Catriona Morison, mezzo-soprano

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

My mum is a musician, and she was my first musical influence, hearing her play or teach the piano at home as I was growing up. My great grandmother, who was still alive when I was a little child, was also a pianist and she played for the silent films at the then Empire Theatre (now Festival Theatre) in Edinburgh. I love that music has been in my family for generations and am lucky that I was encouraged from a young age to play and sing. I think it’s one of the biggest gifts that you can give a child.

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

When I graduated from Opera School at the RCS, I made the decision to move to Germany with the hope of building a career over here. I didn’t have a clue how it would work out, but I gave it my all and applied for as much as I could. Inevitably a lot of rejection came hand in hand with putting myself forward for everything, and I found that hard to deal with when the path forward was so unclear.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?

Probably the final of Cardiff Singer of the World back in 2017. I was incredibly nervous, felt so much pressure, couldn’t sleep or eat very well, but despite all of that, I’m proud of how I managed to go out on stage and connect with the music and characters I was singing, and most importantly, I really enjoyed it. The fact that it was live on TV and Radio gave an added pressure, but I know that if I can manage that, I can manage anything.

Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?

It would have to be Mahler. There’s something about how his music sits for the mezzo voice, and how he set text to music. I find it so moving and such a gift to sing. Brahms comes a close second though!

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

That is often dependent on the requests that come in, but I do also have a repertoire wish list that I’m slowly ticking off.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

I always love going back to Wigmore Hall. The acoustics there make it so enjoyable and easy to sing the widest range of dynamics and the voice just flies out of the audience.

What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?

It sounds a bit vague, but living life, riding the highs and lows of the human experience, taking in everything around me, and noticing how the world moves and reacts. I try to practice reflection, self-care, keep an open mind in life, and go with the natural ups and downs, sometimes more successfully than others. I think that the ability to feel and access emotion is a vital part of being a musician, and you can only really do that in music if you can do that in real life.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

A recent performance of Mahler’s 3rd Symphony in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic and Mo. Bychkov will stay with me for a long time to come. The string section of that orchestra has the most sumptuous sound, and Mo. Bychkov got the most spine-tingling quality and emotion out of the orchestra. The two movements I sing in were so real and honest. And sitting in the middle of the orchestra, hearing the outpouring of love and emotion during the final movement brought me to tears, which rarely happens to me.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

I really love this question, because I think success means something different to all of us, even amongst musicians. I think I can honestly say that my definition of success has grown with my career. But on a more regular and moment by moment level, success to me has mostly to do with how I’m able to use my technique and access emotion when performing, living in the moment of a performance, creating something new and special every time, and learning and growing from my musical experiences.

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

It all starts with music education, which should be available to everyone from a young age. At school, but also through local authorities, and at a national level. Children are the future audiences and musicians, and we need to invest in them.

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

Specifically for singers – vocal health. We should be taught at conservatoire level way more about the anatomy of the voice, what to do to keep it in good shape, what not to do, how to care for your voice when you’re ill, and how to cope if something serious happens. If you look at athletes, injury can happen, even if they try to do everything right. Singers are no different, we are vocal athletes.

What advice would you give to young or aspiring musicians?

Trust yourself. Advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to let go, because often the magic is found when you take a risk. Build your support team who will celebrate your achievements with you and hold you up when times are tough.

What is your most treasured possession?

My heart.

What is your present state of mind?

Content – I’ve had a productive morning, and I’ve just finished a couple of hours of practice on a fiendish opera role, and I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere with it. That’s a good feeling!

Catriona Morison appears on ECHOES with soprano Katharina Konradi and pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz

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