[MSCTY founder + violinist-composer share musings on sonic responses to spaces + places, the creative process, and performing on location in the heart of The City.]

NL: What did you find interesting about the location for your track?

MK: I was inspired by the contrasts in all aspects between the modern and the historical. When I first visited the Undershaft, and stood in the middle of the square adjacent the Gherkin and St. Helen’s Church, I felt a certain type of energy which expands in all directions – the ‘exhale’ and ‘inhale’ of vibrations reflecting from the buildings. This square is connected by narrow streets coming from the bustling atmosphere of Leadenhall Building and Bishopsgate. It almost felt as if these tall buildings were there to shield the buzzing city noise, so that in this little spot, one can find a sense of tranquillity.

At the time, there was also Nancy Rubins’ sculpture Crocodylius Philodendrus installed at Undershaft for Sculpture in the City. This also added to my imagination of energy expanding in all directions.

NL: How did you approach writing the piece?

MK: My approach was a combination of historical research and exploration with layers of colour. As I started researching about the history of Undershaft, I was interested about the fact that St. Helen’s Church had been the church of William Shakespeare, who lived in this area during the 1590s. Thinking about the music of his time, and in connection to the spatial structure of the Undershaft, I immediately thought of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium [1570] – a 40-part motet which Tallis composed for the octagonal hall of Nonsuch Palace in Surrey. Tallis placed the singers around the hall, so that the voices interweave from all directions, with the audience being inside this immersion. I decided to start with writing a motif in the style of a 16th Century motet, and from there, I explored different colours of sound on the violin, and its variations, when layers are added. I didn’t end up with a 40-part violin piece, but I did write for 4 violins!

NL: What were the challenges?

MK: In the beginning, it was challenging to know which direction to take, because there were so many interesting aspects to explore. The main question was: how can I express the heritage of Undershaft, both in its spatial and historical identities? Once I found the base of my exploration, starting from 16th Century motet and St. Helen’s Church, I somehow felt a deeper connection to this place, which enabled me to expand my imagination further.

NL: How did you feel listening back to your track on location?

MK: It was certainly different from hearing it at home or in a studio! With the slight roar of traffic behind the buildings, to my surprise, the listening experience was enhanced by this effect. Once again, the feeling of energy expanding in all directions, and appreciating moments of tranquillity came back to me just as I had experienced it the first time.

NL: You performed the piece live a couple of years ago at the location. How did you feel playing in that space?

MK: It was such a wonderful experience to play at the location. It was in the open air and we weren’t able to use any amplification, which meant that the audience had to come really close in order to hear my performance well! This somehow felt very intimate, even though we were out in this vast open space.

NL: Why does music have such power to provoke memory of place?

MK: Every human voice, natural and instrumental sounds carry unique identities, and depending on where these sounds are heard, our experience is slightly different.
As music is an expression of emotion and our surroundings through time, I think the memory of ‘being’ in a place is very much connected to how we experience sound.

NL: How did this commission influence your compositional work that followed?

MK: I became interested in exploring further with the relationship of space and sound, and experimenting with my violin as my colour palette. Following this commission, I wrote music for cosmetic brand LUSH’s New Spa Experience. It was wonderful to collaborate with Musicity again on this project, as well as with new collaborators, including producer Simon Emmerson and Shakuhachi player Clive Bell. In one section of this piece [Peace and Healing in the Orient], I explored the sense of ‘being inside the sounds’ with layers of violin.

NL: You are working on your first album of your own work. Can you tell us more about it?

MK: I am currently working on my next album [which will be the first album of my works!], and this is based on the aesthetics of Chashitsu, which is a traditional Japanese tea room. Exploring the relationship of sound, space and the essential elements in a Chashitsu, I am looking forward to creating an album that invites listeners into a ‘sonic architecture’- a listening experience that reflects traditional Japanese concept of sounds, but at the same time, one that is relevant to our everyday lives.

NL: How do you describe your approach to writing?

MK: Every process has been different so far so I am not sure if I can identify a particular approach, but one thing that is clear, is that I try not to be too restricted within the realm of sounds and music when looking for inspirations, or when writing music. For instance, I love going to art galleries and seeing paintings - it’s often during these times that I find myself suddenly thinking about musical ideas. I am most often drawn to the interdisciplinary connection. Therefore, working on the music for Undershaft was a truly fascinating process for me, as the place itself contained so many resources of inspiration.

NL: What are your hopes for 2021?

MK: Firstly, I hope that the COVID-19 situation will calm down and that we can all experience live music again. On a more personal level, I am looking forward to releasing my album and working on some exciting projects!