Your talent as a saxophonist and composer is remarkable. Could you share how you began your musical journey and some of the memorable experiences you’ve had along the way?

That is very kind of you to say, thank you! I’m the only musician in my immediate family, so I was very lucky to have supportive parents when I first started on the flute when I was 11. I knew I wanted to play the saxophone (maybe because of Lisa Simpson? I’m a 90s kid after all!), and my school made us start on flute or clarinet before switching over to sax. I’m thankful for that because I still play the flute and it’s a common double as a saxophonist! When I started saxophone at age 12, I was introduced to jazz and the music of Cannonball Adderley, and really haven’t stopped since. 

When I was at university for music, I was fascinated by composition, but ultimately did a performance major. Actually, as a ‘backup’, I completed two undergrad degrees in 6 years: a music degree in saxophone performance, and a science degree with a major in psychology. Somehow in my final year of undergrad in 2015, the idea of film composing became planted in my mind. I don’t remember what lit the spark, but it resonated stronger than almost anything I’d experienced. I applied for a grant to study with a local film composer, and after it was rejected, I decided it wasn’t meant to be. I thought there was no real future career in music, so I shadowed and tested out other options: occupational therapy, counselling, music therapy, and library work. But two years into my day job as a library assistant, I knew I wanted something different with my life, and the fire for film composition came back in full force. That year, I was finally successful in receiving a grant to mentor with a composer.

One of the main catalysts to the path I’m currently on happened about a year later at my first film industry meet-and-greet. I didn’t know anyone, and I was sick with nerves. Luckily, a filmmaker/songwriter struck up a conversation and told me about her experience with the Banff musician residency and encouraged me to apply. I was accepted into this residency in 2019 and thankfully received a scholarship to attend. During those two weeks in the rocky mountains I became reacquainted with my saxophone, started shedding the negative habits I developed during music school, and wrote the first couple songs that are featured on my latest album, Interblaze. I also had the fortune of meeting Canadian jazz vocalist Laila Biali, who introduced me to saxophonist Jeff Coffin (the guest artist on that same album). These experiences and rediscovery of my love for music helped me leave my job at the library, and move to London for the year to do a Masters in Film Composition. It’s been a very interesting path so far, and at times it’s been quite difficult. But I honestly can’t picture myself doing anything else!

Given your strong foundation in jazz music, do you find that your work in film composing is influenced by jazz as well? What insights from your studies of jazz have you been able to apply to your role as a film composer?

My work as a film composer is most definitely influenced by my jazz background – and vice versa! Within my film scores, I tend to explore the harmonic extensions that are often found in jazz progressions; I like the process of auditioning different tensions to tap into the emotional subtleties of a scene. I’m particularly intrigued by the sounds of half and fully diminished 7th chords, minor & major 6ths, and quartal harmony, but I am careful to serve the story while scoring a film. 

Because I began my career in jazz, any insights I have gained are inherent and second nature as a composer; it’s still my own voice that I’m writing with whether it’s for a film score or for a stand-alone jazz album. Where I’ve noticed greater influence, however, is my experience as a film composer on my jazz career. Being a jazz musician can be intimidating and disheartening, especially as an introverted woman in a male-dominated industry. Film composing reminded me why I love music, and gave me the freedom to express myself in a new way while forming relationships within a different creative field. I didn’t feel the same pressure, and it taught me how to really let things go and serve a bigger story. At first, there were two versions of my musical self in my head: the self-critical saxophonist, and the curious film composer. Gradually, I began feeling more inquisitive and confident in my jazz career because of the film work.

Your latest album, Interblaze (released in March 2023), is absolutely captivating, featuring dynamic energy and engaging melodies. You collaborated with some exceptional musicians, including three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin, Grammy-winning keyboardist Glenn Patscha, Kurdish guitarist Shvan Kaban, and many talented Nova Scotian musicians, including co-producer Chris Mitchell. Could you elaborate on the experience of working with these artists? How much of the album’s music is improvised, and what does collaboration mean for you and your band members?

Firstly, thank you for listening! This particular album means a lot to me, and was quite the process; I truly found my voice with this release, and it demonstrates the recent strides I’ve made as a jazz composer and my blossoming confidence as a saxophonist and improviser. I was incredibly fortunate to work with the artists featured on “Interblaze”. Over the years I’ve performed with talented Nova Scotian musicians, and was over the moon to showcase their voices on this project. It was also a full-circle experience to have my university saxophone professor Chris Mitchell co-produce and play baritone sax! I had certain artist sounds in mind while arranging the music, like the accordion and B3 organ playing of Glenn Patscha, and the rock guitar technique of Shvan Kaban, a close friend I made during my Masters program in London, England. It was also an absolute honour to collaborate with Jeff Coffin: I’m a huge fan of his sound and the work he did with Bela Fleck. He’s a wealth of knowledge, and such a kind human. It was seriously a dream to have him on board! 

Because it was a larger group, the majority of the music was arranged for that particular ensemble, with dedicated improvised sections within the songs to showcase the improvisations of each musician. Jazz is all about improvisation and I wanted to honour its roots, so it was important to allow space for the musicians to express themselves. I also believe collaboration is integral to this process; as a bandleader, I openly welcome ideas from the musicians I work with because I know that they have a unique set of skills and experiences that differ from my own.

In addition to your composing endeavours, you actively perform and tour as a saxophonist. With your upcoming tour in September to promote Interblaze, I’m curious to know how your approach to music differs when you are performing in front of an audience compared to the process of composing.

The mindset I have when I perform for an audience is quite different to my composition process, and I really enjoy that I have a balance of both in my music career. Performing live is entirely based in ‘the now’. I prepare as much as I can for the show to be as successful, and I usually have a decent bout of nerves before starting, but once I’m on stage I let go and enjoy the moment. This also differs greatly if I’m leading the band, or if I’m playing in someone else’s group. I find leading to be much more mentally demanding, but it’s also quite rewarding. 

I like how this excitement and direct connection with audiences is balanced with the quiet, low-pressure creativity of the composition process. There’s an opportunity to try ideas and experiment in the comfort of my studio, with time and privacy to figure things out. Having these two contrasting music approaches has been an essential asset in my career, because I love playing my saxophone and meeting people, and I also love being a studio hermit.

You often engage in projects that carry significant social messages. Recently, you composed an orchestral piece funded by the Canada Council for the Arts during the La Napoule Canadian Artist Residency, which addresses the impacts of climate change on coastal communities. You are also currently involved in creating an animated short film for the National Film Board that depicts the filmmaker’s experience with sexual assault as a young girl through innovative sand and salt animation. What motivates you to participate in such meaningful projects? Could you share some insights into how you curate an appropriate sonic palette for these sensitive topics?

I’ve always been an empathetic person, and through my psychology background and working in the public library system, I’ve learned a lot about the human experience. I know that I come from a place of privilege and have made the effort to better understand my own emotions, thought patterns, and passions. This, coupled with both negative and positive experiences in the music industry, I’ve realized how crucial it is to try to boost others up, lend a hand, and help tell their stories.

When I’m developing a sonic palette for these sensitive topics, particularly for film, I have multiple discussions and spotting sessions with the filmmaker to ensure that I understand their story. For the NFB short that I’m currently working on, I listened deeply to the filmmaker’s experiences, and worked together to be comfortable with vulnerability. It’s a difficult true story of the filmmaker, who as a young girl faced sexual assault in Nova Scotia. The story compares the girl’s experience to that of a seal escaping a predator, drawing on the Celtic myth of the selkie. Because the film is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, I decided to use Canadian East Coast instruments in non-traditional ways, such as using only the drones from the bagpipe, to show a twisted sense of familiarity, like the girl in the film would be experiencing. I’ve relied on music references that the filmmaker provided, and have been regularly consulting her to ensure I’m supporting the story she wants to tell. 

Interview by Amanda Cawley.

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