Inspiring Featured Musician for Spring 2010
Thank-you I am honored that you think my music so! The simple answer I suppose would be to say that I find much beauty in the world to inspire me. I am very moved by the landscapes within which I live. While nature, and the beauty and awe I feel for the natural world are always present in the music and words that I write, I consider the inner reality; emotions and spirituality, as landscapes as well. I believe that truth is a form of beauty, and strive to be honest in my music at all times. If it doesn’t feel real, I don’t want to write it, I don’t want to sing it. So while I tend to be a hopeful person, many of my songs contain sorrow and sadness. False hopefulness, to me, is meaningless. It is truthful expression that has the power to connect.
Music is a way
of understanding the world, and for me this is certainly true. It is also a reflective tool. That someone would find beauty in my
music, to me, means that what I have written is also a reflection of the beauty
that exists within them. When we
connect with music, we connect with ourselves, we connect with the
universe.
Your music is very earthy and also spiritual. Do you have a strong connection with the Earth?
I do feel a
strong connection with the Earth. I
am constantly stunned by the power and beauty of the living planet. There is no separation in my mind between
humans and nature and music is simply one form of understanding our
universe. It contains the same
forms and patterns, the same harmonic series and the same principles. I especially feel as if the lyrics I
write are an extension of the deep thirst and love I have for the natural
world. There is endless metaphor and
meaning to be found within the deserts, flowers and seas, as many thoughts as
there are leaves in the forest. How
can we as people understand ourselves, without understanding our wild nature,
the forces that not just affect us, but that are part of us? It is through my connection with the Earth that
I am able to write, that there is music flowing through me.
What are some of your current or recent musical projects?
One of the more exciting projects I was involved with recently was a collaborative concert that I did with two other Calgary singer/songwriters, Linda Faye Miller and Vanessa Cardui. What was so interesting about it was that both Vanessa and Linda write unique and compelling music that explores many of the themes that I myself try to examine in my own music including nature, feminism, love and archetypal mythos. We approached the concert as a cohesive whole rather than a summation of parts, which made the entirety of it more a piece of musical art than a series of distinct sets. Each song was introduced through poetry, which was meant to simply deepen and expand upon the lyrical and literary themes present within the music and provided a seamless flow throughout the concert. The concert felt very special to me, the audience was completely engaged in that alive hush that sometimes happens. The energy was amazing, not just between the performers but between the audience and the singers. We are planning another concert in a similar vein for September and I cannot wait for it.
I am also thrilled that principal shooting for a music video based around my song, Eurydice, recently wrapped up as well, and the video is now in editing. This project was very close to my heart, not only because the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of my favorite Greek myths, but also because my husband, Bryan, wrote the script for and directed the video. My purpose in writing songs based on mythology or stories has never been to retell dusty epics, but rather to understand why such a story remains in our collective consciousness today. Why it is important. In the case of Eurydice, the script is an entirely modern interpretation of Orpheus and Eurydice, which I am very excited about. It feel very accessible a modern audience. I cannot wait to share it! It should be finished and up on my website and on YouTube by the summer.
The last few
months have been a very creative time for me. I have written quite a lot of new
material that I am very energized about and am starting to make
preliminary plans to record again.
Image from the album "Heartwood"
Where can our readers buy copies of your CD's?
Thank-you so very much for asking! My CD can be bought at a number of different places, including my website, www.soramusic.ca , CDbaby (www.cdbaby.com/sora3) and on amazon.com. All my music is also available as single song or album downloads on all the major digital distribution sites, including itunes.
Our Review of "Heartwood":
"Sora's newest CD "Heartwood" is a magical and beautiful CD that takes you on a deep earthly journey. The music is mesmerizing and reminds me of being in an old enchanted forest, enjoying the elemental world around me. Sora's voice is also angelic! There are many instrumentals used in this CD including piano, mandolin, cello, violin, drums, accordion, harp and viola. We at "The Faeries and Angels Magazine" highly recommend this enchanting and wonderful CD!"
-Adrienne Dumas Editor and Creator of "The Faeries and Angels Magazine"
