An Interview with Composer/Performer Nick Savoie. By Pascal Spadinger-Fengler
Born and currently residing in Vancouver BC, Nick Savoie is a 27 year old Composer/Recording Engineer who is in his second year studying composition at the SFU School for the Contemporary Arts. He is also a Guitarist/Bassist for the Vancouver based death metal band “Of Modern Architecture.” This interview pulls back the curtain on Nicks artistic influences, how his practice has developed since he began attending SFU, and a number of other topics surrounding the stimulating world of music-making.
Q: Are there any songs/albums that you loved in your childhood/teenage years that you still enjoy listening to?
A: One album from my teenage years that remains in my current rotation is Enslaved’s 2008 record “Vertebrae.” I think the reason this album was (and still is) so important to me was because they blended styles of music that I was interested in (namely prog rock and black metal) in a subtle and cohesive way.
Another album that I still enjoy listening to is Meshuggah’s 2008 record “obZen.” Between the absolute tightness of the tracking and the mix, that record is a pummelling wall of sound that has remained relevant to my interests even as my taste evolves.
Q: Are there any artists in particular that you think have had an overwhelming influence on the kind of music you seek to create?
A: One artist whose music I am really inspired by is Steven James Wilkinson (he releases under the name Bibio). However, at this point I don’t really know which direction I would like to take my music, so to say that I might try to make music in the vein of his wouldn’t be true.
Q: Since you began studying at SFU, has your approach to making music changed?
A: Since starting at SFU my approach to writing music has changed drastically. My relationship with writing had been almost exclusive to writing guitar and bass parts for my band, and most of the time I would have an objective with how I wanted them to turn out. With the music I’ve been making in this program, though, I have been challenging myself to embrace a more fluid approach to writing, without placing too many restrictions around working in a specific style. I’ve found that many times I’ll begin the writing process with little to no pre-planning, and I’ll kind of let the material that emerges guide my decisions moving forward. Maybe this is a similar approach to other artists, but I’ve personally found this method to be rewarding.
Q: What do you find most challenging about composing for instruments you have never played? What to you is most exciting about this process?
A: I think the most challenging thing I have found when writing for instruments I have never played is finding a balance between giving the performer material that is both easily communicated and understood, and flexible enough that it might be interpreted differently than originally intended; I’m really interested in the notion of indeterminacy, and I try to incorporate some degree of it into my scores. I find this exciting because often the performer would make decisions that I wouldn’t make, which keeps the material fresh between different players.
Q: What are your preferences in regards to composing music "in the studio" vs. playing music live in front of an audience? Do you find one more enjoyable than the other?
A: I don’t really have any preference between playing live and working in the studio - I love working in both settings, but I feel that both provide things that the other cannot. I guess though in terms of which one feels better in the moment I would have to give an edge to playing live. The pandemic has definitely made me appreciate playing shows, and when this whole thing is over I will be chomping at the bit to get back on stage.
Q: Given how difficult it is to make money off of music, do you think you'll ever try to make a career out of composing/performing?
A: I would love to make a career out of composing and performing, and fully intend to pursue one upon finishing at SFU. Between recording for a few years, playing in bands, and touring, I have gotten a glimpse into some of the difficulties of making a career in music. However, the more that I get into this program and talk to working artists in the field, the more that I see there is definitely an avenue to make a career in the arts. Now I just have to figure out how to do it…
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