Essence is a timeless work that explores intangible things we feel and know in our indivisible relationship with nature, yet don’t have English words to articulate. Katy Abbott writes a work of great beauty and reflection which the Muses Trio will record.
Music can beautifully capture the essence of our human experience and deepest emotions, filling the space where words sometimes fail. Essence (working title) is a timeless work that explores intangible things we feel and know in our indivisible relationship with nature, yet don’t have English words to articulate.
Essence draws upon words from other cultures to describe and acknowledge these experiences through music, particularly around the beauty of our natural environment, the interconnectedness of all humans with each other and Mother Nature, and the power of stillness in being truly present to the natural world. Do the gaps in our English language to describe these moments perhaps reflect our disconnected relationship with our struggling Earth? eg Kachou fuugetsu (Japanese) literally “flower, bird, wind moon”, and self-discovery when experiencing nature. In these 20 min vignettes for the Muses Trio, Katy Abbott creates a work of great beauty to prompt deep listening and reflection.
Unfortunately, women composers are under-represented in contemporary music, whether it be on the concert programming, or radio broadcasting. This new chamber suite supports the important work of women composers, with the significant national and international showcasing available through recording and national broadcasting. The collaboration between the Muses and Katy Abbott also highlights the power of women supporting other women in the creative arts.
Advocacy and supporting creative women in the pursuit of artistic excellence are key tenets to the Muses Trio’s ethos, and this project presents an opportunity for developing a new creative association between these artists with mutual knowledge-sharing and collaboration. This new suite will have potential for high rotation, and can be programmed as short 2-3 minute individual movements (program fillers) or in entirety as a 20 min suite, also supporting ABC Classic’s current broadcasting aim of 12.5% content by women.
Tax-deductible donations will be for the creative development and commission of the 20 min work by Katy Abbott, followed by rehearsal and consultation between the Muses Trio and Katy Abbott, and also studio costs, including recording, editing and mastering. Production can be expedited with the Muses recording the new work in three sessions in Brisbane. Once the recording is complete, it will be made available on Spotify, and promoted to local and national radio stations for broadcasting.