Author Archive

Friday was the conclusion of the ‘Theatre of Illusion’ Project. We created a half-hour piece of theatre at 4pm. We recreated five separate scenes from Faust, titled ‘Certain Circles’. The recurring element was that of a circle which provided the ‘set’ for the actors. We had a white screen at the back of the performance space which had glued to it bits of newspaper without colour. The audience and musicians formed part of a larger circle outside of the performance space, with the musicians south of the circle, forming a sort of crescent. The props were made of, or covered with bits of newspaper, to create a kind of ambiguous colour scheme, with the musicians and actors (except Faust) wearing black and navy.

We used bottles, a musical saw, newspaper, 3 tam-tams, trombone, oboe, flute, three violins, bass drum and various other percussion. We all played instruments (me on flute and percussion) and contributed to the improvisation, which was structured.

I created a kind of “map” for the improvisation based on what we’d decided for the different scenes of ‘Faust’. I acted as a scribe, notating everything we were doing as we went along throughout the week. It’s amazing how, because the whole thing was so intensive, we’d spend hours on something one day, and by the next day we’d have moved onto another scene and would completely forget what we’d done previously. It was invaluable to have had a record of everything on the last day, and I was delighted with a pat on the back from H on Friday in the midst of the panic.

One of the initial ‘plans’ Harry set for us was to create two elements to each improvisation. One was that of a ‘continuum’, which would sustain throughout a section, and the other was what he called a ‘punctuation’ element, which was a direct reaction or signal pertaining to what was going on in with the actors, who played the Wyrd sisters, Faust, Mephisto, Beelzebub and Faust’s wives (there were three men and three women, which worked out perfectly). The danger with the punctuation element was that it might become obvious or too descriptive, a concern we had on the first day. In the end though, we had to abandon these laws of continuum and punctuation and just do something freer that worked out with the action. Surprisingly, and wonderfully, we managed to create original, atmospheric and exciting music, or at least that was the general consensus, even among the audience members who weren’t fans of ‘contemporary’ music. We were pleased to hear adjectives like “amazing” and “mindblowing” as part of the audience reaction!

The complimentary Prosecco afterwards made a great ending to the week, and we had a few words of encouragement and congratulations from Stephen L and Harry. I also got a lesson from Harry on Friday morning on my piece ‘Skellie’, during which he made some interesting observations about development of rhythm, and how I tend to use instruments together. His own music makes the argument that individual lines can be exciting, and independent from one another without being ‘tied’ to any kind of dialogue. To be honest, after last week, I’m already thinking about the composition process very differently.

I’m currently involved in a collaborative project entitled: “Theatre of Illusion” at Dartington Summer School, with Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Alison Chitty (Designer), Stephen Plaice (Librettist/Writer) and Stephen Langridge (Director). This began yesterday and will continue until this coming Friday, 14th.

In our party are three young composers, six actors, two designers and three musicians, along with a lighting designer. Stephen Langridge, Stephen Plaice and Harrison Birtwistle are acting as mentors and course leaders, along with Alison Chitty who will oversee the set design.

Our challenge is to explore the musical and theatrical potential of Faust; the original chapbook (Historia von D. Johann Fausten, published in 1587) not the Faust of Goethe or Marlowe. We’re putting together a theatre piece based on the first instance of Doctor Faustus’ sorcery in the book, where Faust conjures the Devil’s Agent (Mephisto).

We began the project today and started with an exercise in improvisation. I’m quite new to this and made a few suggestions but will get more fluent as the week goes on. I’m told the music for the project is to be entirely improvised, with clear punctuation points and structural specifics to inform its outline. The main concern for me is to ensure that the music complements the action, and vice versa, without resorting to ‘musically describing’ the event, as might be done with film music, for example. We discussed this in a workshop; how the music will serve a different purpose for this project, rather than simply to mirror what’s going on onstage. H. Birtwistle briefly mentioned a piece I’d sent him a few months ago and has offered to discuss it with me. I must find the piece somewhere in PDF format and print it off over the next couple of days to have a lesson on.

This beautiful site was set up for me by the handsome and talented Tim “Septimus” Connor, of Quant Marketing, and various exciting independent theatre and music projects.

You can read his tips on how to sell theatre tickets in various articles he’s had published in The Stage, and you can meet him occasionally loitering outside such venues as The Donmar Warehouse and The National Theatre.

“A rare treat, sandwiched between Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate and Seán Ó. Riada’s Mise Eire: the brief but effective Aisling by Solfa Carlile, a student of Joseph Horovitz at the Royal College of Music […] unashamedly romantic, adept at conjuring up an instant atmosphere” Martin Anderson, Tempo

“It is refreshing to find such a rare, delicate gift as Carlile’s; her youth belies a determined, contemplative spirit” Vicki Love, The Examiner 2007

“Solfa Carlile’s Sounds is a witty response to the playful ideas of Brendan Kennelly’s poem” Michael Dervan, The Irish Times 2010

The Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra has announced Solfa as the winner of the 2010/2011 award for a young composer.

Solfa has been commissioned to write a piece for wind, brass and percussion for performance in the orchestra’s January 2011 concert at the Town Hall, Reading.

Solfa has been selected to participate in composition masterclasses with Harrison Birtwistle at this year’s festival.

Written by Brian Hayes Curtin, Thursday 11th February, 2010

Cork born composer Solfa Carlile, is the winner of this year’s Jerome Hynes Composers Competition, awarded by The National Concert Hall. With an entry for voice and piano entitled ‘Sounds’ set to the poem of the same name by Irish poet Brendan Kennelly, Solfa won top place in the competition.

As well as securing a substantial cash prize of €1,500 Solfa will have her piece performed in recital by The National Concert Hall ‘Rising Star 2010′ mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught on Monday 1 March at 8pm. Judith Woodworth, Director of the National Concert Hall, commented:

“The Jerome Hynes’ Competition offers an important platform for aspiring composers throughout Ireland. Endorsing and encouraging young musicians is an important part of what we do here at the Hall so we are delighted to announce that Solfa Carlile is this year’s winner. “Young musicians and composers are our future and it is of the utmost importance that they are supported to ensure the progress of new music in Ireland,” she added. Solfa said, “I was delighted to be chosen as the winner. As a young composer, it is very important for me to have my work recognised in Ireland and it doesn’t get any better than The National Concert Hall. Although based in London I am very much an Irish composer and it shows in my music. I am also particularly pleased that my piece ‘Sounds’ is based on a poem by one of my favourite poets – Brendan Kennelly”.

The Ossian Ensemble, Okeanos, London Irish Symphony Orchestra and Composers Ensemble, UK have performed Solfa’s music, among others. In 2007 she was commissioned to write a flute-concerto for international soloist James Strauss. The work, ‘The Silkie Wife’ was performed in Brazil, in June 2008.

Commissions also include an epic-work, ‘Deirdre and Naoise’, which was performed by the London Irish Symphony Orchestra in 2007. Her piece ‘Abeo’, for Brass Sextet, was awarded the Concerto Prize at RCM in 2009. She is now studying for a Masters in Advanced Composition at the RCM, supported by the Sir Richard Stapley Trust. She first began composing at the age of 11.

Solfa is honoured to have been invited to attend a week of composition masterclasses with Sir Harrison Birtwistle during the 2010 Dartington International Summer School. The annual event takes place at the heart of the idyllic Dartington Hall estate, just outside Totnes in South Devon. Every summer the estate welcomes a vibrant community of musicians and music lovers drawn from all corners of the globe.