Sian talks inspiration and collaboration with composer Charles Mueller

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Written By Beth Beauchamp

Get behind the scenes with modern troubadour Charles's influences and motivations creating the musical settings for our upcoming program:
A Fine Companion

Friday, June 2, 2023

7:30 pm Doors
8:00 pm Solo Set by Kevin Payne, theorbo
8:30 pm Alkemie "A Fine Companion"

Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY

Tickets $25

This program features Brooklyn-based composer Charles Mueller's newly-composed settings of troubadour songs and texts in a dream-pop, shoegaze, psychedelic rock style for an amplified combination of Medieval and new instruments.
 

SIAN: Why did you want to work with Alkemie on this project?

CHARLES: Because you,Tracy, and the rest of Alkemie are outstanding buds who can figure out how to play just about anything you put in front of them and make it sound like Alkemie. 

SIAN: We were so excited when you came to us with the idea for this project! How did you choose the texts you wanted to work with?

CHARLES: I looked for texts that defied my expectations of what typical 12th-century texts would be. 

SIAN: It's true - not all troubadour texts are about courtly love! I love the texts you chose - this project was a great excuse to read a lot of troubadour poetry. What are you most looking forward to about this project?

CHARLES: I'm looking forward to performing the music live. Creating the recording was (in some ways) less satisfying, because it offers the possibility of too much control and the ability to be a perfectionist. Playing with a band promotes spontaneity and forces you (the composer/arranger/whatever) to make choices you wouldn't in the vacuum of the studio by yourself.

SIAN: Me too! For those that don't know, we recorded this multi-tracked (one line at a time) in the studio last spring - this will be the first time we perform these pieces together live! (with the exception of the final song, D'aurenga).  One more question - when you're not performing (or editing) indie-rock settings of troubadour poems, what music do you like to listen to?

CHARLES: Right now I've been listening to the new The Lemon Twigs record, the new Altin Gün record, a record of oud and setar music by Yasamin Shahhosseini (an awesome Iranian oud player), and (to balance out the hip new stuff) the Pat Metheny/Jaco Pastorius/Bob Moses record "Bright Size Life" from 1976.

Beth Beauchamp

Having worked as a professional musician, a music-educator, and the Executive Director of a number of non-profit arts organizations, Beth has over 10 years of experience in catering to the unique needs of artists. Beth believes that the talent, education, and skill-sets of her clients have inherent worth. As a passionate artist advocate, she aims to help her artists improve the quality of their own lives by encouraging them to honor the value of their own work, and by creating materials which allow them to champion their art with confidence. Equally interested in building community, Beth aims to create a roster of artists who are excited to support and collaborate together. 

http://www.beauchampartistservices.com
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