Originally posted at Meet the Artist:

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

As a child I was always singing, and took part in music festivals and amateur dramatics. In my teens, I started to pursue singing more seriously, but had thought I would read English at university. It was whilst studying for GCSE Music that my teacher said that I should really think about doing a degree in Music. Until then I hadn’t really even considered it as a possibility.

Who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

I am absolutely indebted to all of my teachers, all of whom have invested a huge amount in Continue reading →

Originally posted at Composers Edition:

Ruthless Jabiru presents Bushra El-Turk’s hard-hitting opera Silk Moth alongside works by Liza Lim and Cassandra Miller at the Arcola Theatre in London’s East End, August 9-11. Composers Edition’s Dan Goren caught up with the pioneering musical director Kelly Lovelady to find out more.

Dan Goren: Tell me how you’ve come to be producing this first fully-staged production of Silk Moth and what drew you to it.

Kelly Lovelady: I had been wanting to programme something of Bushra’s for years so when I had the chance to dream up some new programme ideas I went through her works list with a fine comb. The instrumentation of Silk Moth for a single vocalist and mixed Continue reading →

Originally posted at eleanorknight2016 :

“What would you say to your dead wife or daughter if she were still here?”

“I would say that I acted out of love, and I know that she would understand.”

This  exchange appears in Witold Szablowski’s collection of reportage from Turkey, The Assassin from Apricot City and simply and devastatingly illustrates the complexity of ‘honour’.

Honour, as I understand it as I sit here tapping away in East Sussex, is about acting with ethical integrity, with an awareness of a higher purpose, of doing the best one can as a human being.

Continue reading →