Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olivia Cirisan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Olivia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I have so many meaningful projects that it is hard to choose – but I’ll tell you about one of my favorites! I’m currently a percussionist and technical director for the mixed-chamber sextet FLYDLPHN. We are a contemporary ensemble with a “composer-first” mentality, and we use a lot of improvisation and emerging technology in our programs. We play at venues and universities both locally and around the country.

The concept of FLYDLPHN started in the Spring of 2023 when my partner Fitz and I had the ambitions to form a chamber group, and thankfully, our friends all said yes! From the beginning, we have been a collective of friends who wanted to create together. Our name comes from a metaphor, imagining that we are all dolphins swimming around in the cosmic soup – we get one chance to jump out of the soup and show our trick to the world. For us, that trick is the music that we get to share with others, and we want to bring people together to participate in this trick! We’ve been playing together for about 1.5 years now, and it’s really meaningful to me that I get to play chamber music with these amazing friends of mine.

Now we focus on commissioning early-career composers, creating diverse programs, and offering masterclasses and workshops to academic institutions. The heart of our work is collaboration. We are looking forward to an upcoming Midwest tour in June!

Olivia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a percussionist, teacher, singer/songwriter, composer and producer based in Southeast MI. My work is often collaborative, cross-genre and experimental and frequently makes use of technology and multimedia – I do a lot of different things! I’m currently the technical director and percussionist of the mixed chamber group FLYDLPHN, percussionist and co-founder of the multimedia and percussion duo VIRID, and a member of the percussion trio Brain Pocket. Through VIRID, I also co-produce a concert series called VIRID and Friends in Ann Arbor.

I’m finishing up my M.M. degree in percussion performance at the University of Michigan, from which I also received my undergraduate degree. Currently, I am the Assistant Director of the University of Michigan Gamelan as well!

As a composer, songwriter and producer, I am inspired by everything and everything. I have a lot of experience with music technology, and I love to combine this with my percussion training and my love of songwriting to make my own music, which you can check out on my most recent release, my album MIDDLES. My original music often mixes a lot of popular and experimental aesthetics, and is inspired by pop, ambient, indie, alternative, electronic, and R&B genres.

I first came to music through listening to pop music and songwriting actually. I used to write many songs when I was in elementary school, and my mom also taught me the basics of piano when I was young. I started learning percussion in 5th grade, and though I’ve had many different types of creative outlets throughout my life, I eventually decided that I wanted to major in music when I was a sophomore in high school. I have always really loved the feeling of playing music with others, how there are these special moments where it feels energetic and almost telepathic. I think this is why I love chamber music so much – because I’m addicted to feeling!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I find it hard to talk to non-artist friends about the “why” behind certain choices that I make as an artist, particularly in regard to my career structure. I don’t feel particularly drawn to a career as an orchestral musician, and I dropped my music education degree because I realized I wasn’t passionate enough about it. Many non-musicians are a little mystified by what it is exactly that I do.

People look at the avant-pop music that I write, the contemporary shows that I play for tiny audiences, or even my work that focuses on commissioning new chamber music, and ask me “well, how are you going to make a living doing that?” but I feel that creatives with the most original voices and personalities don’t start off by thinking that way. Yes, I have to support myself, and sometimes that involves doing work I am not as passionate about, but I like to start from asking “what am I interested in, what do I feel drawn to, who do I want to collaborate with, what kind of art feels good to make?” and going from there. My career might look unconventional, but the art that I’m making and the collaborations that I am a part of are extraordinarily fulfilling. That is much more important to me than following a “traditional” path.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Go to shows, and consume art in person just as much as you do online, or more. Unfortunately, artists will never be paid enough for the work they are putting in, unless they get mega-famous, so the best thing you can do is to intentionally seek out and support lesser-known, early-career and independent artists. And spread the word about these artists – it is incredibly difficult to market yourself competitively as an artist in the year 2025! Also, we collectively need to move away from streaming platforms that pay artists so little. Platforms like Bandcamp are really great for supporting small artists, and buying CDs or merchandise is great if you can. I think that structurally, there is a lot of change required to make space for artists to create freely, but we need to start small and start with local support.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oliviacirisan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocirisan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ocirisan/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-cirisan-836076351/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oliviacirisan
• Other: Bandcamp: https://oliviacirisan.bandcamp.com/