Composer Zosha Di Castri gives us an inside look at the music that influences her with our latest Inspirations playlist.
Stream Zosha’s Spotify playlist HERE.
Inspirations: Zosha Di Castri
Unsuk Chin: Double Concerto for Piano, Percussion, and Ensemble—“… for her fantastic textures and inventive use of percussion.”
Bartók: Bluebeard’s Castle, VII. Sixth Door: The Lake of Tears—“Bartók’s haunting ripples, which I slip into my works periodically, and his use of folk material.”
Warblework: Swainson’s Thrush—“Fellow Canadian Cassandra Miller’s beautiful take on slowed down birdsong with the talented Quatuor Bozzini.”
Kaija Saariaho: Du cristal—“… an inspiration and mentor with a distinctive orchestrational voice, bursting with color. I look up to her as a model of the heights that women can achieve within this field.”
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps: Part I: “Danses des adolescents”—“Igor Stravinsky’s timeless rhythmic vitality and juxtaposition of musical ideas, which has continued to inspire choreographers for over 100 years, including Pina Bausch and Marie Chouinard.”
Tagaq: Uja—“Tanya Tagaq, who’s mind-blowing throat singing, experimental vocals, and fearless genre bending have continued to inspire me for many years.”
tUnE-yArDs: “Bizness”—“… the feel-good music I associate with Montreal, where I first got to know Merrill Garbus through mutual musician friends.”
Ear Massage: “Intro (bembe)”—“Ear Massage’s energetic intro track, which always instigates a family dance party, and that includes my dear friend and collaborator Diego Espinosa Cruz Gonzalez performing.”
Meredith: “Paramour (Edit)”—“Anna Meredith: a recent discovery for me through her novel and joyful video that accompanies this track. Proof that one can write concert music and still be fun!”
Jennifer Curtis, Tyshawn Sorey: Invisible Ritual: I. (first movement)—“Hot off the press! A fascinatingly varied dialogue between two artists I greatly admire. I’ve worked with Jennifer with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and went to school with the great Tyshawn.”
Gee: “Mouthpiece I”—“… for her immediately recognizable vocal stamp and compositional aesthetic assembled from tiny fragments, creating a carefully thought out and intimately expressive musical grammar.”
“Idumea” (hymn): performed by the Sacred Harp Singers—“I’ve always been very moved by this hymn sung by the Sacred Harp Singers. If you listen closely, this chorale is basically microtonal, and its rawness and honesty are at the heart of what makes it work so well.”
“Oh Yemanja: Mother’s Prayer,” performed by Tania León and Dawn Upshaw—“This exquisite aria from her opera Scourge of Hyacinths has stayed with me. Tania has had an impressive career and she is also a huge inspiration for her important activism, cultivating a more diverse new music community.”
Abrahamsen: Let Me Tell You, Pt. III: “I will go out now,” performed by Barbara Hannigan—“This piece made a big impression on me when I first heard it, and a lot of that had to do with Barbara’s impeccable interpretation. She is a stunning musician and someone I hope to write for at some point in my career.”
For more playlists from artists in our WomenNOW series, be sure to follow The Philadelphia Orchestra on Spotify!