A Conversation with Monica Ellis
The Imani Winds are (L-R) Valerie Coleman, flute; Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe; Mariam Adam, Clarinet; Jeff Scott, French horn; and Monica Ellis, bassoon.
If you talk to Imani Winds bassoonist and Pittsburgh native Monica Ellis for very long, it soon dawns on you that a lot of things worked the way they were supposed to: her parents gave unquestioning support to her musical aspirations, dedicated music teachers in Pittsburgh Public Schools provided her with the opportunity to thrive, and Oberlin Conservatory was a place where she could absorb a wide variety of musical and cultural influences (full disclosure—I’m also an Oberlin alum). When Imani Winds came to Pittsburgh this past February I jumped at the opportunity to interview Monica Ellis for PNMNet. The idea was to focus on the group’s ambitious Legacy Commissioning Project, and their approach to new music. The conversation that eventually took place covered that and much more.
I talked with Monica via Skype and recorded the conversation onto my laptop (it sounds very skype-y), and we decided that the best use of our conversation would be to post the raw-dio. I strongly encourage you to listen to the full conversation to get a sense of just how thoughtful, engergetic, and out and out funny Monica is, but in the meantime, here are some highlights, with audio excerpts, after the jump.
Listen to the Complete Interview
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Growing up in Pittsburgh Monica experienced a wide range of musical influences. She is a self described “bona fide band kid” and carries a huge amount of respect for her teachers and the opportunities she had through the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Her father, Clarence Oden, was a jazz saxophonist with Walt Harper and her parents encouraged her musical aspirations without reservation. But as she tells it, “We did not listen to classical music. I did not grow up listening to Brahms symphonies. I grew up listening to Cyndi Lauper and Prince …”
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The Legacy Commissioning Project is a celebration of Imani’s 10th Anniversary. The quintet commissioned 10 composers of color, and spent weeks listening to recordings and engaging in a vigorous back and forth about the composers they would invite. The goal of the project is not only to add substantial works to the somewhat thin wind quintet repertoire, but also for the members of the quintet to “represent who we are” as people of color.
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It’s easy to get into a theoretical discussion over what is inclusive or what is exclusive when it comes to the choice to commission composers of color, but the logic of Imani’s approach becomes very obvious when you hear Monica describe Cane, a work written by Jazz artist Jason Moran. Cane is based on the story of one of Moran’s ancestors from the 18th century who lived in Louisiana, was herself freed from slavery, and eventually, by running a successful plantation of her own, was able to purchase her children’s freedom.
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When I asked about the challenges facing minority kids today, the conversation became very sobering. Monica offered some very honest thoughts about the difficulties that confront African American youth and some constructive strategies for helping kids engage the arts, as well as to achieve general success.
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It’s always helpful for composers to get input from performers who spend a lot of time playing contemporary music and I think any composer will find Monica’s reflections about what she finds compelling about a new piece of music both thought provoking and encouraging.
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Imani Wind’s Legacy Commissioning Project is an ongoing effort, and you can help. Individuals are welcome to donate to the LCP via the ensemble’s Web site. You can also find out more about the composers, as well as stream audio and video for pieces which have already premiered.
March 24, 2009 at 10:45 pm