Composer Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre, the man dubbed "The king of choral music," loves poetry and is fond of quoting these words from an ancient Buddhist prayer.
"In my music, what I imagine people are expecting, and are hoping for, is a combination of these dense, ecstatic, clusters of moments that send chills down your back, a spiritual experience, which listeners are hoping to be transformed through.
"I take that to heart. It's a responsibility, and I want to help them. 'May I be a boat for those who cross the water' — that's what I hope to do with my music — but it can paralyse you creatively."
The still youthful, self-described Grammy Award-winning American composer, conductor and speaker, who defies the stereotypes of the choral director, is one of the most recognisable names in choral music.
His emotive, ecstatic sound, with its trademark arresting dissonances, has won hearts all over the world, and became a YouTube sensation for the first time in 2009 (years before the pandemic turned many of us on to choral singing) when his series of pioneering Virtual Choirs brought together more than 100,000 singers from over 145 countries.
But now, at 55, after several decades of roller-coaster success, he's feeling the weight and expectation of his fame.
"The kids, they remind you, how fresh the world is and how new it is."
Signed to Decca in 2010 for his first album Light and Gold, which won him the Grammy, Eric left his base in Los Angeles to live the UK for six years until 2016, immersing himself in the English choral tradition whilst undertaking a residency at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. "For me the English choral tradition going all the way back, is really some of the most beautiful music ever written."
These days he lives in Antwerp with his wife, the Belgian soprano Laurence Servaes. He's the father of a 4 year-old and a 19 year-old, and almost wistfully recalls his own baby steps as a musician and composer.
"The kids, they remind you, how fresh the world is and how new it is. I found myself, when I began. I didn't read music. I started singing in choir at 18 and wrote my first piece at 21.
"Every day then was electric, brand new. And there was a sense of playfulness about it. I was only making to make a thing. There was nothing else. Now it's career. Each piece comes with a commission and a level of expectation."
"From that day on I was the world's biggest choir geek."
Born in 1970, in a small town in the Nevada desert, Eric recalls he had "an insatiable curiosity" as a child.
Then as a teenager he became obsessed with making music with computers: "I wanted to be the fifth member of Depeche Mode," the 1980s British electronic music group.
He was a big fan of Wendy Carlos too, and became the proud owner of one of the very first EMU drumulators and an Ensoniq ESQ-1 thanks to the proceeds from a McDonald's commercial he made when he was 14.
"My life was really transformed by those instruments (and that commercial both in terms of music and in terms of girls). Especially because I think I learned basic counterpoint and formal structure from sequencing songs I wrote on the ESQ-1."
But apart from noodling on his grandmother's piano and playing in a techno-pop band, Eric, had no idea of where he was heading, so he joined a choir.
The director David Weiller had heard him improvising in his unsuccessful audition for a music scholarship to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and invited him to come along to a choir rehearsal of Mozart's Requiem. "I've never been transformed the way I was then. I was standing in the middle of counterpoint and sophistication and elegance that I didn't even know existed. From that day on, I was the world's biggest choir geek."
Composer and conductor Eric Whitacre. ( Supplied: Eric Whitacre. )
David Weiller, Eric's "most important mentor," not only got him singing but encouraged him to conduct and compose. He wrote his piece Go Lovely Rose for Weiller as a gift. Later he asked Eric to become assistant conductor on West Side Story. "It changed my life."
Go Lovely Rose is one of the first pieces with Eric's instantly recognizable musical style, which he suspects evolved from that time. Particularly the ways he uses harmonic suspensions; moments where two or three-note clusters sound, then move apart and resolve.
"I went to a concert in Phoenix, part of the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association. There was music by Pärt, Tavener, Bernstein… that completely blew my mind. Another influence was an album called Hearing Solar Winds by David Hykes and the Harmonic Choir. All these came together and combined with all the film music I knew from the 1980s." Eric has since worked with the legendary Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer.
At the age of 25, he moved to New York to undertake his masters at Juilliard. After a disastrous period of "tough love" with his first composition supervisor David Diamond, whose policy with mavericks like Eric was "to crush and rebuild," he found someone much more sympathetic: John Corigliano.
"From John I learnt how to structure what I was writing. He taught me to take a giant piece of paper and draw the entire architecture of the piece from beginning to end, before I'd written a note, and the idea has served me well ever since."
"I feel like a kid again."
Eric is a frequent and very welcome visitor to Australia to conduct our choirs and run workshops, and I found him delightfully open, thoughtful and optimistic in our interview.
In June he conducted the Australian premiere of one of his recent successes, Eternity in an Hour, with Vox, the young-adult ensemble of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, the joint commissioners with the BBC Proms which premiered Eternity last year, and Flemish Radio Choir.
Inspired by the words of William Blake, it's scored for a blend of voices, string quartet, piano and "an ethereal blanket of electronics." It was the first time Eric had conducted and performed live synths on-stage since his teens. "I feel like a kid again."
"I'm hoping that I can continue this, performing live with electronics, singers, and instrumentalists; maybe ramping it up, making it more theatrical with lighting, and in big beautiful spaces like cathedrals and warehouses."
"The current political climate is compelling me even further, to just make beautiful things a bigger truth."
Living as an expat in Belgium, "Proper Europe" as he describes it, has given Eric a very different perspective on his birthplace and "Trump's America."
"Americans live to work, but working to live is the European way and is woven into every fabric of life. It took me many months to move to a slower pace, and see deep wisdom, it's changed my way of living."
His music has changed too. "There is this freedom in the USA that you can express yourself boldly and loudly and wear your heart on your sleeve. However, my impression of the art I've experienced here, is that it's been intellectualised into an oblivion. It's lost the ability to connect, human being to human being. There's no sense of it being a communal experience that changes things or transforms us.
"But I think I'm writing a little less American, more subtle. More refined writing as I've learnt the rhythm of Europe. For me, art must be a balance of intellectual rigour and emotional depth."
Earlier this year his violin concerto The Pacific Has No Memory, inspired by the Los Angeles-area wildfires in January this year, was premiered at Carnegie Hall by Anne Akiko Meyers and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with a further performance this month from co-commissioners, the Colorado Music Festival.
"It's an odd thing. Often people are talking to an 'idea of me.' I'm humbled by that. I'm the first born child and a people pleaser, but I also feel compelled to grow."
In a world smitten by wars and an exponential growth in human anxiety, Eric says he'll continue to gravitate towards things that are beautiful.
"Even if it's tough, grief, it's always with an eye towards beauty. The current political climate is compelling me even further, to just make beautiful things a bigger truth. It's the only thing I can do. I feel powerless otherwise. It's my contribution to the conversation."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
The Hottest 200 of Australian Songs is coming to Double J
The Hottest 100 of Australian Songs has been an amazing celebration of the music that has been important to the people of our nation. Look, we know making that list of 10 songs was hard. But hopefully it feels worth it now. We know that some of your favourite songs didn't make it, even though they really, really should have. And we know you want to know which songs just missed out on the countdown. So, all week on Double J we will count down the songs that made it to 200-101 in the official vote count. Every morning with Michael Hing, and every afternoon with Dylan Lewis, we'll count down 10 songs that didn't quite squeeze into the main list. If the Hottest 100 is anything to go by, it's going to be another amazing list of songs. If that doesn't work for you, or you just feel like throwing another party, we'll play the full list of 200-101 on Double J next Saturday 2 August. Tune into Mornings with Michael Hing and Arvos with Dylan Lewis on Double J from Monday to hear the Hottest 200 of Australian songs all week.
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
Gwyneth Paltrow becomes Astronomer 'spokesperson' after Coldplay concert saga
Tech company Astronomer has poked fun at its recent Coldplay concert scandal by hiring band frontman Chris Martin's ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, as a "temporary spokesperson". The company made headlines last week when its married CEO, Andy Byron, and HR chief, Kristin Cabot, were captured together on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert. Martin was heard saying: "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." Both of them later resigned from their positions at Astronomer and the fallout made global headlines and led to a string of internet memes. Now, the company appears to be using its newfound internet fame as a promotional tool. A company video captioned "thankyou for your interest in Astronomer" opens with actor Paltrow saying: "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days and they wanted me to answer the most common ones." A title on the screen reads: "OMG what the actual F." "Unifying the experience of running data, ML and AI pipelines at scale," she answers. "We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data automation. As for the other questions we've received — yes! There's still room available at our Beyond Analytics event in September. Paltrow then goes on to talk about the company and its upcoming events. "Thank you for your interest in Astronomer." Astronomer was a previously obscure tech company based in New York. It provides companies with a platform that helps them organise their data. Before Ms Cabot and Mr Byron resigned, the company posted a statement on its LinkedIn and X accounts saying it would conduct a formal investigation into the pair's actions. "Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding," it said. "Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. "The board of directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly. "[Astronomer senior director, people] Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. "Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect." The company did not mention the Coldplay concert in its statement. It instead referred to an "event" and used careful, vague wording like "this matter". Now, it appears the company has embraced the reason for its sudden fame and, perhaps in an intentional move, picked Paltrow because she is Martin's ex-wife.
SBS Australia
5 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Are cost-of-living pressures and streaming platform algorithms killing Australian music?
Triple J's Saturday debut of its Hottest 100 of Australian songs has prompted many to reflect on the state of the local music industry — and the sobering reality that perhaps the biggest hurdle is cost. An April report from Creative Australia found 62 per cent of Australians say music is really important to them — but cost is the main barrier to attending live shows. While 66 per cent said they want to hear more local music, many still prioritise saving up their dollars to see international acts — simply because they're rarer. FBi Radio's Tyson Koh says people tightening their hip pockets are having a direct flow-on effect on the industry, especially community radio, which has long been considered a cornerstone of the Australian music scene. FBi Radio — where Koh is managing director — has been an institution in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern since 2003, bolstered mostly by community memberships. But in June, it had to cut half its permanent staff after entering a period of "extreme financial distress". It still isn't out of the woods. "We found that in this brave new world of digital streaming and social media, a few people had taken our service for granted," Koh said. "They were still listening to the station — but because they already had several other subscription-based services to keep up with, we'd gotten lost in the mix." Tyson Koh says the cost of living crisis and growth of algorithmic music streaming is affecting community radio stations such as FBi, which could close its doors if not enough funding is secured. Source: Supplied / John Feder As cost-of-living pressures linger, Koh says discretionary spending — such as going to live gigs or subscribing to community radio stations — is becoming harder to justify. "We really need our listeners to show up for us if we are to survive." "I think we have to decide as a society whether music is important … if we can agree on that, then the question comes down to support and participation." Less disposable income, fewer ticket sales Joe Draffen, bassist for Melbourne band Floodlights, says the rising cost of living is also affecting artists. "The current economic climate has made it harder to sell tickets, as many people just don't have as much disposable income right now due to the rising cost of living," Draffen said. "On top of that, our own expenses have gone up, which meant ticket prices had to increase too." Melbourne-based band Floodlights say the cost of living crisis has put pressure on musicians, leading to slower ticket sales and higher touring costs. Source: Supplied / Matt Shaw "Touring's gotten a lot more expensive — flights, accommodation, gear hire, crew — it all adds up." The band has also been impacted by the closure of several music festivals across the country, which would typically bring more exposure and broaden their fan base. More than 25 music festivals across Australia have been cancelled since 2022, according to data from the Australian Festival Association. Community-led efforts still not enough Caitlin Welsh and Joe Hardy run a manually curated gig guide born from the loss of local music press and the lingering effects of Sydney's lockout laws. The guide briefly shut down in June due to a lack of funds, before a flurry of one-off donations and sponsorships allowed Welsh and Hardy to keep going — for now. "People hugely underestimate the amount of time and human labour it takes to manually research and compile the gig guide, as well as put together playlists and post daily lists to socials," Welsh told SBS News. "It's made by a small team of humans — including musicians and creatives who work with us as researchers — who need to be compensated for the amount of labour we're all doing in order to continue living in one of the most expensive cities in the world." Caitlin Welsh and Joe Hardy founded gig guide after frustrations with the diminishing Sydney music scene. But the cost of living is making it difficult for them to continue operating. Source: Supplied / Caitlin Welsh But live music spaces are becoming increasingly rare as venues face even more pressure to keep the doors open. India Wallis is a Brisbane-based musician and head of youth-focused record label Starving Kids, which runs a dedicated 150-capacity all-ages venue in Brisbane, serving musicians who are often booking their first show. "The gap between local acts and established acts seems to be getting wider," she told SBS News. "Brisbane is home to some great large-scale venues, but with more and more small venues closing, there are noticeably less opportunities for artists to cut their teeth." More than 1,300 live music venues and stages across Australia have been lost since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a 2023 report from music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS. Welsh added: "Venues are being bled by insurance premiums and rent and the alcohol excise, and they can't afford to run all-ages shows because they rely on bar sales to support putting on music at all, and punters can't afford to buy as many drinks as they used to because their rent is too damn high." "The narrowing of music participation to people who can afford to treat it as a hobby, or who are forced to accept poverty to keep doing it, is just as creatively flattening as the algorithm." Algorithms placing pressure on industry At the same time, streaming platforms such as Spotify are continuing to grow, with over nine million users in Australia. Date from market research firm Roy Morgan found Spotify had doubled its Australian user base between 2017 and 2020. Since 2017, the platform has moved towards algorithmically creating personalised music recommendations, informed by a user's listening history and preferences. Koh says this means that people are more likely to value platforms like these instead of community radio, which was traditionally a hub for music discoverability. "People lead such busy lives, so the amount of time that people can devote to going on their own musical journey and discovering new artists is getting more and more limited," he said. Koh says this convenience is creating a "giant homogenous culture". "One thing that social media and algorithms can't replace is the experience and joy of seeing a band. That's often where artists find their audiences and the people who they can take on the journey with them throughout their careers." Despite coming off their largest Australian tour so far, Floodlights say it's become harder to be discovered organically — even in the midst of a breakout moment. "There's so much music coming out every day, and unless you're backed by major playlists or algorithms, it's easy to get lost in the noise," Draffen said. Should Triple J be doing more? In the face of so many obstacles, musicians such as Ben Lee — who is expected to chart in Saturday's countdown for his hits Cigarettes Will Kill You and Catch My Disease — have called for the ABC's Triple J to do more to support Australian music, including restricting all Hottest 100 countdowns to only spotlight Australian songs. "At a time when there are so many platforms for international music discovery, I just don't see the logic in a taxpayer-funded station using their platform to promote international acts, many on major labels," Lee told SBS News. He said it was being run like a "commercial station that's constantly bending over backwards to increase listenership", primarily through bigger international artists. Lee added that it should move to play only Australian music across the board. "They could single-handedly lead the way to revitalising the Australian music industry if they wanted to. But it would mean stopping thinking of themselves as a commercial radio station, but rather as a mission-driven government utility," he said. The station has a mandated quota of 40 per cent for Australian music, but typically plays closer to the 50 per cent mark. Last week, Lee made similar remarks on both social media and to The Sydney Morning Herald. Head of Triple J Lachlan Macara told the Herald seeing local artists next to international names was what made the Hottest 100 " so special". He said the program "would love to see even more people and platforms supporting and prioritising Australian artists". Australian musician Ben Lee has called for Triple J to do more to support Australian music. Source: Getty / Martin Philbey But members of the industry are still conflicted over the best path forward. While Floodlights recently played their biggest headline shows across the country, Draffen said it's still difficult to cut through without support from Triple J. "We've really had to double down on staying connected with our audience and finding new ways to reach people but it's hard as Triple J doesn't really play us, which obviously makes it tougher to reach a wider audience in Australia," he said. Wallis said that while artists at her record label have seen "great support" from Triple J Unearthed, which features unsigned local acts, she wanted to see more. "I strongly believe Triple J should be focusing more on a diverse range of homegrown acts, rather than commercial, international acts that already have a platform." Welsh agrees the Hottest 100 should be all-Australian each year, but stopped short of supporting that across the board. "Nobody does more for Australian music than Triple J," she said. "The ones who are letting down Australian music are the commercial stations … There has been zero accountability for commercial radio formats to meet their local music quotas." Koh agreed: "We know that we're doing our bit, and I think Triple J does as well." FBi Radio also operates under a 50 per cent Australian music mandate, with half of that coming from Sydney. "I think it's important to see Australian music in a global context and that local artists just don't exist in a silo."
