 distinct personalities and musical identities created ever-changing dynamics, necessitating intricate decision-making processes full of negotiation and compromise. Every member contributed their voice to a collective imaginative and prescient which required balancing various views with out dimming the general power of that imaginative and prescient.
In distinction, taking part in in duo kayo presents a much more intimate expertise, paying homage to a heartfelt dialog between two shut buddies. Our inventive course of hinges on the connection between Edwin and me; our direct communication permits us to discover our musical voices throughout the confines of simply two devices. This association fosters deep belief and understanding, enabling us to take spontaneous dangers and dive into new concepts with much less want for deliberation.
Duo Kayo within the recording studio — Picture by Titilayo Ayangade
Duo kayo seems to be thriving in a number of arenas — from performances to residencies and your latest recording to the launch of the Dawn sequence. What excites you about these initiatives?
This summer time has been immensely fulfilling! We have been lucky to return to each Caramoor and Newport Classical. Final summer time, Edwin and I served as Competition Artists at Newport, which was exhilarating, notably after we carried out in a quartet/quintet formation. A memorable spotlight was the premiere of Curtis Stewart’s piece, The Gilded Cage, which impressed us to fee him for brand spanking new work. His distinctive musical language resonated deeply with us, resulting in *Risk,* our newly commissioned work.
The composition, which investigates how transient components like historical past and tradition can fade over time, was dropped at life with a playlist of numerous inspirations we shared with Curtis. His creative imaginative and prescient masterfully blended our concepts along with his private type. *Risk* additionally incorporates unconventional components, inviting performers to shout, stomp, and vocalize in methods not usually present in classical performances. We had the privilege of premiering it in July at Newport Classical, amidst a gallery full of Black paintings by the gifted photographer Renee Cox.
By commissioning this piece, funded by Chamber Music America and Sphinx, we aimed to subvert conventional frameworks and borrow influences from different genres, together with hip hop, spoken phrase, and soul. This mission holds a private significance because it stems from shared heritage and group dialogue round gentrification and identification in Harlem. Scott-Heron’s means to merge music with social critique impressed us, and we aimed to honor his legacy whereas conveying a recent message about ongoing societal challenges.
Our Dawn sequence emerged from the assumption that music generally is a therapeutic power accessible at any second. Our occasions, usually held proper after daybreak and increasing till midday, supply a tranquil area for audiences to ease into their day. By combining pre-composed music with improvisation and meditation, we create an setting for individuals to disconnect from every day stresses and reconnect with themselves, fostering reflection, therapeutic, and group.
Dawn at Avaloch Farm Music Institute — Picture by Titilayo Ayangade
As a cellist, you have cultivated your classical expertise whereas growing a particular type and looking for out new repertoire. What practices or habits do you utilize to keep up your excessive musical customary?
Having performed the cello for 27 years, I’ve discovered that staying linked to my instrument every day is essential. My calendar usually consists of recording classes, orchestra rehearsals, composer read-throughs, photograph shoots, chamber music teaching, duo observe, and performances. This selection requires flexibility, which I domesticate by means of ear coaching workout routines as warm-ups. I discover pleasure in selecting a tune and improvising, which challenges each my ears and fingers whereas anchoring me within the second—an efficient mindset when getting ready for performances with restricted observe time.
Through the years, I’ve discovered to grant myself grace and do not forget that my objective is to attach with my cello reasonably than to overpower it. Along with this psychological strategy, I prioritize participating with numerous cultural experiences. I take pleasure in studying broadly; at present, I’m recommending Relaxation is Resistance by Tricia Hersey, a very restorative learn. Permitting myself to mirror and suppose is significant as I embark on this introspective journey to rediscover my genuine musical voice, a course of that requires persistence. Attending concert events by my fellow musicians additionally serves as a supply of pleasure and inspiration on my path.
How has your pictures observe enriched your musicianship?
Although pictures and music might look like vastly completely different disciplines, I’ve found they complement one another surprisingly properly. Each are storytelling mediums requiring meticulous consideration to element and a way of curiosity about potential outcomes. Studying to embrace the ingredient of persistence in observing what can’t be managed is crucial in each realms. Photographers usually reference the “decisive second,” a time period from Henri Cartier-Bresson signifying the proper convergence of motion—a top quality that resonates profoundly in dwell efficiency.
In each music and pictures, the way of presentation is as essential as what’s being offered. Even probably the most beautiful piece of music can fall flat with out the engagement of a responsive viewers. Equally, refined changes in musical supply—timing, tone, or emotion—can alter all the expertise for listeners, very like how a change in digicam angle or coloration saturation can remodel {a photograph}. My pictures observe has heightened my sensitivity to those nuances whereas performing, encouraging me to think about the best way to “body” each second in music and seize the viewers’s consideration successfully.
Kebra-Seyoun Charles — Picture by Titilayo Ayangade
You’re at present engaged on a pictures mission that highlights BIPOC musicians. What impressed this, and the way is it progressing?
This mission is deeply private and runs parallel to my commissioned pictures work. As a Black lady in classical music, I’ve usually felt marginalized in an area that traditionally lacks inclusivity. All through my profession, I’ve encountered many outstanding BIPOC musicians whose contributions and brilliance usually go unrecognized. This initiative goals to amplify their voices and tales whereas reshaping the narrative inside a predominantly homogeneous setting.
Impressed by my journey of self-portraiture over the past decade, I’m addressing the difficulty of tokenism, particularly in establishments with lower than 25% BIPOC illustration (2.4% Black, to be exact). Many conversations with fellow musicians show the challenges of self-image and the concern of expressing one’s full identification. But, there’s a collective understanding that these tales matter and that BIPOC contributions to classical music deserve acknowledgment and celebration.
This dichotomy serves as a name to motion. Images, alongside my musical endeavors, felt like the proper medium for expressing take care of this group, providing a strong device for visibility. I goal to include brief musical vignettes to offer a platform for my colleagues to share their voices authentically. I’m additionally pursuing grant funding for an exhibition to showcase this mission. Finally, I aspire for it to mirror the multifaceted nature of the musicians it celebrates—recognizing that we aren’t a monolith.
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