Scott Miller
01/09/2016
rarescale's Artistic Director Carla Rees interviews Scott Miller
What attracts you to rarescale as an ensemble?
The supercool instrumental combination of low and microtonal flutes with electronic sound and processing — it is so musically satisfying to work with!
What is your musical aesthetic?
I continue to become more musically patient and interested in quiet and immersive environments, with a strong interest in improvisation and collaboration as important components of the creative process. This is absolutely reflected in the music I create.
Who inspires you?
More and more, it is not who, but what; the landscape and the environment that I am in when I compose, create, or perform.
Tell us about the background of your piece – how did it come to be written and what’s it all about?
The Frost Performs Its Secret Ministry was written for Jesse Langen (guitarist) and Linda Chatterton (flutist). I was interested in composing something that explored the continuum of sound from noise to instrumental note. I spent a day in the studio with each of them, recording and talking with them about the different sounds they can create on the way to playing a note. I then began composing the work, based on the recorded sounds I had collected. It eventually took on the qualities of Minnesota’s frozen landscape, although I am not sure if that is because it was winter when I composed it, or the weather simply made me aware of the similarities. Whatever the case, that led me to the title at the end of the process.
How does this work relate to your other compositional output?
The Frost absolutely comes out of my interest in quiet, patient work that is based on deconstructing acoustic sounds using amplification, filtering, and spectral reinforcement. Anterior/InteriorLink text here... is the first of these works, and this body of work also includes Contents May Differ (bass clarinet and electronic sound) and Every Problem is a Nail (piano and electronic sound).
What have been your career highlights so far?
Being able to travel around the world and collaborate with so many wonderful and fascinating musicians. All of my career highlights feature this aspect, which is the best reason to make music, in my estimation.
How do you see the role of new music in modern society?
The making of new music is a social activity, like all musical endeavors, and it serves a community of creators and listeners who are, on the whole, a pretty fantastic and interesting bunch of people.
Scott's Website
Hear Scott's music at The Forge on 6th September 2016. Book tickets here. Carla and Scott will also be performing at Iklectik Art Lab in London on Saturday 10 September.
The supercool instrumental combination of low and microtonal flutes with electronic sound and processing — it is so musically satisfying to work with!
What is your musical aesthetic?
I continue to become more musically patient and interested in quiet and immersive environments, with a strong interest in improvisation and collaboration as important components of the creative process. This is absolutely reflected in the music I create.
Who inspires you?
More and more, it is not who, but what; the landscape and the environment that I am in when I compose, create, or perform.
Tell us about the background of your piece – how did it come to be written and what’s it all about?
The Frost Performs Its Secret Ministry was written for Jesse Langen (guitarist) and Linda Chatterton (flutist). I was interested in composing something that explored the continuum of sound from noise to instrumental note. I spent a day in the studio with each of them, recording and talking with them about the different sounds they can create on the way to playing a note. I then began composing the work, based on the recorded sounds I had collected. It eventually took on the qualities of Minnesota’s frozen landscape, although I am not sure if that is because it was winter when I composed it, or the weather simply made me aware of the similarities. Whatever the case, that led me to the title at the end of the process.
How does this work relate to your other compositional output?
The Frost absolutely comes out of my interest in quiet, patient work that is based on deconstructing acoustic sounds using amplification, filtering, and spectral reinforcement. Anterior/InteriorLink text here... is the first of these works, and this body of work also includes Contents May Differ (bass clarinet and electronic sound) and Every Problem is a Nail (piano and electronic sound).
What have been your career highlights so far?
Being able to travel around the world and collaborate with so many wonderful and fascinating musicians. All of my career highlights feature this aspect, which is the best reason to make music, in my estimation.
How do you see the role of new music in modern society?
The making of new music is a social activity, like all musical endeavors, and it serves a community of creators and listeners who are, on the whole, a pretty fantastic and interesting bunch of people.
Scott's Website
Hear Scott's music at The Forge on 6th September 2016. Book tickets here. Carla and Scott will also be performing at Iklectik Art Lab in London on Saturday 10 September.