Summer 2020
Violin II | Liz Hodson Cello Nick | Nick Stringfellow
Concert Day Masquerade String Quartet
Viola | Mark Chivers Violin I | Matthew Scrivener
By Mark Chivers
Over a period of 15 years, Masquerade has been part of many exceptional concerts accompanying some of the most successful artists in the Classical Crossover genre. Russell Watson, Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Alice Fearn, and Laura Wright to name but a few. We somehow fell into the job of accompanying these great artists on the back of our Film Music and Great American Songbook concerts. Indeed, the name Masquerade, stems from the amount of musical styles we get through at the flick of a switch in a gig. (Classical to Jazz, Old Hollywood Film to Pop). What really stands out though is how similar the prep, rehearsal procedure, and general banter we have on the day of a concert is. Our mantra, as a group, has always been to give Crossover as much credence as say a Beethoven Quartet. When artists see and hear this commitment, joy, and incredibly high standards it often helps cement a long-term working relationship. 15 years together and you know colleagues’ strengths and foibles inside out, and this makes concert days amazingly easy to get through as the level of trust is always there. The 4 of us have always traveled independently to concerts and the notorious British Road network always makes it extremely exciting as to whether we will make a 4 pm call for soundcheck on time or not. We once all
dashed through the Stage Door at 6.45 pm, sound checked for 5 minutes, and then went on stage at 7.30 pm. Hopefully, no one in the audience knew, but it shows the flexibility you need as a performer, particularly in the UK where rehearsal time is at a premium. It has always fascinated us how each artist approaches concerts, particularly as Tour budgets have become tighter. Catering is a massive thing on Tour, if it is provided, we feel happy, well-fed with beautiful food, and much less stressed having not had to dash out to a local eatery! The break between soundcheck and gig is a sacred time for the four of us. A time to relax and catch up in a restaurant or catch up on sleep (we all have kids at home!) The closest-knit group Masquerade are part of is Russell Watson’s band. The 6 of us (Guitarist, Percussionist, and String Quartet) alongside the incomparable Pianist Mike Moran (he wrote Barcelona for Freddie Mercury) at the helm. We can be away from each other for 6 months but within a few minutes back, the banter and long-term friendships are there for all to see. Quite often gigs will finish at around 10.15 pm and not many people will realize that we often travel straight back home. Motorway service stations at 1 am are a common sight and getting up the next morning for the kids and the school run is always a challenge! Not such a glamourous life then?
As I pen this from my home in Buckinghamshire, just north of London, 10 weeks into the Uk’s COVID 19 lockdown, I think we all wonder where and when the next gig is going to happen. As a Quartet awe have not met for 11 weeks, just fitting a day’s worth of recording for some demos in before the lockdown. The first concert back will be
emotional and intense but also one of deep joy. It makes us even more determined to finish our 3rd CD, full of iconic Hollywood Film soundtracks and to never take what we do as a group for granted. As the saying goes…it is always a privilege, never a chore. Stay safe.
www.masqueradestringquartet.com
5 Questions with
Matthew A Peterson
NB: How did you begin writing your own songs? Matthew A Peterson: I began writing five years ago when I took a music production class. Believe it or not, I actually wanted to quit! Thankfully, I had a fantastic teacher that encouraged me to stay in the class and is now my musical mentor. I’ve done professional theatre for years but this is where my writing began. I believed I had a voice and there were stories that needed to be told. NB: What inspired Coming Home? Matthew A Peterson: One day I was sitting at the piano and I came up with this melody that gave me goosebumps. I wanted lyrics that brought the same energy that the music did. I felt that it had a very oceanic sound so I wrote about an old lighthouse keeper who comes home after being out at sea. I wanted to tell a love story in a fresh new way that I haven’t heard done before. I liked the idea of a strong masculine story that held on to a certain romantic whimsy, thus the reason for flutes and chimes alongside the large timpani. NB: Tell us a few highlights in your career so far? Matthew A Peterson: Recently I was interviewed and was on the cover of TremorTalk Magazine by the
International Tremor Foundation to encourage teens with essential tremor, like myself, to not let anything hold them back from their dreams. I was invited to be in an Off-Broadway Cabaret where I performed two original songs after the crowd called for an encore. I was also invited to attend the Opera program at Virginia’s Governor’s School for the Arts. NB: What are some things you are working towards in terms of vocal and stage development? Are you currently taking lessons/classes distantly? Matthew A Peterson: I’m currently working on another album and have been composing and conducting music for film and television. I hope to go on tour very soon (I had to cancel my summer shows due to the Covid-19 pandemic) and gain exposure to the classical crossover community, as well as those who enjoy the art in classically themed alternative music. I take private voice and piano, as well as music history, music studies, and music production. NB: You recently released Something More. Tell us about these songs and your hopes for future recordings? Matthew A Peterson: I released my album Something More on March 20th, 2020. My goal for this album was to tell a story. Every song had a different meaning and motive. I grew up in Pennsylvania, and think very fondly of the memories I had there, so I started
the album with my story. I want Great Pennsylvania to be the theme of my home state. The rest of the songs are each a different stanza of the same epic. I wanted there to be a certain feeling of melancholy that was
brought to life through classical themes and melodies that had redemptive endings. A modern aria in some ways while still keeping the listener interested and entertained.
To learn more about Matthew please visit his website petersonmatthewmus.wixsite.com/matthewapeterson
Conversations with Natasha Hardy
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Chasing Dreams
Branden & James
Branden & James have been likened to a cross between The Piano Guys and Josh Groban and they combine the best elements from both; gorgeous modern arrangements and powerful vocals paired with original compositions and a unique chemistry. Their new album Chasing Dreams effortlessly balances an accessible contemporary sound with classical roots. Highlights include Dancing On My Own, Found & Completed, It Must Have Been Love and Till We See. All tracks are well chosen and produced.
Natasha: Just as a silly question to start, Branden your last name is the same as James’ first name. Did it feel like fate that you two would become a duo? Branden: It is rather confusing, even to ourselves at times! I’m going to let you in on a little secret. My middle name is James, my last name is Smith. I chose Branden James as my stage name to avoid the even more generic name of Smith. In the beginning, we used to joke about how I searched the world for a cellist named James, and just put an ampersand in between my solo branding. When we were engaged to be married, our friends would always ask us if James was going to take my last name and call himself “James James.” Natasha: Tell me where you both individually grew up and studied music. Branden: I grew up in Southern California splitting my childhood time both North & South of Los
Angeles in Orange County & Ventura County respectively. I played piano (badly) starting at age nine, but was far too shy to open my mouth and sing until I was 16. I was a lousy sports player, but felt pressure to play them throughout school because of my naturally athletic older brothers and younger sister. I didn’t feel any value, really, as a kid until I joined the high school choir and drama department. My whole world changed, and I became a popular student in my last two years of high school. From there, I went to The San Francisco Conservatory of Music for my undergrad, and later moved to New York City to study with a private teacher named Michael Paul, and a rep coach named Giovanni Reggioli for several years. James: I grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, where I was given piano and violin lessons from about the age of 8. About a year into violin lessons, I transitioned to the cello at the direction of my violin teacher who suggested I had long, lanky fingers more suited to the larger instrument. Having played music all throughout my schooling, I went on to study a Bachelor of Music
(Education) before becoming a high school music teacher for seven years, whilst performing as a freelance cellist on the side. After my sister passed away from cancer in 2010, I had a strong urge to go back to school to be a better cellist, and so in 2013 I eventually made my way to Southern California where I studied my Masters in Cello Performance at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music in Long Beach. Natasha: Branden, your solo career took you to sing at one of the famous opera stages in the world. Tell us a little bit about those performances and when it was that you realized you wanted a different path? Branden: Throughout my time at The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Los Angeles Opera I felt something was missing from my artistic fulfillment. I loved classical music, and could appreciate many aspects of the art of opera; however, the demand for musical and vocal perfection didn’t suit my personality. Much like ballet, there is no margin for error in opera. I felt like it limited my ability to be expressive in the way I wanted most to be. I preferred to sing pop songs at home, or play roles in musicals. In 2008, I started touring with The Twelve Tenors around the world. A taste of the commercial side of music made me hungry to explore more of it. Finally, five years later I auditioned for America’s Got Talent and fully embraced classical-
crossover as my principal artform. It was the best decision I could have ever made: I felt like I’d been let out of a cage! Natasha: James, you have the chance to work with some amazing artists. Tell us a little bit about your first time playing with a big star and who working with those established artists has influenced you. James: I will never forget performing with Bernadette Peters at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. I was so starstruck by her beauty and the way she carried herself with such class and sophistication that playing with her was such a thrill. I was already aware of her vocal talent, but performing live with her was next level. The way she spoke to the audience was something that impacted me as a (future) entertainer, too. She was personal and intimate, despite the theatre being packed to the rafters, and she was funny without being a comedian. Natasha: Branden, tell us a little bit about your experience with reality TV and your memoir that is coming out in September? Branden: Reality TV is a strange animal for all people involved, I think. It becomes even more bizarre when it is competition reality TV. All of the drama and pressure is happening in real-time and then it’s
regurgitated in the media over and over again. I’m not going to lie: I was stressed out when I was on America’s Got Talent. I wish I could do it all over again- I would have been so much better at the competition part. As with these show formats, there are stories about the contestants that are told to create a more personal connection with the viewing public. Having shared my struggles with my sexuality vs. my family views, I felt especially vulnerable; so much so that I left out one very important detail of my story. I have been living with HIV since 2005. I wanted desperately to share that story on AGT because I felt like it would resonate with so many people, and help reduce the stigma that comes with a virus that still has no cure. But alas, I couldn’t bring myself to do it then. A few years ago, I decided to tell my family about my HIV status, and then formally talk about it to the press. I started writing blogs, and sharing more and more because I felt this cathartic sense of relief from it. Eventually, I was approached by a couple of literary agents who felt that my story belonged in a book. I believe that God presents us with opportunities all the time, and if we can see them, we should take them. I never intended to be a writer of any kind. It sounds cliché, but the work just fell into my lap. Taking a deep breath, I signed the book deal, and here I am about to publish it;
sharing some of the most intimate details of my life. Part of me still worries that I’ve shared too much in my memoir, Lyrics Of My Life. However, I am constantly reassured by people who tell me how brave and inspiring I am for writing a book on such a personal subject. That is what keeps me going. I love helping people. Call me selfish, but it makes me feel good, and drives me to be even more transparent every day. I guess we’ll wait and see what the public thinks when it comes out in September. Natasha: James, when did you first begin arranging music? Now that you are working with Branden for several years and know his voice so intimately, are there aspects that you try to highlight in your arrangements for your duo? James: I was taught arranging as a skill in high school and fell in love with it immediately. I was playing in a string quartet then and I loved the jigsaw-like puzzle of taking an existing song/piece of music and organizing it for the four of us to play. It’s quite exciting when you hear your work played for the first time – especially if it works! As a high school music teacher, I was constantly arranging different music for various ensembles I conducted and so, over many years now, I have refined and developed my skills. I think Branden and I mostly work out the big picture ideas together, so that an arrangement works for the both of us before we get too far down the road with it. It’s quite a complex beast with keys and tempo and feel to consider, along with trying to
showcase the best aspects of both Branden’s voice, as well as the cello. Natasha: You obviously have a unique relationship being married and also business partners. What are your favorite things about working together? I imagine you must be excellent at anticipating each others phrasing, etc. Branden: We anticipate each others phrasing, and finish each others sentences, even! We are married and work together. James always quips in his Australian humor, “it’s a lot!” There is quite a bit of passion flying around when we are collectively working on a new arrangement together. We have differing opinions about many things, but our synchronicity always comes back to one thing: love. We have deep love and respect for each other, love for the music, and love for classicalcrossover music. James: ^ what he said! But seriously, it’s so wonderful that we get to make music together and travel the world together. Many other performers do not have the luxury of being able to be with their partner as much as we do and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Natasha: You worked with the incredible Patrick Hamilton on your new album “Chasing Dreams.” Tell us a little bit about how that came about.
BRANDEN & JAMES: We’ve always admired the production on Katherine Jenkins albums. Patrick has produced several of her more recent #1 albums. A friend and colleague of ours, Latin tenor Fernando Varela released an album that was also produced by Patrick. We heard many of the tracks before it was released, and just fell in love with Patrick’s arrangement. He has a special, contemporary flare about his production that binds the classical and pop sounds so seamlessly. Branden reached out to him on Facebook and never heard back. We just assumed he wasn’t interested, Eventually, he replied three months later and apologized as the message ended up in his spam folder. He said he’d love to work with us. We crowdfunded a ton of money through our fans on Indiegogo, and spent six weeks in Europe recording the album with Patrick. It was the most fulfilling experience of our careers to date. Natasha: Your album mixes covers and originals. How did you work to get the right balance and choose songs that best highlighted your special qualities? BRANDEN & JAMES: The first time we went to Patrick’s studio in Bruges, Belgium to plan the album he said, “Don’t choose songs according to what you think audiences, or labels want to hear. Choose songs that make you feel something. That’s the best way to make a good record.” We’re happy we took his advice. We are primarily a ‘cover-band,’ for lack of a better expression, but we really wanted to include some lesser known & original classical-crossover
pieces. The most difficult thing is finding an up-tempo crossover song. We do sad music really well. That is our forte. Natasha: Another fun question, Josh Groban and Charlotte Church’s music gets used a lot in figure skating. I’m a huge skating fan so how would you feel like about skaters using your music? BRANDEN & JAMES: We would LOVE it if figure skaters used our music in their routines. If Nathan Chen or Alina Zagitova are reading this, please feel free to skate to our music. That would be so exciting! Natasha: Tell us a little bit about what a typical show from you it like? Are there one or two numbers you always keep in that are audience favorites or you consider your signature tunes? BRANDEN & JAMES: Our repertoire is insanely varied; it is hard to describe a typical show from us. I think it’s because we started out together taking requests in a piano bar. It really taught us how to be more versatile with our sound. There are some standards we play in almost all of our shows such as Hallelujah and Hotel California, but we’ve found tricks to introduce them in new ways to keep ourselves engaged. We used to say we were doing it for the audience, but that’s not true. There are a handful of songs our
audiences never get sick of hearing. Our shows tend to be filled with a fair amount of comedy. People love the schtick of a married couple on stage together. We’re often sipping on a glass of wine and making jokes about ourselves and telling funny stories. Our music can be passionate and emotional, we like using our personalities to add some levity to our shows. Last year, we toured a Rock Opera show around that included music by David Bowie, Elton John, Gaga, Queen, and the Rolling Stones to name a few. We’re currently developing a new show called, “The Lady Gaga Songbook.” We like to present the unexpected: that’s what we find most thrilling about the work. Natasha: Can you tell us about any new skills you are learning since covid? James: I have wanted to learn how to use Photoshop and Final Cut Pro for a long time now, and being quarantined at home gave me the opportunity to become more familiar with both of these programs. I’ve been using them to edit some of the music video content we produce and I love it! Branden: I’ve become a much more skilled cook. I’ve always had a natural cooking ability, but I’ve been reading cookbooks and honing in on my cooking techniques a lot lately. It relaxes me. Natasha: How can fans continue to support you even with live venues being closed down?
BRANDEN & JAMES: Sharing our music with friends, or pre-ordering Branden’s memoir is a great way to support us. We’ll be playing more virtual concerts on stageit.com in the future, and we also keep an active presence on Patreon. We
shoot at least one new music video per month, and post tons of exclusive content on Patreon. People who are curious can join us at: www.patreon.com/ brandenandjames and unlock access to hundreds of pieces of original content.
brandenjames.com
Jamie Lonsdale
Footprints
Jamie Lonsdale will be the first to tell you he is a newcomer to the music industry however his debut album “Footprints� featuring original compositions charted top 10 in the Classical Charts.
Natasha: You say music was just a hobby for you growing up. How did it all start? Jamie: I was almost born in Chappell recording studios! My mother fionabentley.com was determined to finish her recording putting the Beatrix Potter series to music; when her waters broke, she made a mad dash in a black cab down the road to the London Clinic just in time to give birth to a 10ib baby Jamie. At Ludgrove School I played the piano, scratched at the violin, and revelled in the choir. I remember singing harmonies for the first time, it was beautiful. Then at Pangbourne College, the bar was raised when Ralph Allwood arrived as the Music Director. Suddenly we were singing Carmina Burana and making an album! The only prizes I used to win was the annual music prize; I guess that should have told me where to focus, but there was huge pressure from my grandparents to join the Grenadiers, the family tradition. I rebelled and joined the Royal Navy. Natasha: Throughout the years, has music been something you’ve kept going back to?
Jamie: No, from joining the Navy in 1978 until the death of my eldest son in 1992, there was little time for music in my life. But when Louis died aged 11 months of cot death, (no warning), I discovered opera. A kind friend gave me La Traviata, and by studying it, I vented my grief over a two week period; Louis had posthumously reignited my passion to sing. I joined the Wantage Choral Society and made rude noises amongst the bases singing some wonderful oratorios. Natasha: Tell us a little bit about your career before you began to study music. Jamie: Joining the Royal Navy at 19, I spent five years mostly at sea, including one year on board HM Yacht BRITANNIA sailing all around the world. What a wonderful privilege that was. Inheriting a run-down farm near Oxford, I studied land agency at Cirencester for three years before spending the next 32 years improving the farm and restoring the listed buildings, pub, and creating a business centre. I also started a national forestry company, before then developing a black box trading system to cope with fluctuations in the stock market.
Natasha: What was the first song you ever wrote? Jamie: I never thought that I would write a song…. In 2013 I was just shaving when a beautiful line came to me. I turned on my iPhone to record it. The next line came this time with lyrics, and after five minutes I turned off the record button and realised I had a complete song! I asked Robert Emery, the Conductor, whose song it might be, and was much surprised when he confirmed that it was mine, and mine only. This song is called “Streams” and is included in my debut album called “A Journey” which I produced in 2017. Natasha: When did you realize that songwriting may be more than just a hobby? Did you have encouragement from any friends or family? Jamie: As I have managed to extract myself from the day to day business management issues, I have created head space to allow my song-writing to flow. I couldn’t be sure that it would happen, but luckily for me it has. My friends have always been encouraging, particularly my dear sister Joanna who never misses a concert.
have to be the best; you just have to want it the most! Shoot the gremlins, don’t let fears stand in your way. Natasha: Tell us a bit about your album “Footprints.” How did that come about and can you share a little bit about your special guests? Jamie: Footprints is an album of 13 new songs that I created in collaboration with other singers and pianists; it is so much more powerful as a result of working with other musicians, not to mention the orchestra of 60 professionals. Wow! Can you imagine hearing my music played for the first time by the Arts Symphonic Orchestra. Mary-Jess, John Butler and I met up in November 2018 and in three hours we came up with three of our most popular songs: Set yourself free, Alleluia, and Circles. Then in Barbados, Sasky Louison, Rhea Drakes and I came up with an astonishing nine new songs in just two hours, jamming in the gym at the Coral Reef Club; six of these songs are on the album.
Natasha: It’s inspiring to see someone change careers and go after what they really want to do. What advice do you have for others who want to do the same?
Miranda Heldt of course is a great soprano, who often appears singing at the Ritz no less! And let’s not forget the great conductor, composer, arranger, and orchestrator Robert Emery who has produced my second album “Footprints”. I shall always be grateful to him…. he is a musical genius.
Jamie: It’s never too late! Follow your passion, and face your fears. You don’t
Natasha: Your album has already gone to No.10 in the classical charts.
What are some of your other goals as to where you’d like to take your music? Is there a particular singer you’d like to write for in the future? Jamie: I would love to have the opportunity of putting on concerts on a regular basis; I just love performing to a live audience, it’s the greatest privilege in the world. I love to take people on a journey of escapism with love songs, heartbreak songs, jazz, and unluckily for them, a little of my own humour! Dad’s jokes, beware! I’ve put on concerts in Hong Kong and Florence, and now want to revisit and include the USA, the Philippines and Sydney; nothing like having an excuse to travel. As half the album was recorded in Barbados, I hope to do a concert there, as I feel that it is heaven on earth. I really enjoy writing duets for myself and soprano friends; the soprano and tenor voices go together well and I love harmonising…..and it is a great
compliment when singers ask if they can sing my songs. Natasha: You’ve mentioned that you don’t want to be Michael Buble but who are some of the artists you look up to? Jamie: I would love to be as talented as Michael Buble, not half! He’s a great performer and I like his voice. Pavarotti is King, and if I ever sound with 5% of his tone, I would be very happy. Florez for his ability to sing high with such ease. Frank Sinatra for his style. There are just so many good singers in the world. Aren’t we lucky! But it’s important as a singer to be true to oneself, one’s own voice, rather than trying to imitate other voices. Singing one’s own musical taste is key. Thank you for taking time to read this, and I hope that you will enjoy Footprints; for information on future concerts, post covid, please go to www.jamie-lonsdale.com
www.jamie-lonsdale.com
Music & Social Media: Getting success from digital Marketing
By Matt from eightbitmatt.xyz
Budding, growing, and successful artists use social media and digital marketing as one of their key promotional efforts. Ever since the dawn of social media, back in 2004 with MySpace, it has been the go-to for artists. People like Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Justin Bieber all launched their career from good social media marketing. The main reason this source of marketing is so widely used is that it is free. Kids in Glass Houses used it to great effect to go from small-time band to full-blown global superstars because MySpace became their marketing tool. With the rise in popularity, it is harder to make an impact though. But not impossible. There are still new artists growing and making waves. Les Fo’plafonds spring to mind as a band making waves in the new era.
Social is now less about content, more about originality.
Back when it was less popular, the key to Social Media was to just be there. Show your face and you’d get attention from anyone. Now because the platforms are all so saturated and these places are just pure content factories with clickbait titles (Hello, Tasty) to play on algorithms you need to think outside the box. What really grabs attention in the modern age isn’t whether you can sing or not, yes that comes into play, but it’s about whether you can bring unique talents to the world too. That’s what matters to people. Do you play the
guitar? So do thousands of others. It’s not original enough. Two examples I like to showcase for this unique spin on taking something talented and turning it into something eye-catching. Vinheteiro, who takes playing the piano to new, and occasionally creepy, levels by staring into the camera and riffing on some well-known songs and Ten Second Songs who shows off his vocal talents by taking songs and making some pretty awesome covers in different styles. I’m not suggesting everyone do this,
Playing fair with others to widen your reach
Social Media is named very literally. It’s a medium of communication that is social, it enables you to interact with the medium in a way you wouldn’t be able to with TV and Radio. A lot of people forget this aspect in the modern era of social media but as a fledgling artist, this is sometimes “make or break” as the saying goes. Grouping together for duets, online concerts, and other joint activities doesn’t mean you lose fans. When done correctly and effectively it combines several fanbases with a shared interest in the genre, creating a larger fanbase for each contributing artist.
Celebrating others successes and working together is a key driver to success, not just in the music industry but other industries too. Brands are quickly cottoning onto this and as a result, we are seeing more of them jump on this bandwagon. There are also things on Twitter, where you can join group #chats. In the UK there are loads of local chats, #HandmadeHour is one that I see most often. But music-related ones will exist and will help get you involved with others and grow your name, or brand, it’s important.
Utilizing networks geared towards creativity It is an immediate reaction when you think about creating a social media presence you aim for those that are most popular, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. But there are many more niche communities around that you should also consider. Soundcloud, for example, is known for being popular with the rap community. But there is a bigger community of
other artists littered throughout this network that would give you exposure and you won’t need to do much. These networks exist across the internet, designers have Behance, artists come together on DeviantArt, it’s smart to find somewhere you can build your own niche community and get supported by fellow musicians.
Utilizing networks geared towards creativity There is nothing more annoying to me than someone name squatting. It happens a lot on social media where someone will sit on a specific username because its cool, unique, or related to something you want to do and then leave it dormant. Artists will do this on networks they never intend to use to keep safe, but in all honesty, it isn’t required. In the modern era of social media with verification and other means of assuring fans of “fake news” there is no need to sit on accounts. This rant has a point though when you create a social media account the one
thing you need to do is remember to use it. Creating an account and putting out a couple of posts then forgetting about it does you no favours and loses trust more than gains it. Overall, the main key to marketing is momentum. The good brands you see keep news and activity flowing, you will always see the Coca Cola or McDonald’s brands out doing things. Even if you are small it’s important for you to do the same. Don’t let people forget you are putting out new music, getting involved with others in communities, and continue making noise. It does get you noticed.
Many thanks to Matthew Chapman who manages marketing for small and medium-sized enterprises. Please visit his personal blog: eightbitmatt.xyz
Going the
Distance Jonathan Antoine
Jonathan Antoine became an internet sensation from his first note of “The Prayer” on Britain’s Got Talent. The potential of his immense talent was evident even though he hadn’t quite yet found his confidence. Yet, even then, he endearingly stuck up for his singing partner Charlotte Jaconelli and together they made it to the series finals. When the duo eventually parted ways to pursue their different paths (musical theater for Charlotte and classical for Jonathan), he released the debut album, Tenore. Jonathan has continued to grow musically and his loyal fan base has thrilled at the release of Going the Distance. So how has Jonathan changed over the years? “It may well be easier to count the ways in which I haven’t changed, whether that be personally, vocally, or otherwise. Over the course of my career, I have experienced things that changed the way I viewed life every other week, and I hope that I can go forward continuing to learn and develop so radically. My voice has been fairly settled for the past few years, aside from gaining about a semitone in my lower register, which has always been the weakest part of my voice.” He puts the new low notes to good use in “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”. The album has been in the works for some time, at least in Jonathan’s mind. “The selection was based mostly upon a pre-existing idea I had had several years ago. I had always wanted to create an album/show hybrid built in
3 acts, each act displaying a different theme and story element through the music. I used what I knew for the story, and I know my own story pretty well. From there it was easy to relate key ideals and times in my life back to the music; Disney songs were a huge inspiration for my childhood, where the story starts, and the maturity of the repertoire steadily blossoms therefrom.” Jonathan’s control over his instrument is evident as he is able to adapt his powerful vocals to fit the stylistic needs of each piece. “Go the distance” and “Can you feel the love tonight” in particular show his range. Another highlight from the album is “Compass (I Will Lead you Home.” In addition to the album Going the Distance was also filmed as a television special for American Public Television and has been airing across the United States. “North American audiences have been much more excitable – I suppose some of it comes from the fact that some of them have waited quite a while for me to get here, for which I am deeply sorry. I’ve said it before a few times but in the live DVD we couldn’t use a lot of the crowd shots because people were giving standing ovations to every song, and if we were to put that out people would think we had somehow faked it! It’s just this beautiful natural enthusiasm, perhaps it’s the American way.” He’s had much time for reflection on the Britain’s Got Talent experience and
Jonathan remains incredibly grateful. “I personally had a wonderful time being a part of BGT, and made memories that I believe I shall cherish for the rest of my life. The people that I was able to meet via the show enriched my life in ways that I cannot explain. If I must pick something that you might call a ‘downside’, I would say I have a lovehate relationship with filming nowadays. I love filming, seeing the end product, and interacting with wonderful people all throughout. What I dislike is the waiting. It’s very normal when filming for TV that one must repeat shots, and must wait while other people get their shots – sometimes you’ll be called in for a day, wait around and end up not actually doing anything because someone else ran on too long!” Jonathan cites appreciation for the human experience as his ongoing inspiration. “The very fact that I can exist in a world filled with other people. If I look outside of my window I can see the signs of life, the evidence that all of these people are choosing to live despite the insurmountable struggles of mankind. The fact that we do not all weep at the magnitude of both joy and suffering that exists in our world is enough inspiration for many lifetimes over.” He’s stayed active connecting with fans during the lockdown. “I’ve been running through a song a day live on my
twitch channel to keep everything in check. Other than that I’ve been able to develop my creative muscles in many different areas, I’ve put a fair bit of time into video editing and can usually complete whatever project is put in front of me within 12 to 24 hours now. Oh, and I’ve been doing a lot of walking around my garden.” Jonathan sings a cover of “Summertime” on his album that feels fresh after being so often sung by a female voice. It also points to possible more experimentation in the future. Perhaps the most unexpected choice on the album is “Country Roads.” It’s clear that Jonathan is not afraid to take risks. “The only things I won’t try are those which don’t strike a chord with me emotionally. It is important to know one’s limitations and act within them, and equally important to open oneself to whatever opportunity may be afforded. I just performed and recorded Nessun Dorma for the first time for this project, and that was a hurdle I was approaching for a long time. I am often overzealous and will grab for things that are out of my reach, in this case, I’m glad that I waited – I was able to produce something that I am truly proud of.”
Available now! www.jonathanantoinemusic.com
Reflections with
Giorgia Fumanti
There’s something ethereal about listening to classical crossover soprano Giorgia Fumanti sing. Her voice invites you in, tenderly caressing notes and lingering lovingly over phrases. She once said, “To sing for me is like to pray,” and you can’t help but feel a sense of calm and peacefulness when you hear her. Giorgia carries that same ambiance even as she tells me she’s been “super busy” despite the lockdown. Like all performers in the entertainment business, her diary has been devastated but she’s foreign ahead despite that. “I’m actually working on my 12th album,” Giorgia shares. “I am going into the studio next week, without any pressure but the desire of creating more beautiful music because I believe our world and the people need more music as I need it a lot.” Her story began in Italy, her soaring vocals reaching the rafters in a Tuscany church. But despite her aura of tranquility, Giorgia has had to fight hard to follow the music. “It was not easy to follow my path in music because I come from a family where there was no space to be a singer. It was not always very easy, I had many challenges and unfortunately, many discussions about it, which was not pleasant for me because I really wanted to be loved by my parents [for] who I am and who I am – there is music inside of me. It was not easy to follow my path but [it] was necessary for my deep happiness.”
It’s clear this was a painful time for Giorgia. At first, she attempted to please her parents by going to law school but tells us that “I was too destroyed not doing music.” She started doing a little music on the side to start but eventually it “took me away.” Staying true to herself was difficult but she says “I needed to do it for my own best destiny.” She remembers the experience vividly now that she is a mother to three daughters. “I just pray for them to find their own passion no matter what that will be. I will try to be near them and support them in their talent and suggest them to study, yes, but in the field that they are stronger… in my case to try to be a lawyer when I was an artist was extremely difficult and not in harmony with my nature so that makes things very difficult and I don’t want that for my girls. I just hope I will be able to encourage them in their passion no matter what [it] will be.” Giorgia honed her own talent at the Music Conservatory of Parma, Italy. When I refer to her wide range and ability to intimately connect with an audience, she responds graciously. Staying true to her unique vocal qualities has been something Giorgia’s worked hard to achieve. “Sometimes teachers are not exactly your best friend, because sometimes they want to teach you but sometimes, they judge too much and they put their own ego.” She explains it simply saying “they are human.” At the beginning of her career people had lots of opinions about who
she should sound. “They wanted me to sing like this or like that or more pop or more opera. So to find my own way was a real deep research.” Giorgia does not consider this task finished either. “It’s a journey through a lifetime I believe… Our deeper inner self grows and I believe our voice is the reflection of our inside world. So, I’m still on the journey and it’s a very long research. I have a great teacher now but I also teach myself a lot.” To list just a few of her accomplishments, Giorgia has performed at the Shanghai World International Expo, Beijing Olympics, sang the national anthem at the NHL All Star Game and also performed at Times Square. She has been accompanied by prestigious orchestras and sung for important people, while garnering a loyal fanbase. Giorgia has been featured in three PBS specials and has a catalog of eleven studio albums. In our ever-evolving industry where making albums is so expensive and many record deals rarely last beyond someone’s sophomore album, Giorgia’s continuing releases are a rarity and she has learned a lot. “Many things definitely, especially to trust more in myself and my voice and to be a little more clear about what I like to sing and when I want to sing,” she laughs. “I have the chance to have this beautiful freedom that makes my music still a passion despite [being] a profession too. Sometimes when it’s becomes a profession there is stress
involved but it’s definitely important to keep the passion and realize the gift of music even when you do it in a professional way.” When her career was just getting started Giorgia says she was “giving too much importance to the appreciation of others and trying to reach and please everybody. Today after 17 years in this career, I really try to change the point and start from myself inside and bring out what makes me feel happy and proud of my talent and expression and eventually you sing for your audience, that is very, very important, but without this desire to please and reach and be appreciated.” Each of the albums she has produced are dear to her heart – despite her critical ear. “I’m very attached to all of them because I put into them all heart and they all represent a different stage of my life. I’m very attached to the albums I recorded when I was pregnant like ‘Magnificat,’ ‘Elysium,’ or ‘Essence.’ I also love the last album ‘Amour’ and ‘Aimons-Nous’ because they reflect my voice of today.” Although classical crossover is now a popular genre, at the beginning, it was sometimes difficult for Giorgia to communicate the sound she was trying to achieve. “It was almost necessary for me to become a producer because often when I was explaining to the other they were not able to understand,” she laughs good-naturedly. These days, however, Giorgia has found a musical partner she can trust. Stefano Galante
has recorded her last four albums. “With him I really can give more, I can be more free. He understands what I like and he respects me a lot.” Although beautiful music will never go out of style, Giorgia’s ability to evolve and willingness to try new things contributes to her continued relevancy. “I keep all the doors open as long as they respect my nature and that the message of music is of love and kindness.” She also continues to develop her talent but is not rigid with the process. “These days, I have a great coach who’s in New
York and I see him once a year. And I practice but not every day because as I said it’s a journey and discovery through natural development I believe. So, I practice when I feel the need and I keep some silence or resting the other time.” Her parting words to me seem like a blessing for all singers: “I wish you really to fulfill all your dreams in music, to trust yourself to discover how you can fly with your voice and how music can make us so happy and make our audience so happy.”
www.giorgiafumanti.com
5 Questions with
Julie Mae Hales
Natasha: Where did the inspiration for Light a Candle come from?
strength and finding light in the darkness.
Julie Mae: For the longest time I thought I would just train my instrument to go as far as it could. I am a dramatic coloratura which is a hard instrument to control with a lot of power. I knew it would take a long time to control my instrument. I had always wanted to create an album. I thought it would stay a dream and that I would continue to train. When my Grandma passed away, I sang at her funeral the song Goin Home. After I was done singing this song everyone in the church was in tears and came up to me and said I needed to be a professional singer. To this day I don’t know how I was able to sing through that since I had tears streaming down my face the whole time this was eight years ago.
Natasha: “Wanted” is quite a special track written for suicide prevention week. Your social media also is very positive and encouraging. Is there a specific message you want to leave with your listeners?
At first, it started out with just cover songs. Originally, I was going to call the album Love Never Dies. My voice teacher encouraged me to write my own songs which was very healing for me because during this time my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. That is when my journey of being a songwriter began. I think what shapes this album is all of the songs are about finding inner
Julie Mae: “Wanted” was written after I heard the news that one of my accountancies had committed suicide. It brought back the memory of others in my life who took their lives. I wrote this song in just a few hours. The only thing that changed is we repeated you are loved over again. This song is about what you would say to someone who was about to end their life. The thing that comes back to me is that we are all wanted and loved by our creator. No matter what you believe there is someone who loves you. I was bullied a lot growing up. So, for me, I always try to treat people with kindness and love. This life is so hard why make it harder for someone else. I think that is why I care so much for people since I know what it feels like to be treated poorly. When I was trying to figure out what to call my fan page, I
was prompted to call it love and light. My goal in life is to emulate that with who I am as a person and the music I create or cover. I would like to tell my listeners that they are wanted and loved. I think in our society we don’t hear that enough. With everything that has been happening in are world it can be hard for those who struggle with mental health and life in general. I truly and deeply from my heart want people to know that we will get through this time and that they are loved. To keep going we got this! Natasha: What does music mean to you? Julie Mae: I love music and the effect it has on me. I think it so important to listen to music that uplifts and heals your soul. I can’t imagine not being able to sing and have music in my life. Growing up music was always playing in our house. All of my siblings play an instrument and my Dad was my accompanist. Music brings me so much joy and peace. For me, it is like breathing I need it! Natasha: Tell us a little bit about the team who created your album? Julie Mae: I was super blessed to work with my producer Phillip Peterson who is a Grammy-nominated arranger. My album was the first classical crossover album he has done. He arranged all of
the strings and also mixed all of the vocals and instruments. He also played the cello on all of the tracks with the strings. What is unique about the way we did the strings is that he overdubbed them over many times to make it sound like a full orchestra. He had his sister Victoria Parker and his mom Sharyn Peterson play the violins on the album. I love how he made the music come to life. My voice teacher Jordan Corbin was amazing at putting the piano arrangements to all of my original songs. She also encouraged me to start writing my own songs and would guide me on what changes I needed to make for the songs I wrote. Natasha: Why did you choose to do classical crossover music? Julie Mae: I have always loved this genre of music. I will never forget when my parents came home from their date night to give me the album Time to say goodbye by Sarah Brightman. I also love the idea of mixing different types of songs together in an album. I feel like some of my original songs kind of have a blues and classical crossover twist to them. With being a dramatic soprano my voice naturally works well with more classical songs. I also find the type of music very healing and it really touches your soul. Stream the album now on Spotify!
facebook.com/juliemaemusic
The
Daydream Club
With over 100 million streams to their credit, Adam and Paula (known collectively as “The Daydream Club”) have crossed multiple genres and found a receptive audience. In April they released their latest album, “Piano Project // Duets.” CCM guest author and musician Joshua Goines learned a little bit more about this talented duo. Joshua Goines: How did The Daydream Club begin? Were you writing partners before getting married, or did this develop after being married? Adam and Paula: We first met whilst studying at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in the UK. At the time, we were working on a multidisciplinary, site-specific performance project in an old tobacco factory in the middle of winter. It was freezing cold but the acoustics were wonderful and there was a definite connection between us. The Daydream Club came later, in 2010, but that was our first experience of working together. The Daydream Club finally came about after working apart from each other for around a year. We were wanting to create music with a bit of heart and authenticity and who better to do that with than your partner. The obvious added bonus was that we could be more of a constant in each others lives rather than working on separate contracts which took us away from each other. Joshua Goines: What do you think has contributed to your success over the last decade? Are there specific highlights that stand out in your career so far? Adam and Paula: There have been a lot
of highlights; hearing your music on the radio for the first time, playing your first main stage slot at a music festival, supporting musicians you respect and admire, getting approached to write bespoke compositions, getting to travel the world because of music, hitting streaming milestones like your first hundred… thousand… 1 million… and most recently 1 hundred million – these are all things which have changed the course of our career and lives. It takes a thousand small steps to build towards the bigger accomplishments so it’s difficult to say what exactly contributed to our success. I think our first big break came when we contacted Burberry to see about working together. We were very innocent and naive approaching the CEO of a global fashion house but in 2012 we did just that and ended up working together on several high profile campaigns. That was the start of us growing momentum with our music. Joshua Goines: Many composers have mentioned that inspiration doesn’t always just flow, but sometimes there are pieces that seem to write themselves. Are there any projects or compositions that fall into that category? Adam and Paula: We’re quite fortunate to never be short of inspiration. You just
need to read the news to feel inspired these days. Emotions are very much at the heart of how we write and perform and we’re both very sensitive people so it’s not too hard to tap into something you’ve read and for the music to come. For both of us the album Piano Project (2016) is pretty special. We hired a church hall for 3 hours, set up microphones on the piano, set up a video camera, sat down at the piano and began to play. The whole album was improvised and it was magical. It was the first time we ever recorded like that and it felt so natural that for our 10th anniversary as The Daydream Club, we went back to that space again and performed side by side to create ‘Piano Project // Duets’ which we released in April 2020. Joshua Goines: Composers all have unique ways of writing. Some sit at a desk, some work at the piano, and some hum tunes into a phone or recording device. What does your creative process look like? How does a piece go from an idea to reality? Adam and Paula: We have, and do, all of those things. We developed an approach of working in more of a project basis, meaning each release has its own sound or genre which brings different methods of approach for inspiration. If we’re working on an indie-folk guitar-based song then it would start with a riff on the guitar that we like and then we’ll start hashing out lyrics and melodies together. With our ambient stuff that’s more of a production approach to writing, finding sounds, and then contorting them into something
that inspires ideas. Our piano projects are often based around improvisation; trying to establish a motif early, remember it, develop it and then return to the original motif, this can really make an improv feel like a planned song. Joshua Goines: Are there specific artists that have influenced your compositional styles? Adam and Paula: This is a hard question as we don’t restrict ourselves to just one genre, which probably highlights that there are multiple artists that have inspired us. In terms of our piano compositions though, we enjoy Steve Reich and Moondog for their cross-rhythms and repetition, Jocelyn Pook for the textures she creates, Miles Davis for his modal improv approach, Rachmaninoff for the rich chords, Chopin and Nils Frahm for the space they give their music, Dave Brubeck, Satie, Prokofiev… the list could go on! Joshua Goines: Is there any artist that you would like to collaborate with now, and any artist from the past that you wish you could have met and collaborated with? Adam and Paula: We would love to collaborate with Justin Vernon or Sigur Rós – they both create music which capture our hearts and are a bit experimental. Moondog would have been pretty interesting to collaborate with and just chat to – he’s a huge inspiration as a person and a musician. It would be amazing to collaborate with Hans Zimmer or Joseph Trapanese as
that probably means we would be working on an awesome film and in the case of the latter having some fun combining our love of classical and electronic! Ooooh we also adore Ezio Bosso – that would be a pretty amazing experience. Joshua Goines: Any advice for up and coming musical artists? Adam and Paula: Research is a massive part of our success, we spend hours researching potential opportunities, suitable blogs for features, platforms that will be useful and things like that. Aside from that, just be yourself. Be confident in who you are, play what makes you passionate, and surround yourself with good people. Don’t try and guess what the industry wants, we don’t even think they know half the time so just focus on you and hopefully, the rest will come. Joshua Goines: How have you been coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and has it affected your music production? Adam and Paula: 2020 has been a worldwind of emotions which left us feeling really overwhelmed for a while
but music is a form of catharsis so we’ve been channeling it all into our compositions. We’re fortunate to be able to write and record from home so work has continued as normal in that respect. However, we could always do with more support from streaming platforms, particularly now as traditional forms of gigging aren’t an option. We encourage anyone who enjoys our music to support us by adding your favourite track of ours to your own playlists or share our music with a friend. We’ve always been a grassroots band; we’re self-managed, self-recorded/produced/released etc so we’ll take any support we can get… particularly now as streaming is currently the sole form of income for most musicians. Joshua Goines: What can we expect to see from The Daydream Club in the future? Adam and Paula: We have lots of ideas for new projects but we like to keep our cards close to our chest until we’ve refined them further. In the meantime, have a browse through our back catalogue, there are six albums to discover and explore (available on most streaming platforms).
www.thedaydreamclub.com
Many thanks to our guest author Joshua Goines composer/conductor and vocalist. Please follow him @jgoinesmusic
@classcrossmag www.classicalcrossovermagazine.us