Sunday 31 January 2016

Heavenly Hikes, Jammy Jamming and Groovy Moving

I can't believe it's the end of my first week here already! There's been so much learning, music-making, and FUN packed into 7 days, so time has flown by!

Friday was a day for collaboration, but also a chance to think about my own project and how to move forward with it. I went back to Emily's hut in the morning to lay down some cello lines on her newest song and then had some valuable advice from Tilman about the tech I'm using, with some really cool listening recommendations for inspiration and for insight on set-up - loads to think about and really exciting to feel that I can spend some quality time actually figuring out the best way to use my pedal, enhance my sounds and create much better quality tracks and recordings. There is still a lot for me to experiment with and discover in terms of this, so I'm really looking forward to playing around with both my existing music, as well as the new tunes I'm writing. Also, I am gradually working on the live aspect of my looping, which will take lots of practise - good job I've got a couple more weeks in my homely hut!

Lunchtime saw my brave return to the yoga studio, but I'm so glad I went! This time there was a different instructor, who seemed cool with us novices almost falling over and potentially causing serious disruption to the class..! This second time was already a lot easier and therefore more enjoyable. There was way more focus on breathing - which definitely helped when it came to balancing on your big toe whilst juggling yoga blocks and chanting the alphabet backwards.. (At least that's what it felt like to me at times!) I feel like yoga has to be a regular occurrence in my life now - the feeling afterwards is pretty wonderful!

To continue the yoga theme, I visited Amy's hut in the afternoon. Amy writes, records and produces seriously cool music intended for yoga practise. As well as recording a few cello lines for a couple of her tracks, I was given an insight into Ableton Live and how it works, which really appeals to me.. thinking of switching! Friday evening saw a concert in Rolston, which is the more formal concert hall venue here. We were treated to some gorgeous, virtuosic and exciting music by several of the musicians in residence, as well as the visiting faculty, pianist Ronan O'Hora. It was another inspiring concert - so much to enjoy and to learn from. After a bit more hut time, is was time to throw some shapes at a party in The Club. There were plenty of mean movers, despite a slightly questionable DJ - but it was fun to relax with everyone and bring out the shopping trolley/sprinkler/lawn mower classics...

Saturday morning was spent hiking up our nearest mountain - Tunnel Mountain. Alex, Amao and I decided to set off fairly early, all kitted out in boots, hats, coats... and ready for some insane views! The hike was quite challenging, as it was our first one, and exercise just leaves you that little bit more out-of-breath up here! (Or perhaps that's the effect of all those lush breakfasts and naughty desserts...)
The views became more and more spectacular as we ascended the mountain, and when we reached the top we could see not only down over the whole town of Banff, but also down the other side, where we could see frozen rivers and more incredible mountains. (Pictures to follow OF COURSE!) We were even greeted by a couple of sunken, red wooden chairs right at the summit - the perfect spot for a picnic!? Perhaps a little chilly in January...
We were all VERY ready for a hefty lunch when we arrived back at the centre... no skimping on dessert today!

In the afternoon I nipped into a performance workshop to play a song with Justine, spent some more time experimenting with Garageband in my hut, and rehearsed for a new ensemble jazz piece written by the groovy saxophonist and composer, Paul. I then had some time in a bigger space to figure out how I would work my positioning and tech for some live looping, which was really useful. My Saturday evening was spent spontaneously jamming in a bar down in Banff, called The Bear's Den (I think!) with Justine! It was a lot of fun - Justine played an awesome array of cover songs, mixed in with a few of her own, whilst I jammed along. We played 3 sets, and on the third Paul whipped out his sax and we all had a jammy jam - great fun, lovely atmosphere and good ear training for me..!

Today (Sunday) has meant another gig, this time in a nice art gallery in the town of Banff. It was a lunchtime concert in a lovely room full of photography. A handful of us played some solos, (I chose Julie-O), with a great variety of styles and instruments... and we finished with some collaboration. There was a great turn-out and the audience were all very friendly! Really great to get out and share our music in the community. It's definitely now time for some concentrated hut happenings for me :)

Cheers! P x



Thursday 28 January 2016

Headphones in The Hut and Cello in The Club - Part 2





Tuesday night was also my first experience of Bentley Circle, which is a chance for any of us musicians to share what we've been working on in an informal way. It was super cool to hear and see what others are doing. As we're all on independent residencies, it's really refreshing to have the chance to get out of the hut and be inspired by each other. There were really too many wicked ideas for me to share them all, but I particularly enjoyed a performance of recorder and looper/electronics - and this piece used the letters in Cage's name in a clever way. It was amazing to hear the different effects he found, but also the way that he maintained the acoustic qualities of the recorder. We also heard some Bach played on the bassoon, which I was totally into!
Bentley circle was rounded off nicely (all the puns) with a couple of Canadian beers at Maclab (the bar on campus) and good chat.

Wednesday morning saw a stint at the piano in my hut, when I discovered a groovy chord progression - satisfying! I also did some more collaboration with another singer/songwriter called Emily, who plays piano and sings - with quite a Regina Spektor vibe about her songs and sound. We jammed through a song and then another with Nich on drums. It was then time for sound checks at The Club, where I was playing with Emily and with Justine for a few of their songs. The Club is a casual, hip venue with a kind of underground feel to it, here at the Centre. We spent some time going over things, and even adding in a last minute addition in Justine's set - a cover of The Bee Gees' 'You Don't Know What It's Like'... definitely enjoyed some beefy bass lines! After some dins, it was time for the show, which had a great vibe about it - quite relaxed, but the audience were really appreciative and friendly. For me it was a fab experience to do some real improv in a live setting - and it was so nice to play with the girls here. Naturally, we all went for some celebratory drinks afterwards... it's only polite! Really great night.

Thursday (today for me!) has been another fairly busy one. We had a really cool listening session this morning in a room with a ridiculously beautiful view, and a pair of enormous speakers. It was a chance for people to play music they've been enjoying or that they wanted others to hear and share. There were some interesting discussions about the way people record classical musicians; the way they're mic'd and how this can completely change a composition; about the pros/cons of hearing every detail of the way an instrument is being played... and lots of other things, all really interesting and thought provoking. I enjoyed hearing a track by a guy called Connan Mockasin - check him out and have a listen! We listened to Faking Jazz Together.

A few of us also had an amble down into the town of Banff this afternoon, which was really beautiful. It felt so familiar from being here 5 or so years ago, but also completely different, as the houses and mountains are all snow-covered this time around! There's a fair bit to explore down there, so I'll definitely be going back to have a wander at some point.

Today I have been only a few feet away from deer! They seem to like it here around our huts.. perhaps they were grooving out to the riffs I had going on this avo! It's amazing to be so close to them... I've also heard some really unique bird sounds - will try and discover what they are!

One more, VERY IMPORTANT thing - Earl Grey and Lavender tea is a beautiful thing - if you can find some in the UK, try it!

P x

Headphones in The Hut and Cello in The Club... Part 1

It really is only day four of my Canadian adventure, yet I feel more settled than ever here in Banff!

There is nothing quite like starting your day with a hearty breakfast, bottomless cups of Canadian coffee, and watching the sunrise over the Rocky Mountains... I still have to pinch myself to be sure it's real! Tuesday provided a good chance to settle into my hut, which is now covered in leads, headphones, cables, and scraps of paper with weird and whacky thoughts and ideas on them... I'm definitely starting to find my working rhythm, if you'll pardon the pun!

On Tuesday I also decided to embrace the full Banff Centre experience by attending my first ever yoga class. Those of you that know my good friend Barbara (DVD yoga goddess, bendy lady, all round legend) will be able to imagine that, up until Tuesday, my experience of yoga had been very gentle, not too taxing, with ample opportunity to take an easier option if necessary... so I was in for a shock when I rocked up at Flow Yoga at 12pm! The class was really well attended, mostly by people that work here I think, and by very stretchy people that know their pose of a child from their pose of a swan..! Needless to say, I spent most of the hour straining my neck, trying to make out which arm should be holding which ankle whilst balancing on which leg and looking in which direction!? The part of the session I feel I achieved very well was the lying on the floor at the end - I think I've got that down! Joking aside, my body felt amazing afterwards, and I felt so grounded and energised when I then played my cello. I am looking forward to going back again, but have had to wait a few days, as I am walking a little like I've lost my horse..!

The big news is that I have been a part of a couple of singer/songwriter collaborations. On Tuesday, I recorded some cello lines for Justine, which was a great experience. I always find recording to be such a different discipline.. and really challenging - but it was great fun! After that, Justine and I had a fab jam in her hut, and we spontaneously decided to make a YouTube video, which meant hamming up the hut with mood lamps etc! Great fun!

Other news on Tuesday was that we all received an email warning us to stay away Tunnel Mountain, which is very close to campus. We were told there was a "cougar on a carcass" and that there would be a $25,000 fine for going there...! We weren't too sure which part of that message was the scariest part! Apparently cougars will eat humans... enough said!

I also learnt on Tuesday that if you say "cellotape" in Canada, you may be greeted with a blank stare... it's "Scotch tape" (which makes a lot of sense actually)... just a little titbit for y'all!

Pics and part 2 to follow later..............

P x

Monday 25 January 2016

Day 1 - Breakfast buffets, sharing circles and new names!

Today has been all about meeting my fellow musicians, getting my bearings and setting up my studio for the next three weeks - music hut number 6! (Pics to follow...) After a beautiful buffet breakfast in an aptly named Vistas dining hall, the day was sure to be a winner! The Banff Centre is literally framed by snowy mountains and today the sky was blue to perfection. But by far the best part of the first day here has been meeting all of the other musicians and artists. We began with a Monday Roundtable meeting, where we moved round the circle, each introducing ourselves and our projects. Not only is everyone incredibly friendly and each pursuing such interesting projects, they all seem so open and willing to collaborate, talk about their ideas and try new things...

I already have a couple of collaborations in the pipeline - one with a Canadian singer/songwriter and the other with some fellow keen improvisers on recorders, oud, voice and loop pedals! I can't wait to see/hear the resulting sounds!

We each have our own music hut, which is our ow space in which to create/play/be, so I spent a few hours setting things up and getting Mr Cello accustomed to his new surroundings and climate - and he is so far, so good... touch wood!?

We finished up this evening with an incredibly inspiring informal performance by a fantastic pianist/composer/sound artist called Jess. Her set was full of amazing new sounds from the piano, which was wired up, amplified and looped, and her work was also really witty and bursting with personality, with one piece sampling spam emails! So creative, and the atmosphere was so supportive too - such a productive, positive environment to be in!

Here are a few pics to wet your appetite...






















P x

Sunday 24 January 2016

"Next time, bring your flute" - From Bright Close to Banff in 20 hours!

The day began with a sleepy 7am start in Saxmundham and a smooth 2.5 hour car journey to Heathrow, accompanied by Mum, Grandma and, of course, Billy Joel! Checking-in with cello in tow is always likely to present some sort of challenge... but really that was a breeze, compared to the challenge faced by 3 generations of Virrs/Wheelers trying to navigate our way through a maze of elastic airport barriers..! Oh dear! So once we'd found our way to the actual check-in desk, it was just a case of finding a name for my cello companion on the Air Canada computer system. So, may I introduce to you all Mr CBBG ZZ... catchy.

After some farewell tea and crumpets, big hugs causing a sudden, brief onset of hay fever (honest!), we headed through security. If I hadn't yet fully woken up, I certainly did when the security guard, upon seeing my cello on the hand luggage belt, exclaimed "Oh I'll just shove it in... It might fit!" Thankfully it did, so after an 'anxious-apple' and a wonder through departures (there's even a Harrods... oh, I say!), it was time to board.

Cue next heart-in-mouth moment when lovely lady at gate said, "We're going to have to take that cello off you and get our maintenance men to put it on the aircraft." I began conjuring up images of Mr Cello sitting on the wrong plane and ending up on a hot beach in Hawaii, or perhaps an eager runway attendant whipping out the cello for a little play before boarding... Anyway, perhaps the lovely lady sensed my slight trepidation at the thought of being parted from my companion, as she took me to meet maintenance man and all round chirpy chappy Andy, who took cello and I onto the plane! Andy greeted me by shouting, "Now THAT'S not a guitar!" Too right! After ripping out half of the seat, adjusting heights, armrests and headrests etc, and strapping the cello in with a big blue web of buckles and straps (no trouble at all!), Andy's job was done, so he wished me a pleasant trip, with the parting words: "Next time, bring your flute." Classic.

Meanwhile, I had been getting to know one of the flight attendants, a cheery lady who welcomed me onto the plane with: "Well I know who's going to be playing for her supper today!" Cheery lady was so very friendly, and she even made me an early cup of coffee "with cream", and we spoke about the town of Banff. After sharing with me her take on the beauty of the mountains in Banff and recommending nice things to do, she said "There are lots of cute guys there too!" (Complete with cheeky wink) And then, an absolute gem: "But I must tell you, Banff has the highest rate of STDs in the whole of Alberta!" Slightly shocked, I (very Britishly) thanked her for the heads-up, whilst she wondered off, calling out "A part of me is always a Mom!"
Easily amused, this episode tickled me for a decent hour out of the 9.5 hour flight!

The friendly human encounters didn't end there, as one of the first people I met after passing through Canadian customs was Duane. At Calgary airport, there were numerous volunteer helpers, all dressed in red and cream, with very cool cowboy hats on... fabulous! Duane saw me looking a little lost and offered to give me a hand - what a lovely chap. We got to know each other rather well - he used to play the trombone, but that was nearly 40 years ago.. and he worked at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canmore... and he broke both of his shoulders and his knee whilst skiing. He had all the stories to tell. Duane very kindly showed me to my shuttle bus - which, unlike the rather swish pictures on the website, only housed a small handful of people... one of which was a man from Quebec. I wish I'd known he was French before I had tried my most O.T.T "Ah, Oui!" when he asked "Is that a violoncelle?" Awks!

The journey out of Calgary and into the Rockies was just amazing. It is quite hard to describe the overwhelming beauty of the proud, majestic mountains - especially as the light faded. I have arrived at The Banff Centre in complete darkness, but I can already tell that our surroundings are breathtaking! I think that waking up tomorrow morning will be unlike anything Mr Cello and I have ever experienced... for now there's just time for a quick read of the Security and Safety manual before bed, which has a double-page spread about the local wildlife: Bears, Coyotes, Elk, Deer... I'd better learn how to climb trees!

P x