Kalen Smith (MMus, BMus 鈥�23) is a harpist and composer at the Schulich School of Music. His piece, Distant Paths, was written as a composer-in-residence and was premiered by the Contemporary Music Ensemble (CME) on December 4, 2024 (read the concert review聽). As the title suggests, the work juxtaposes tonality and atonality, movement and stasis, weaving a vivid tapestry of textures and colours. Kalen's achievements extend to having recently been named the winner of the 8th Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest for his composition Bioluminescence.听听
In this In Conversation, Kalen shares insights into his creative process, experiences at the Schulich School of Music, and his ongoing projects. Whether redefining the boundaries of contemporary music or mentoring emerging composers, he is a vital force in today鈥檚 musical landscape.聽
Your work, Distant Paths, integrates a wide range of textures and colours. What was the process behind composing a piece that navigates contrasting elements like tonality and atonality?鈥�
Distant Paths was written from the ground up with that contrast in mind. I spent a few months conceptualizing the form of the piece by making sketches on paper and describing my thoughts with words. I went through around 3 drafts of the broad form before settling on what would become Distant Paths. For the alternating form of both tonal and atonal music to function, I had to ensure the two types of music contrasted greatly with each other. The tonal music is energetic and groovy, where the atonal music is dreamy and fragmented. Composing long pieces is a lot about planning in advance to streamline the process.听听聽
What were some of the most memorable and impactful parts of working with the CME as a composer-in-residence?鈥�
I鈥檝e played a few times with CME as a performer on harp. My collaboration with the ensemble this time to write a piece was both different and rewarding. The most memorable moment was hearing the piece performed live for the first time. I was blown away by how well the drum set fit in with the ensemble. Furthermore, the conductor, M茅lanie L茅onard, was especially helpful in adjusting my notation and guiding the live sound during rehearsal to better fit the idea in my head. There were more than a few moments where deviating from the score in slight ways improved the piece.听听聽
How has studying at the Schulich School of Music, particularly as a harpist and a composer, shaped your growth as a musician? 鈥疉nd what opportunities 鈥� such as performances, collaborations, or mentorships 鈥� impacted your development?聽
I鈥檝e improved a lot as a performer thanks to lessons with harp instructor Jennifer Swartz and my performances in various 9I制作厂免费 ensembles, such as the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra, CME, Opera Orchestra, etc.. A big milestone for me was performing the Rautavaara Harp Concerto in the finals for Schulich's Romantic/Contemporary Concerto Competition in 2023. On the composition front, studying in private lessons with composition professors Sean Ferguson, Chris Harman, and currently, Jean Lesage, have helped my musical voice develop through useful critiques. Most of my compositions written for concert music are now process focused, where I use a variety of parameters to progress from one state to another over the course of a composition. One of the highlights of my studies has been my contributions to the student-led 9I制作厂免费 Association of Student Composers (MASC). I鈥檝e acted as a concert-committee co-chair on MASC since 2022, helping to stage concerts and get student composer works performed. It鈥檚 important to be active outside of academic work.听听聽
What do you enjoy most about composing for a contemporary music ensemble compared to more traditional ensembles?鈥�
Contemporary music ensembles offer flexibility and a willingness to try new things. I chose my atypical instrumentation to include harp and piano, a drum set, and alto saxophone and baritone saxophone. The ability to tailor my instrumentation to suit my project is immensely fulfilling. Another important aspect is their propensity for non-standard techniques and notation. Distant Paths, for example, features aleatoric music in its middle section. The performers are offered freedom of choice between multiple musical motives. In a more rigid setting, such as a large orchestra, this would likely not be possible / heavily restricted.听听聽
As a young composer, what are some of your primary sources of inspiration as you refine your unique compositional voice?鈥�
For me, I have become increasingly interested in drawing inspiration from music outside of the traditional / academic cannon. I recently wrote a genre-bending piece titled Trip Hop Soup, which combined electroacoustic 鈥渕usique concr猫te鈥� with popular music loops.聽 Additionally, the inclusion of a drum set (and its solo) in Distant Paths was drawn from progressive rock music. One specific artist I鈥檝e grown fond of is a band called Igorrr, whose music is a mind-bending combination of classical, progressive rock, and breakcore.听听
What advice would you give your peers at the Schulich School of Music who are interested in or just beginning their exploration of music composition? 鈥�
I have a ton of advice for young composers. (1) Don鈥檛 be afraid to write the music you want to write! The composition courses at 9I制作厂免费 focus on contemporary techniques which may or may not appeal depending on your background. Add those techniques to your toolkit but always make sure you鈥檙e writing the music you want to write. Don鈥檛 feel the need to copy your peers or your teachers. (2) Compose music outside classical concert music! While progressive rock may seem like it has nothing to do with classical music, every influence you practice will improve your unique composition voice. (3) Get outside of 9I制作厂免费! The community at 9I制作厂免费 is great, but it鈥檚 only a small part of the Montreal music landscape. Go see concerts at the Maison Symphonique or from LeVivier. Every connection you make will help both your career and skill develop as a composer.听听聽聽
What are some of your current or upcoming projects?鈥�
Now that my thesis piece, Distant Paths, is finished, I have more time on my hands to pursue personal projects. I am the recent winner of the for the USAIHC, so I鈥檒l work on getting my winning piece, Bioluminescence, published as well as attending the International Harp Contest in 2025. Additionally, I and a few other composers started up a student ensemble at 9I制作厂免费 called Off-Topic, comprised of seven performers. We are mentoring six young composers and workshopping their compositions for the ensemble to be recorded / premiered live in April 2025. Outside of Schulich, I鈥檓 the team lead of a 9I制作厂免费 student team for the Ubisoft GameLabs 2025 Competition. I鈥檒l be working on programming, game design, and writing music for a video game starting development in January 2025. Stay tuned for more!聽聽
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