We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alix Tucou a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alix, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I always had the luck to know I wanted to pursue a career as professional musician.
I started to make a living with my bass trombone and teaching music pretty early and I always managed to get some work out of my musicianship.
Back in 2014 I was still living in Bordeaux (France) and I had what we could consider a normal situation…I was able to afford living alone in a 1 bedroom, had a car paid my bills had a good network and social life…everything one could dream of as full time musician.
But something was missing.

I figured out somehow that I had the urge to get back into study and deepen my knowledge of bass trombone playing. It was after a conversation with a friend pursuing a Music degree at the University of Montreal (Canada) that the idea to realize this project bloomed in my guts.

I figured out that If I wanted to do so it had to be at this time of my life….if not I would have carry some regrets and I didnt want so.

Long story short, I got accepted for a Orchestra Repertory performance degree in University of Montreal it triggered my adventure… I quit my appartment, sold my car, packed up my belongings and stocked them at a friends place amd here I am….buying a ticket for Montreal…A lot of people around me did not quite understand this choice as it was a big risk and change in my life….

While studying and practicing so much in Montreal I used to go perform pretty often in NYC. I graduated from Montreal and decided to apply for anorher degree in NYC to extend the experience abroad for another year…

I truly believed I would stay in NYC for a year or so already valuating the enormous luck I had to live in this city.

And here I am…..it makes almost 8 years I live in NYC…I met the Love of my life, grew up as am artist and a person, met and performed with incredible artists , nurture and found my artistic language alongside having faceddifficulties of making a living as an immigrant musician….

It was not the easy path I decided to take with leaving France….I do miss so much my family and friends but I listenned to my heart and guts and I feel right in the deepness of my being.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a professional Musician….and this includes performing Live, Composing music and teaching.
My main instrument is the Bass Trombone but I recently re-extended my set of skills to Tuba and tenor trombone to diversify my activity.

I am now working on a new album of Technology And Bones (which is my solo project). I am now preparing for the release of my latest album ” Music on Canvas.”

The title of this brand new experimental work anticipates in part what the audience will hear. In the wake of the previous “Portraits,” I evolve the concept of portraits focusing on great names in art history.
In my tracks it is possible to trace the artistic quest of each figure from Paul Cézanne to Yves Klein, from Hilma af Klint to Marina Abramovic among other influential artists.
All of my compositions, arise from an in-depth study of the artists’ lives and work. Somewhat like in the artistic literature, I make a historical-biographical investigation by adding an excursion into the intimacy of each personality.

Portraiture, in visual art, has been spreading since Hellenism and was established in the Etruscan and Roman worlds, later assuming a fundamental role in the Renaissance as not only a physical but also a psychological representation.
In this case I translate into Music some of the cornerstones of the representation of the Renaissance portrait while extending his research through an interpretation that is more intimate, dreamy and immersive.

“Music on Canvas” can be considered as an homage to visual artists, painting, sculpture, performance, insights, research but even more to the manifestations of human beings. As a great artist said, “The painter can also look. But seeing is something more.” In this case, we could say that the musician can also hear. But listening is something more.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect is the constant renewal of the need of research. The result itself (by example after a performance) can be an immediate rewarding experience but the long term artistic research and problem solving is to me a way more nurturing experienece. It provides constant motivation and somewhere to look at to “keep going”.

Being an artist and committing to it 100% is not an easy path and I truly think that the research itself is one of the main reward and source of motivation that exists.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Some non creatives may not understand the choice of “making a living with art”. In a world where finances tend to have a very important value to society, when you choose to do 100% Art to make a living you obviously don’t choose it for immediate money reward…you decide to follow a deep feeling and intellectual path that leads one to many struggles.

Why struggling instead of choosing the easy way ??

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alixtucou.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/technologyandbones/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alix.tucou
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alixtucou9670
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/alix-tucou

Image Credits

Edmond Deraedt
Carla Ricevuto
Alessio Vultaggio