LifeLine: An Interview with Musical Director Michael Chang

How did you come to be involved in the project?

Our family have been involved with Galway Community Circus since our children were born, having taken part in Family Circus and then Toddler Circus...my son just finished up in Fleas Birdies Circus, and is only devastated that he's too young to have a starring role on the highwire in LifeLine! I have always admired the GCC's positive approach to inclusivity, encouragement, physical fitness, mental health, and teamwork. When I heard about LifeLine, I approached the creative team and enquired about the project...they were aware of my work and one thing lead to another.

What inspired you when composing the music?

I attended several of the early training sessions and spoke with the teachers, gathering information about the mechanics of funambulism and the physical demands of balancing on the wire. I also spent time interviewing several students, asking about what motivated them to take on this challenge and the process they went through to build the level of skill and confidence necessary to achieve this incredible goal. Key words kept coming up, like fear, courage, vulnerability, joy, calm...all these feelings were present in the walkers, sometimes all happening at the same time! There's an arc to the progress, from absolute beginner to competent wire walker, and with that arc comes a series of emotions that coincide with each stage of achievement. I tried to encapsulate these feelings and capture this arc in a musical way, and tell the story of the process of the walker, all while keeping in mind the pacing and tempo of the walk itself. Overall, I wanted the composition to have a sense of serenity, and ultimately, hope. I also wanted to create a piece of music that unites the walkers with the audience, with the observers and supporters just as invested in the process as the walkers themselves...though it's an individual up there on the wire with a single voice, the audience is present in the music through the orchestration of multiple instruments.

How many musicians were involved in recording the music? Can you tell us a bit about the process?

Galway is blessed with the brilliant ConTempo Quartet as its Ensemble in Residence, and I have been fortunate enough to have worked with them on previous compositions. Everything they touch turns into musical gold. I wrote this piece of music with the ConTempos in mind, with parts written specifically for Bogdan, Ingrid, Andreea, and Adrian, and I am honoured to be collaborating with them again. It's a composer's dream to have no limits when writing music, knowing full well that whatever you write will be elevated and performed at the highest level. Not surprisingly, the ConTempos are high in demand, but I was lucky to have secured them for a recording session one late evening, after they had already played a concert to a full house, but of course they were still able to muster up the strength necessary to perform my piece beautifully. I also had the pleasure of working with Mila Maia, an amazing flautist, pianist, and composer who has established herself as a strong session player in traditional music circles in Galway. She has also carved a new niche in the music scene here, playing music from her native Brazil and working on projects performing tunes from multiple genres. She plays her flute with precision and an astute attention to nuance, and she brings a sensitivity to the composition which personifies the emotion of the single voice of the walker, in all its vulnerability, strength, and calm.

I am thrilled to have worked with my dear friend and constant collaborator, Philip Fogarty. A native of Clare, Philip is a piano player, multi-instrumentalist, and composer with whom I have had the pleasure of performing together on many stages, playing his own original music, as well as the music of Radiohead under our pet-project Tradiohead. His piano performance on the composition is strong and bright, serving as a lighthouse over the sea of emotions and allowing the single voice of Mila's flute to find its way, and Philip's piano brings a fullness and foundation which links the multiple parts of the composition together. Interestingly, it's not easy nor cheap to find a good piano for a recording session in Galway, so Philip was kind enough to open the door to his own house...we recorded his performance in his living room, as Philip played his beautiful upright Grotrian-Steinweg from 1934, originally belonging to the Van Den Burg family in Amersfoort in the Netherlands, but was transported when the Jewish family fled during the Second World War and the piano eventually found its way to the West of Ireland. I like to think all of that history plays a role in defining the unique character of the piano's sound and adds to the depth of the composition.

Last, I am very grateful to have worked with Ed Kenehan, the sound engineer who recorded all these performances at different stages and mixed them down as one complete and comprehensive piece. I have enjoyed working with Ed on several projects, in the studio and in live-performance settings alike, and he is always professional, patient, and highly efficient, all great attributes when you are trying to get the best out of musicians while they are "in the zone". He has an incredible ear and a meticulous attention to detail...I truly believe he can hear things that only dogs, babies, and bats can hear! Because we only had one quartet to work with (and an incredible quartet at that!), we recorded the ConTempo Quartet on multiple tracks and did this repeatedly...Ed was able to navigate his way through all these recordings and mix them together, so as to create the sound of a full chamber orchestra.

How do you feel about having the opportunity to be involved in this project?

I am honoured to be involved in LifeLine, and play a small part in bringing Artistic Director Ulla Hokkanen's inspiring vision to fruition. I think it's an important piece of work...it will bring so many individuals from all walks of life to one place to perform a singular task, but the whole effect of all these funambulists walking together is much greater than the sum of its parts. Especially in light of the past couple of years of isolation we've all had, Galway is in need of a spectacle of this calibre, where performers and audience can unite to share an amazing achievement and a truly transformative experience.

I am looking forward to seeing the unique choreography from the seven youth ensembles from various European countries, who will each perform as a group to my composition, and then as a finale, they will collaborate and create a final performance together over the Claddagh Basin featuring all the walkers from each youth ensemble. I am also excited to see the performances of professional walkers over the River Corrib, along with additional performers from local circus groups from all over Ireland, and the audience will enjoy traditional Irish music performed live from world-class musicians based here in Galway. Finally, the world premiere of BassAlto will serve as a visual and aural treat for everyone, and I can't wait to see their show...it will be an incredible day out for everyone!

About Michael Chang

Michael Chang is a composer, musician, and performer based in Galway. He is an active performer in Galway’s vibrant traditional Irish music scene, where he hosts several trad sessions per week, and has performed on over 35 Irish albums to date. In 2009, he began working with Branar Téatar do Pháistí, where he has since collaborated on nine productions. His most recent projects include composing the score for Branar’s Galway 2020 production Sruth na Teanga, co-writing and performing their show Rockin’ Rhymes, and composing the music for You'll See, a retelling of James Joyce's Ullyses to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of its publication. Michael has also spent the past several years collaborating with Creative Sensory Educator Phillida Eves, devising and performing shows specifically to empower and engage neurodiverse children. Their most recent show Hear Our Voice was featured in Baboró International Arts Festival for Children the past two years, and continues to tour special schools throughout Ireland. Michael is the Musical Director of Galway Community Circus’ spectacle event, LifeLine, and is also composing new music for several theatre productions currrently in development. For more information, please visit http://www.michaelchang.ie.

Music Credits

European Youth Ensemble Music

Strings: ConTempo Quartet
-Bogdan Sofei - violin I
-Ingrid Nicola - violin II
-Andreea Banciu - viola
-Adrian Mantu - cello
Flute: Mila Maia
Piano: Philip Fogarty
Other instrumentation created and recorded by Michael Chang and Ed Kenehan
Studio Engineer: Ed Kenehan
Music composed by Michael Chang
Music produced by Ed Kenehan and Michael Chang

LifeLine Trad Band

Liz Coleman: fiddle
Páidín Breathnach: uilleann pipes, whistles
Áine McHugh: concertina
Freda Hatton: harp, whistles
Tommy Carew: guitar

Thank yous:

Marianne Ní Chinnéide, O'Donogue Centre
Mike O’Hallloran, O'Donogue Centre
Sarah Timmins, O'Donogue Centre
Maeve Bryan, Galway Music Residency
Fergal McGrath, Town Hall Theatre
Pete Ashton, Town Hall Theatre
ConTempo Quartet
Philip Fogarty and Anna Lardi
Mila Maia
Valerie Parker
Sadhbh Chang
Eoghan Chang