Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to OLEA. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
OLEA, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Alayne: One of the most meaningful projects we have embarked upon as an ensemble is a commissioned piece by Owen Hopper called Wind Blows Lotus Leaves. Built out of the idea of a collection of movements in Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi, this 6-movement piece serves as a sonic representation of the physical movements and acts as a meditation and performance for audience and performer.
The commissioned project initially started in the Summer of 2022 as a single piece, “Wave Hands Like Clouds.” Inspired by the rehearsal process and an informal performance, we were excited to continue our work with Owen Hopper, further exploring the connections between mindfulness, the practice of Tai Chi, and chamber music. Hopper then extended that work by writing five new pieces, a solo movement for each instrument and a new work for the full ensemble. This new set of pieces continued our exploration of what the physical movements of Tai Chi might sound like.
Tai Chi is often practiced in a form, so that several movements are practiced consecutively, much the same way we program a concert; both are expansive temporal experiences. Wind Blows Lotus Leaves, therefore, could be presented as a whole program or as movements that could be extracted and explored independently. This not only gave the project flexibility but also provided multiple ways to experience and present the work.
Wind Blows Lotus Leaves was premiered at New Music Chicago’s ImpromptuFest in September 2023. However, with the themes of the piece in mind, we also saw an opportunity for a multidisciplinary project in collaboration with Tai Chi instructor Jeff Watt and Cincinnati non-profit The Well. The Well is a multifunctional community space whose programming focuses on the intersection between mindfulness and the arts. This piece aligned with their values and was compatible with their physical space. The performance featured interactive demonstrations of the Tai Chi movements which inspired the composition. We found that the response to the multidisciplinary presentation was overwhelmingly positive; the performance encouraged audience members to move around and interact with the performers, music, and space. This breakdown of the typical performer-audience barrier is one of our ongoing goals as an ensemble.
One of our favorite aspects of this project is the development of a creative practice in which both composer and performers are equally involved in all stages of the process. This type of collaboration allowed us to build pieces for the ensemble that facilitated a meditative relationship both with each other and with our instruments. By coming together to workshop musical ideas and practice the movements of Tai Chi, we aimed to overcome the barriers typically seen between composer, performer, and audience. This holistic compositional practice informed how the project was eventually presented and programmed.
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?
Kate: OLEA builds connections through audience interaction as well as thoughtful selection of repertoire and venue. By emphasizing performance in community gathering spaces, we present the opportunity for both performer-audience interaction as well as intercommunity dialogue. OLEA is dually based in Chicago and Cincinnati, presenting multiple performances in each city every season. Our members include Kate Kilgus (clarinet), Alayne Wegner (violin), J Holzen (cello), and Marissa Kerbel (piano).
With our unique instrumentation, we have played in various duo, trio and quartet configurations, exploring themes such as conflict and meditation, music and movement, dreamscapes, and the passage of time in the pandemic. Since we began playing together in 2021, we have placed new music and creative collaboration at the center of our artistic vision. Recently, OLEA commissioned a new work by composer Owen Hopper which was presented in an interactive performance featuring Tai Chi instruction. We have completed residencies at Avaloch Farm Music Institute and the Decoda Chamber Music Festival and this past year, we were invited to perform at New Music Chicago’s ImpromptuFest and the Price Hill Music Festival.
OLEA aims to impact the arts community and beyond through a variety of means. By
commissioning new works, we will increase the amount of repertoire for our instrumentation and
uplift the voices of new artists. By prioritizing interaction and connection between audience and
performer, we reexamine the role of the artist in the 21st century. Through modeling healthy
collaboration, we also encourage our peers and audiences to realize their own bold possibilities.
In our concert curation, we prioritize accessibility and inclusivity. Practically, we do that by
selecting repertoire from a diverse group of composers, subverting expectations around concert
etiquette, and encouraging audience participation. We value themes that push us to examine the
world around us. Our goal is for our art to prompt personal thought and interactive dialogue that
otherwise would not occur in the everyday. By presenting our music through themes that are
universal yet personally relatable, we also aim to make classical music and new music relevant to
21st century audiences.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
J: A thriving creative ecosystem exists when we celebrate and invest in the arts at every stage. Supporting music education in public schools ensures that new perspectives continue to join the community of artists in the area. Seeking out and attending performances by local artists grounds you more deeply in the community where you live. For those of you who are creative, seek out multidisciplinary collaborations with artists of diverse backgrounds and mediums who share your values.
Artists flourish when they have as much agency as possible in designing their careers, projects, and collaborations. If you are able to financially contribute to an artist, this communicates that you believe their art has value, and helps give artists more agency.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Marissa: I think I can speak for both myself and my OLEA colleagues when I say one of the most rewarding aspects of being a musician is the incredible community of artists and art lovers we are surrounded by every day. As a member of a chamber group like OLEA, I am fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring musicians who constantly challenge me to expand my creativity and artistic vision. When preparing and presenting a new project, there is such a rich network of musicians and artists right there to support and encourage us at every step in our professional journey.
At the same time, as an artist in the 21st century, we have a responsibility to serve and support our communities – musical and otherwise. We intend to create art that both entertains and prompts meaningful conversation regarding the issues facing our society. We feel that chamber music is the perfect vehicle for this kind of dialogue, as it is a musical (and visual) representation of true equality in collaboration. Each member of our ensemble plays a key role in the curation, preparation, and execution of a project, and that is evident regardless of the theme of the program. That said, we tend to gravitate towards program themes which will give audiences the opportunity to think more deeply about topics affecting their lives. Our upcoming projects “Yeehaw! American Folk Traditions” (Spring 2024) and “Contemplations on Democracy” (Fall 2024) will give audiences the opportunity to reflect on how historical issues across the continent are still permeating the contemporary social and political landscape. The latter of these two projects will also serve as an opportunity to engage as artists with local, regional, and national politics. As a professional creative, it is a privilege to play even a small role in building more connected and engaged communities.
Contact Info:
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