BY JASMINE MIDDLETON
What do you do if there are no opportunities that fit your musical niche?
Well, if you’re Laura Masotto, you simply create your own.
Laura recently co-founded Lady Blunt Records with Francesca Serotti. The new label is based in Italy, and has a focus on promoting artist collaboration. And Laura’s first solo album Fireflies is its first release.
Since studying classical violin at the Conservatory of music in Verona, Laura’s musical trajectory has gone in seemingly limitless directions. After the usual experience performing in classical violin-piano duos, string quartets, chamber groups, and symphony orchestras in Italy, France, Spain, and Norway, Laura decided to stretch her scope further in exploring the genres of jazz, contemporary, and electronic music.
She founded Le Maschere di Clara, an experimental violin-drums-piano trio that combines classical and alternative music with original composition – going on to release four albums with the group. She has worked as a session musician, participated in live concerts for renowned artists including Patty Pravo and Andrea Bocelli, and later started to collaborate with visual artists.
Fireflies was released last month and presents a culmination of these experiences, featuring Laura’s original compositions performed live on her violin with the use of a looper pedal.
As a pioneer of her genre, and a musician actively involved in today’s innovative strides for classical music, Laura chats to us about the creation of her album and what it means to be truly free in your music.
What is the concept behind your first solo album Fireflies?
I did not look for it, but Fireflies came to me during the spring of 2018; I felt the need to play those melodies. I said to myself, ‘This is my music, it is time to share it’. It’s important to me that the album has arrived at this moment; I feel I have learnt the musical language and have the maturity to be able to develop my own language to be transmitted to the listeners.
If I would have to define the album, I would say it is my personal hymn to nature. The tracks were conceived by creating sound overlaps with the aid of a looper, which forms harmonies that accompany the melody of the main violin.
Some tracks such as Strings and Mahir were inspired by Arabic tunings, while the violin, viola, and cello in The Forest are tuned to 432 Hz, merging with the sounds of nature recorded for an art project in collaboration with artist Elena Crisanti.
In this album, you play the roles of composer and performer (and even fellow chamber musician!). Describe to us the creative process that led to your works.
The violin lends itself to many roles; mainly to that of soloist, but also to that of accompaniment in orchestra or in chamber music. During my creative process, I focused on all these roles. Ultimately, my album can be defined as chamber music, but paradoxically performed by one person.
The compositional part came almost spontaneously, reworking themes I had in mind for some time, along with some new ones. Then, when I decided to use the looper, I realised that I could play them all by myself.
What unique aspect do you believe the use of a looper pedal can bring to your compositions?
I decided to use a looper pedal in order to develop the project on my own and make all the musical choices that reflect my own taste. I also had in mind the idea of playing the album completely live in concert. It is definitely a risk, but it’s a beautiful satisfaction to be able to do so – being able to decide the time I prefer, and the intensity that I want to give to the various musical layers.
Nowadays, most music is composed by a computer, with a metronome in 4/4 and with limited dynamics. We have forgotten the most interesting part of music: that is, of being free.
Mastering rules is extremely important, however. There are so many possibilities which let you vary with exceptions, irregular times, and ritardando. This allows the music to be alive and to breathe with the performer.
You’ve had quite the diverse career as a musician; how have your past musical experiences shaped your compositional voice and style today?
I began studying violin at the age of five with classical music. This path allowed me to study the instrument in-depth and the great composers of musical history, like my favourites Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms.
However, very soon, my curiosity pushed me to experiment with electronic effects and sounds, taking part in various musical projects of different genres, including theatre. This possibility taught me different ways of playing and the importance of being on stage, because a concert is like a show; you must be ready to share your emotions with the audience.
Why do you believe it’s important to experiment with new ways to create and interact with music?
I think that music is always changing and therefore stimulating for musicians who want to transform themselves with it. Even more interesting is being able to experiment with and discover modern sounds that we generally hear produced by electronic devices by means of real wooden instruments.
The difference between the various sounds that we perceive lies in the sound attack; in my case, the moment the bow touches the strings. I believe it is an incredible magic. From here, a world opens that can only be experienced with real instruments – and I say this despite being a real lover of electronic music.
How does it feel to be the first release of the newly formed Lady Blunt Records?
It is very exciting for me because the label was born together with my album. I am a co-founder of Lady Blunt Records myself and I am glad to work with Francesca Serotti and Alessandro Lugoboni; they are incredible young talents who believe in this project and really love music. They are excellent and enthusiastic companions, so I feel honored that Fireflies is the 001 of the Lady Blunt catalogue.
And lastly, what do you hope for listeners to take away from this album?
I wish for the listeners to find the time to make themselves comfortable, close their eyes, listen to the music, leave space to imagination, travel with the mind, enter my world, and make it their own.
I recorded this album to let people listen to the emotion that I feel while I play; to anyone who wants to try this experience.
Watch The Forest from Laura Masotto’s album Fireflies below, with video art from Elena Crisanti. Find Fireflies on Bandcamp, and Lady Blunt Records on Facebook.
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