Shanan Estreicher, composer

Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life and career as a composer?

I am profoundly influenced as a composer by the music of Claudio Monteverdi, Laurence Crane, and Ann Southam. I look to Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 as my ultimate model. It perfectly balances the flowing tapestry of Renaissance counterpoint with the melodies and harmonies of early Baroque opera. The British composer Laurence Crane’s work brilliantly explores small moments and is not overly concerned with following traditional classical rules. Canadian composer Ann Southam’s music seems to come from a place of sheer beauty and grace. Even though it can be quite complex and dense, it always feels natural and almost folk-like.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far? 

Honestly, the greatest challenge of my career has been my own unhealthy and unrealistic expectations of what it means to be a classical composer. For nearly fifteen years after my undergraduate studies, I built up a creative wall that made composing nearly impossible. I had an inner dialogue which convinced me I was not technically qualified to write classical music. And yet, during that time, I had the most beautiful creative ideas for works that never came to fruition due to my own insecurities. Thankfully, age, experience, and true grit pulled me through this internal block and allowed me to write again with joy and freedom. 

What are the special challenges/pleasures of working on a commissioned piece? 

I am a social creature by nature. I look at all commissions as a collaborative process and an opportunity to make music with people. It is a great joy to solve the many puzzles that come with collaborations. How do I serve the instrumentation? How do I honor the concert theme? How do I fit and shape my ideas into the piece length? How do I make something that will be beautiful and satisfying for the musicians and audience? 

What are the special challenges/pleasures of working with particular musicians, singers, ensembles or orchestras? 

I find great pleasure in working with singers. As a singer and teacher of the voice, I believe singing is a pure and emotionally vulnerable form of artistic expression. 

Of which works are you most proud?

I am most proud of my latest work, A Concordance of Leaves, which is a thirty-five-minute cantata with text from the incredible poet Philip Metres. This was the first time I set poetry which was so emotionally and socially challenging. The poem follows the story of a wedding in Palestine between the author’s American sister and her Palestinian fiancé. As a Jewish American, I had to look deeply and honestly at the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through fresh eyes. Incidentally, I composed the piece long before the current conflict, and the poetry itself could have been written about the joining of families from any territory with complicated histories. We had originally intended for the recording to be released in mid-November, but while everything was still just developing and very strong emotions were running high, it felt like the wrong place at the wrong time. That said, the experience of rehearsing, premiering, and recording this work has been one of the greatest, most thought-provoking, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life.

How would you characterise your compositional language?

My language is deeply melodic and texturally rich. I was weaned on American folk music and classic rock. Melody is crucial for me. It does not have to be tuneful. You do not need to walk around whistling it, but there must be that element of melodic line, the natural rise and fall. It is our most natural expression of breath and language. I get very excited to find unique and surprising textures to go under or along those melodies. My language unashamedly embraces pathos, sentimentality, and beauty. My music, my teaching, my relationships, and my life, are ultimately about heart.

How do you work?

My working style has always been, dare I say, quite messy, at least in the initial stages. The way I learned to push past the creative blocks I formed after my conservatory studies was to initially throw all my technical skills of motivic development, form, orchestration, and everything else in the garbage. I try to get myself into a flow state and just play with the musical ideas that come to me. This is often done with hours of improvisation with piano and singing. I end up with lots of random notes on my desk, unintelligible scribbles on manuscript paper, and endless voice memos on my phone. Once I have an idea that feels good, I then start the wrestling match with the piece until it surrenders its secrets and fully reveals itself to me. The idea eventually dictates the content. Once I have this clear in my head, the music ends up writing itself, as they say. I also get very excited during the editing process. It is a lot of fun to get the piece dressed up and ready for its premiere. 

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Success for me is in those creative moments where I am able to balance authentic voice, emotional vulnerability, and technical skill. 

What advice would you give to young/aspiring composers?

I would tell them to trust their voice. No study, technical training, mentorship, or intellectual pursuit will ultimately be as important as honouring your voice. 

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?

We should commission more new works that are influenced by the classical repertoire. We should also find fresh ways to present Medieval and Renaissance music to new audiences. It is very exciting music that is often presented as purely historic museum pieces. 

What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about but you think we should be?

We are not talking about all the excellent crossover music that is being created. Composers are breaking down genres. They are utilizing more improvisation, non-traditional instruments, electronics, and multimedia.

What is your present state of mind?

My present state of mind is gratitude: for the gift of teaching music to at-risk students in the New York City public school system for nearly eighteen years and for the beautiful music I have made with people throughout my career.

Shanan Estreicher’s album, A Concordance of Leaves is available now

https://www.estreicher.com