In collaboration with the City of London, Nonclassical presents 66 Days – a digital multimedia project marking 400 years since the Mayflower sailed to America. We spoke with Yfat Soul Zisso about her collaboration, creative process and how her piece will explore the themes of journeys, migration and cultural identities.
About the artists
Yfat Soul Zisso
Soul has had her work performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the Fidelio Trio. Her interests range from the use of different microtonal sound worlds and textures to children’s books and the exploration of various extended techniques. She is currently studying for a PhD that focuses on creating a quarter-tone compositional language suitable for western singers to learn.
Sasha Balmazi-Owen
Sasha Balmazi-Owen is a British film & theatre maker. He has worked across Europe, fusing opera, music and video. During his studies at Kingston School of Fine Art, Sasha collaborated with composer Rolf Hind (Piano/Dance, 2015), and director Loré Lixenberg (The Fool, 2016). He directed a short opera-film for Random Acts in 2018, ‘Death Visits Mererid’, and made his theatre directing debut on ‘Physical Education’ - a collaboration with Robert Reid Allan at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham. Sasha has worked with notable companies and artists, including Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, ICA, Channel 4, Royal Opera House, Copenhagen Opera House, Mahogany Opera Group, St John Smith’s Square, David Toop, Jonathan Goddard and Zoë Martlew.
What ideas are you hoping to explore in this project? How does it relate back to the themes of journeys, migration and cultural identities?
Our work will explore the idea of the canals as a symbol of both connection and isolation – especially during lockdown. I think it’s fascinating that the canal system in the UK was created and used for the movement of trade and people but now provides an escape from city life and a connection to nature. I am also intrigued by how, during isolation, different people can have similar canal experiences while being geographically apart. To me the themes of journeys, migration and cultural ideas all come down to how we connect to others and to ourselves, and I think the canals provide a fascinating reflection of that connection.
What elements will you be using, and how do you envisage your project coming together?
I envisage this project being a combination of video, field and home sound recordings, animation / image manipulation, and vocal and instrumental recording.
How will you be working with your collaborator? Will their input affect your writing?
My work with Sasha will be collaborating from afar (him in London and myself in Birmingham) and bouncing ideas and materials off one another to gradually build this piece and focus in on what it has to say.
How do you anticipate materialising your project? Are there any particular processes or methods you'll be using?
I expect this piece to gradually take shape during the collaboration process, as we each prepare visual / audio ideas reacting to the themes of the piece and then create reactions to what the other has sent.
Watch the works created by our Associate Composers with collaborators for the 66 Days project.