In this instalment of Earmark, we share a conversation with Associate Composer Felipe Téllez from earlier in the summer about the sanctity of the Discman for a particular era of music listening, making work with your friends during the pandemic, and finding the music that moves you.
CMC: How has the pandemic impacted your artistic work? In what ways are you connecting with and supporting your community and collaborators during this time?
Felipe Téllez: The pandemic has greatly affected my work. A lot of what I do in music is soundtrack-based or orchestral, and the pandemic has meant a full stop to both activities. Fortunately, chamber music is still “possible” through remote recordings. Recently I wrote music for tiple (a South American folk re-incarnation of the Baroque Guitar) and string quartet. I contacted colleagues in Ontario and Boston to see if they’d be interested in recording these compositions remotely to keep our spirits (and our chops) up. It was a lovely collaboration, and the music produced has encouraged me to continue writing for this seldom heard ensemble formation.
CMC: What got you excited about music at a young age?
FT: Even though I don’t have any family members involved with music at all (yes, I’m the black sheep), my parents got me involved with music at a young age. It’s been an addiction ever since. I went to the conservatory in my hometown (even though I greatly disliked the Orff approach they employed), and just enjoyed playing. I would endlessly listen to music on my Discman, and looked forward to classes with my guitar teacher on Friday’s.
CMC: Share an important music concert or event that you attended!
FT: In my teenage years, I went to a JazzGo concert series in my hometown of Cali (Colombia). I saw the Cuban pianist Aldo Lopez perform with his Jazz ensemble, and have not been able to forget how I felt and how I was moved. I had always enjoyed playing music, but it was slowly becoming clear to me that what I actually enjoyed the most was composing. Lopez’s artistic voice moved me deeply, and I can still recall a lot of my life in that slice of time.
CMC: What have you been listening to lately?
FT: I’ve recently been listening to a lot of The Flashbulb (Benn Jordan). I really like his approach to sound design, and being new to modular synthesis myself I find a lot of inspiration in his work, and his approach to sound in general.
Within the COVID-19 lockdown, I’ve been practicing my live patching and sound design for electroacoustic music, and came up with a nice collaboration between myself and other eurorack artists.
CMC: Tell me about a project/work of yours that you are particularly proud of.
FT: Very recently I finished the score for a UK produced film called Farewell Waltz. I composed and recorded a “Golden Age” style soundtrack with the Budapest Art Orchestra.