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Part 2

Can you talk about a breakthrough work, event or performance in your career? Why does it feel special to you?

"Ambient Chaconne" from my first album Heroine was a major breakthrough for me as an artist.

It really defines a passage in time. Not only did it take nearly six years from conception to release. But, it had many twists and turns. Ultimately, it laid down the foundation for Chaconne Project in the most epic way. Like most of my work, it may be one of the most personal and defining events of my career.

Through my collaboration with Composer/Sound Artist Spencer Topel, I feel like I found my voice as a composer and began my journey as a producer.

When, why and how did you start working on it, what were some of the motivations and ideas behind it?

I started working on it in 2013 when I experienced the Bach Chaconne in a new way. A loved one was going through a hard time after a near death experience and I turned to Bach for consolation. In playing through the Chaconne on a daily basis, I developed a more prominent connection to my spiritual self, rediscovering a new relationship with time and understanding of purpose.

Violinist Arnold Steinhardt once said, “Was the Chaconne some kind of message in a bottle destined for (dare I think it?) God?” I wondered if there were other Chaconnes in the repertoire. And, decided to ask around. In doing so, I learned that Composer Annie Gosfield had just written one in 2012 and Composer John King had just started his. I met Spencer at a concert I was playing where I discovered he, too had a work in response to the Bach Chaconne. This sparked the idea of Chaconne Project which became the start of the series of albums on Sono Luminus.

It was never intended for me to release my recording of the Bach Chaconne. But, in conceptualizing the albums, "Ambient Chaconne" was born — an electro-acoustic work co-composed by Spencer and myself for Violin and electronics.

“In reimagining the Bach Chaconne and Ockeghem’s Deo Gratias, I searched for meaning and connection to the greater, mysterious universe. My collaborator Spencer Topel, and I created an expansive sonic experience. It is as close to stopping time as I can imagine.”

 —Pauline Kim

There are many descriptions of the ideal state of mind for being creative. What is it like for you? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions?

Ideally, it is important for me to be free of activities. Though I am well versed at multi-tasking, I wish I could turn the creative state of my mind “on and off” on demand. It takes time for my mind to settle into a creative space which makes it challenging when I have a busy performance schedule or other commitments.

If I could, I would dedicate a good chunk of time to just to composing. Then, another big block for producing, recording and performing. But, maintaining balance is the way of life, though isn’t it!

Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?

Really the only way is to literally carve out the time to realize projects. I work very well under pressure and deadline. So, a concentrated environment is something I benefit from and crave. But, creating a stress-free environment is hard to come by — especially if there are other strains of commitments lurking around.

So, one of the strategies I try is to be super organized with my time long term. If possible, I try to get my list of “things to do” done as soon as possible so that I can clear my schedule and my head of “that side of the brain” activity. Once I find that space, meditation and prayer helps me center my energy and thoughts and prepare for creative energy.

Music and sounds can heal, but they can also hurt. Do you personally have experiences with either or both of these?

I have experienced both and in both instances they are powerful.

Where do you personally see the biggest need and potential for music as a tool for healing?

Music is sonic energy — vibrations that resonate, connecting minds, hearts and souls. The root of music is in the spirit and must be played from the heart. Times of crisis shows the effects of how integral music is for healing as it is an expression of hope, gratitude and optimism. It evokes memories and comforts those suffering.

I believe there has been scientific studies and evidence that suggests how profound the effects of music can be. It is known to reduce stress and anxiety — also depression and dementia. The Ancient Greek doctrine of ethos also states that “music effects character and emotions of man by way of morals and ethics.”

Have you noticed what happens to your heartbeat when you listen to music? Check it out sometime!

Our sense of hearing shares intriguing connections to other senses. From your experience, what are some of the most inspiring overlaps between different senses - and what do they tell us about the way our senses work?

I’ve actually thought about this a lot, but especially during the time of Covid — how smell affects taste. What you see can tell you better what you might be hearing and vice versa. All of our senses curiously are connected to how it makes us feel. Pleasure and joy, sorrow and despair … beauty, love and inspiration … excitement, fear and suspense … these are some of the feelings listening to music evokes.

Music combined with visual art, dance, voice and multi-media take it even further. This cross-pollination of disciplines require an overlap of senses, which further heighten our experiences with music which connects us directly to our emotions.

What happens to sound at its outermost borders?

Sound triggers vibrations that physically touch our bodies and stimulates our mind and soul. I suppose the sound is the most intense at the core?

As sound travels, I imagine it revealing many particles of detail that collectively produce an aura that invites the listener to want to embrace it or not. It is an impactful force that asks for an immediate reaction. Even in what feels like silence, sound is present. So, I guess one can say the energy produced by music goes beyond what is audible.

Art can be a purpose in its own right, but it can also directly feed back into everyday life, take on a social and political role and lead to more engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and being an artist?

Music is like air — can’t live without it. It is very much a part of my every day life.

I recently began to see my relationship to music as an artist more clearly. As a performer, I don’t think about social and political roles per se. Music is the only thing on my mind. But,  for sure, art serves another purpose when it comes to programming, producing, curating and composing, especially collaborations. Art is not only a representation of history, but a declaration in a sense. What artists are creating is a social and political statement of their time, regardless of whether or not it is consciously intended.

I think this is one of the telling reasons why art is so essential to humanity. It helps us understand better and strive harder.

What can music express about life and death which words alone may not?

Everyone’s perception and experience with life and death is their own — personal and unique to oneself. But, music makes it possible to relate to the common emotions associated with those experiences. While words define, music elevates. It is a powerful way to connect and allows your mind to travel into past, present and future. This gives music the power to spark emotions and imagination that words alone may not.


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