Make the music your own - Julia Raga Q&A
DEBUT Q&A with Julia Raga - Part 2
“The experience doesn’t change the meaning, but it changes the power of it.”
Julia Raga Pascual, Clarinettist and DEBUT Horizon Artist
Julia plays her own arrangement of Kass’ Theme from The Legend Of Zelda game series
We’re back in the room with multi-skilled clarinettist and DEBUT Horizon Artist, Julia Raga Pascual - last time, Julia told us about her arrangements of video game music, and we discussed the surprisingly traditional inspiration behind some of these iconic soundtracks.
Join us for part two, where we discuss breaking down barriers to classical music, and bringing film and video game music into mainstream performance.
Check out Part 2 of our series below! Missed Part 1? - check it out here.
Last time, we spoke to Julia about the opportunities presented by video game music.
Julia describes video game music as an ‘access point’ to classical music.
“...I had such a close idea of what I wanted to say and express, but the music arrived on a different level to everyone. ”
Watch Julia perform at our Shoreditch Treehouse event on 15th October.
Julia performs at Shoreditch Treehouse alongside Sam Peña, DEBUT’s resident pianist improviser.
“..video games are a way of experiencing a narrative, but you have the power to shape the narrative.
People get nostalgic about video games, and they can experience and share that. ”
Julia continued to support music-making in the COVID-19 lockdowns, performing here for the Help Musicians Bitesize Proms.
Q&A - part two
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done in performance?
The most interesting thing? I have led plenty of workshops, and I found the reaction to this one very fascinating: I asked some of the kids to come on stage with me and observe and mimic my movement while playing - and I asked one of them what he thought my movements meant.
What did they say?
He came up with a story about what it meant to him, and the group all answered with a different story about what the movement represented to them. It shocked me because I had such a close idea of what I wanted to say and express, but the music arrived on a different level to everyone.
Why was this important?
It taught me how open to interpretation music is for everyone; if each of us experience it in a different way, and can make the meaning our own, we need to be open to this (as performers).
Can non-traditional performances like this be fulfilling for older audiences too?
I think it’s so important. Quite often, people don’t understand what the music is that they're listening to.
In a concert, if you’re speaking in a foreign language, or you’re playing instrumental music, audiences can sit down and then leave without any sort of explanation of what’s going on. They don’t get to see how profound or how complex the narrative is.
“...in a book ... two readers will still picture a different person in their head. It’s the same in music. ”
So, is this an opportunity to make classical music new for people?
Absolutely. In a different format, we can say: ‘We’re going to play this, and whatever you feel you need to do while listening, just do it.”
And then you can open up the discussion about what it means, or what it communicates to people. How they feel and what they understand.
Once, in high school, my teacher told us, “just listen to it. Let your brain move with the music, and see what happens.”
I remember listening and thinking I was a detective, or someone in a film, chasing someone - and my teacher told us it was actually a love story.
Do you think it’s ever good to tell people the intention before you perform?
Definitely, but the composer’s intention is always open to interpretation too. Visualising music is similar to reading a book.
In a book, the ‘instructions’ and description of a character is given, but two readers will still picture a different person in their head. It’s the same in music.
But what is the same for everyone is the grammar, the techniques and the descriptive devices that are used. When people understand things on a technical level, and they appreciate the effort that has been put into it, they enjoy it more.
What do you seek to bring in your arranging work?
Accessibility. That’s the key word.
One of the things I used to struggle with when I was a student was to find arrangements of the stuff that I liked and wanted to play. By making these arrangements and putting them out, I think I'm giving accessibility to current players to find repertoire that they relate to, and will provide a technical challenge as well - music that still communicates their technical ability and demonstrates their skills, but is more relatable to them and their interests.
My YouTube videos have had comments from people who have said my arrangements got them back into the clarinet, too.
I have one subscriber on my youtube channel who is always commenting, saying ‘I have been able to do that, thank you.’
Finally, would you like to see more video game music in concert?
Definitely. I think that video games are a way of experiencing a narrative, but you have the power to shape the narrative.
People get nostalgic about video games, and they can experience and share that.
Often, orchestras and ensembles sideline film and game music, despite their popularity. I’d like to see a shift in this. They shouldn’t be ashamed to be focusing more on these genres.
It’s often not presented alongside the core repertoire/programming that they’re doing.
DEBUT is breaking down barriers to classical music - and opening the doors to other genres and types of music too. At our regular Secret Concerts at Shoreditch Treehouse and the Brunel Museum, audiences experiences music by Elton John and Radiohead, alongside medieval music on historic instruments.
Do you have a genre of music that you’d haven’t heard in concert before? Tell us about it online or at one of our events!
MUSICIANS
Kang Yang GuZheng
Eleanor Garside soprano
Meriel Cunningham mezzo soprano
William Diggle - tenor
Kieran Rayner baritone
Lizzie Holmes soprano & host
Sam Peña resident piano improviser