Episode 15 - Dr. Alexandra Fol
Episode 15 features Dr. Alexandra Fol, an international composer, organist, pianist, and conductor based in Montreal. We talk with Alexandra about her research, composition career, and recent projects.
To learn more about Alexandra and the resources she recommended to us, visit:
Alexandra Fol - Website
Alexandra Fol - Academia.edu
Canadian Music Centre
Full Transcript
Carrie Blosser 0:01
Welcome to Diversify the Stand, the resource centered around listening, learning, and promoting diverse musical voices in music, through our podcast, website, commissioning projects, and more. I'm Carrie Blosser.
Ashley Killam 0:15
And I'm Ashley Killam. Join us on our journey as we speak with composers, creators, performers, historians and music educators about the topics important to them, and music’s betterment.
Today, we're gonna be speaking with Dr. Alexandra Fol. Dr. Fol is an international composer, organist, pianist, and conductor based in Montreal. Her works have been performed by notable ensembles such as the Montreal Symphony, the Sofia Symphony Orchestra, the McGill Symphony, and the New Chamber Orchestra and so many more. She has written large ensemble works, chamber works, solo pieces, and music and documentaries like Ancient Thras- A Door to Immortality. For any trumpet players listening, she has this crazy unaccompanied trumpet solo called Noodling Along, and we're linking that in the podcast description. So check it out. And welcome.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 1:23
Thank you so much for having me. I'm really happy and honored to be with you today, and to witness the launch of your wonderful initiative.
Carrie Blosser 1:31
We first like to start off to ask you a few questions about your experiences as both a performer and a composer at the Bulgarian Academy. And as you went through school, and as you were finishing your doctoral program at McGill.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 1:45
Well, I went to Sofia music school where I started at the age of five, with the preschool. After finishing the school a bit early as a private student, I went on to become a student at the State Academy of Music in Bulgaria, where after the first year I applied to be accepted as a composition major as was the custom at the time after the first year. And when I was I found out that I was the first one for many years, because really, in a small country, how many composers a year can you realistically graduate before it becomes ridiculous? I transferred to Boston University, where after two and a half years, I finished my bachelor's. Then I did the two years of masters at Eastman School of Music, again, composition with organ as primary instrument. And I did do a doctorate in composition at McGill, where I was only one out of two women in the whole program. Actually, when I when I studied in the Eastman School of Music, we were two ladies in the class of two. So that was quite unusual. And then I stayed in Canada afterwards.
Ashley Killam 3:00
You had sent Carrie and I a bunch of your research, just research on all of these different fields more than just composition, which is really cool to see. And it's unusual in the best way because oftentimes we- it's like we get stuck in our one path. And I know as you've talked to us, you've collaborated with all these different people. And so I wanted to ask about the article that you recently got published about painted trumpets at Kazanlak tomb, and how did that all come to be and who did you work with in that and how how was that process?
Dr. Alexandra Fol 3:33
The tomb’s name is Kazanlak. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bulgaria from the fourth century BC to Thracian monument. The aspirations were an aristocratic culture and a very developed culture but a non-literary culture. They did not write. They did not have a writing. The images help in reconstructing the rites and rituals that took place in this and other tombs and/or outside. Depictions in the Kazanlak tomb show the ruler who has dark skin, which means he's dead. He's the one for whom the feast is organized because it's his funeral. The lady holding his hand is the wife we see. Two funeral musicians two ladies playing the trumpet. The women were unusual in official functions, but not unheard of. I talk a lot about the trumpets themselves because I compare them with the ancient Egyptian trumpets, despite the close to 4000 years, I believe, difference. The musical instruments are very conservative in shape, they always if something works, don't fix it, you know. So I discussed what they were most likely made of because we have remnants of various noble materials and metals, so we know how skilled the operations were. In fact, there is a, there is a small knife from Dublin that mixes platinum and gold, which is and they melt at completely different temperatures. And up until the present day, we don't really know how this was done. So quite advanced civilization. An article published that I published after this one talks about the very interesting depiction in burrillville treasure where the performer plays what could be called a trumpet and there is a valve, a very clear valve that you can move with a finger and there is a mute in the front or Sambora sordine.
Not sure, of course, and I talked about that so many, many good ideas were invented a very long time ago, and they stuck until the present day. This area interests me because both of my parents through ecology researchers, my father has my father passed away, but my mother has continued the work Asians race and nation history. My other research interest is in ethics, and philosophy. And I speak from the viewpoint of a musician, really on the topics that I'm personally invested in. And though I include all of the necessary citations, and everything, they all can be read also as comments. Also, I have a little article about Bulgarian folklore in Canada, a little small our research about the folklore ensembles across the country. In a way, I'm lucky because I can write about anything I want. I'm also a composer and a performer, so I am free to write and to publish in the books in the volumes that I desire. I am not obliged to buy a research contract the way some people are nowadays. And I also can choose to publish in open access journals or journals that are produced with public funds so easily and cheaply available, and all for free in the library. Thank you for asking. I rarely talk about my research, because it's like a different, it's a different path. That I'm not very, very visible with. Except the people who are interested in Asian race.
Carrie Blosser 7:53
I think it's so interesting, because, like you're saying, some people have to do research because of their, you know, college appointment or their university teaching. But when you get to pick what you research, because you just enjoy it, I feel like that's a different, the writing is a little different, it's a little more freeing, and you get a little more, I don't know, you have more say in what you do, which I think can lead to some really cool articles like the one that you wrote.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 8:16
Yes, I can, I'm free to write about whatever I want. And in indeed, it is very freeing.
Carrie Blosser 8:26
As you were mentioning before, you research and you compose and you play organ, I'd love for you to talk a little bit about your thoughts on specialization in one kind of sliver of music versus kind of looking at music and music research from a wider lens.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 8:45
Well, everyone does what works best for them. My activities each inspire each other from the other one. So for me, this is how I function creatively but some people thrive in narrow specialization. There are people who are very comfortable in a narrow specialization and do good. And harmony that inspires kind of approach, that's more my approach. Really invites participating actively in several disciplines, and this can provide insight, that narrow specialization professionals do not have, but on the other side, someone who is very narrowly specialized can push the field just a bit further than someone who with a vast area of interest would not have the time to do. It takes all kinds of people to make a world.
Ashley Killam 9:41
So what's the story behind your coat of arms?
Dr. Alexandra Fol 9:45
Well, I don't really like look at my cell phone pictures and call the Varses legal representation from, it's an award from the Governor General of the country. Actually accidentally today it was shared on the Canadian Heraldry Facebook group as mère crede du venet like guess Wednesday, guessing Wednesday at what are the elements connected with an Asian culture that existed in Bulgaria. And of course, these are the ancient Thracians, there is the Great Mother Goddess is the red triangle, you know, facing downwards. The Pegasus and the son God son is both s-o-n and s-u-n. The coat of arms also has an organ on it to represent me, the four notes that you see from the first piece, I have a word piano piece where the right hand plays the melody and the left hand plays the accompaniment and then the A prime section, the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the accompaniment. Because at the time I was really ambidextrous, and I do not want any hand to feel bad, the government finds the artists and you know, they ask me all kinds of questions. They listen to my stuff, I send the CD. So they know when they asked me what are important elements that I would like to include, and then there is the science of heraldry that makes it look nice.
Carrie Blosser 11:15
I'm like speechless. That's, this is the coolest thing I've ever heard of.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 11:18
Well, thank you. It's certainly a really nice image. I'm very, very happy with it. And all the different countries have different processes. Now the oak leaves, they have a way of linking Canada and Bulgaria. They exist in both countries.
Ashley Killam 11:34
What projects are you currently working on?
Dr. Alexandra Fol 11:38
Well, yes, so there is one that's kind of an older recording of a sextet. It’s a children's work in seven movements, each one in a different style. I mean they all kind of sound like me, but they are clearly inspired by existing musical style so to teach the kids about different styles, and is based on a Quebec folklore tale about a drunk lady who sells her soul to the devil. And then there are three devils that come but then the the angel gave three presents to the husband for the kiddie version, the alcohol was replaced with chocolate. And at the end, the devils went on strike because she was winning the Chocolate Factory. And so they shook hands and decided to abandon the agreement. So she got her soul and the devil got regular working hours. So we did, so that was a show that that really worked well. And now there is a recording, studio recording that we did in a socially distanced manner over the course of a month. And we are looking for someone to complete the movie, a movie, now we don't really have a set concept as of yet. The producer is Universal au concert, a Canadian company, and we're a bit stuck because even puppeteers cannot work, that we cannot have two in a room. Oh, I completed a very big commission for choir from three choirs. And every performance was canceled. I don't know whether if I'll ever hear this piece and it's a really good piece. We'll see. Though if anyone is interested, it’s so happy. If you're sick and tired of sad music, you know, just give me a shot and it was such an obnoxiously happy piece.
Carrie Blosser 13:44
Sounds like something that I need in my life.
Ashley Killam 13:46
I feel like we all need that right now.
Dr. Alexandra Fol 13:49
It’s like a banging D major chord, the one that choirs love to sing.
Carrie Blosser 13:54
Are there any resources that you would recommend to composers in Canada or the US or abroad, or researchers?
Dr. Alexandra Fol 14:02
For people who are interested in Canadian music, The Canadian Music Center is a wonderful resource that unites hundreds of composers. The CMC is also government supported. It has a very big archive for anyone interested in Canadian music. I highly encourage you to start there. With respect to Ancient Thrace, my mother Valyria Fols books My Father Alexander Fols books also countless articles on academia.edu from various researchers Bulgarian, and not only Greek and Turkish, that can be found for anyone who might be interested in looking at some ancient history. I have some articles on IQ acoustics as well. Also related to the Thracian monuments so welcome to check. University our concern is based in Montreal, it's led by his current director Sant Goldschneider. He really does incredible diverse stuff. They're not two shows are the same. And nothing is strictly just a concert. He has a website with archive for previous realization so I highly, highly recommend this because it's a production company. You know, it's not an ensemble. So an ensemble, if you're a string quartet you end up only playing string quartets. Regardless of your best desires to play a brass trio, you're still stuck with string quartets. But the fact that Aesop can model his projects from one to the other being completely different, shows a very diversified view of what's going on in Montreal. And so I, I highly recommend his work. He's a wonderful person, a friend of music producer.
Ashley Killam 15:57
What’s on your music stand this week?
Dr. Alexandra Fol 16:00
Well, this comes at a bad time because Quebec is closing. So I'm actually stopping work. I have commissioned a number of Canadian pieces, and some of them are already at the CMC. The composers, I tried to go with four composers younger than me, because this way you give someone a start. A solo piece, can give a composer a start, really, I wrote so many ambitious long orchestral works when I was like 21, and 22, and 23. None of them were played. They look really impressive, though, but nobody will ever play them. So they were good for learning the art of composing but really to give a start, a performer and composer can mutually give themselves a start with a solo piece. So this is something I recommend for everyone. And those are always needed, a solo piece will definitely be replayed more than a piece for two violins, a piano, a bassoon and a randomly inserted Asian instrument that has to be there for grant proposal. So these kinds of pieces only played once and do good on program, but then it's dead in the water. Standard ensembles we'll get the piece played more.
Carrie Blosser 17:30
Speaking of solo pieces, we wanted to share Dr. Fol performing her own Children's Suite on piano.
A huge thank you again to Dr. Fol for joining us. She has a ton of new projects. So check out the podcast description for her website, social media, and all the new performances that are kicking off soon over the summer and the fall.
Ashley Killam 20:05
Thank you so much for listening to Diversify the Stand. I am Ashley.
Carrie Blosser 20:09
And I'm Carrie. If you'd like to support us and our projects, check out our Patreon www.patreon.com/diversify_the_stand. Also, the link is in our podcast description.
Ashley Killam 20:25
And a huge thank you to Trevor Weston and Whitney George for allowing us to use their compositions in our podcast. The musical introduction is Trevor's trumpet duet Fanfare for Changes, and the ending music is Whitney's Incantations for trumpet and piano. Both composers’ websites are also listed in the description.
Carrie Blosser 20:43
Until next time, what's on your stand?