American Dream
by Scott Wollschleger
Photo credit: Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti |
Hi Scott, Thanks for this interview. What are some of the most essential cultural occurrences that have informed your understanding of American Dream? When we talk about the “American Dream” the conversation usually ends up being a Rorschach test; people tend to project their desires, fears, and hopes onto the idea. Personally, I’ve never given the idea much serious thought, and I’ve always considered or sensed the notion of the American Dream to be a form of false consciousness. But even in my rejection of the idea, I’m maybe projecting something myself. |
Was it a particular moment or a collective of events that stirred you to the point of writing your own rendition of American Dream?
Like most of my recent work, American Dream ended up being about coming to terms with the end of world. Speaking more specifically, the catastrophe of the 2016-17 election cycle was definitely the main catalyst for writing the work. Writing American Dream was an exorcism that channeled my contradictory feelings of doom, despair and hope. But American Dream and its two companion works on the album were written over a two year period, so there were also many small, insignificant moments that inspired the work. For example, the first piece on the album, Gas Station Canon Song, was inspired by waning sunlight reflecting off of the walls of a gas station bathroom in rural, western Pennsylvania. Some moments where inspired by things as simple as looking up at the blue sky.
How do you see the progression of your music given the number of years you’ve written, edited, produced and have been involved in pretty much every facet of music making?
I think my work has become more focused and perhaps more “notated”. I’m always trying to get into a super basic essence in any musical idea. It’s like I’m always going backwards, trying to find that original moment you start over from. I’m always refining this process to get to the simplest idea possible.
What do you consider the most central art pieces with an undeniable influence on your work?
The answer here somewhat depends on what I’m into at this very moment. I tend to be very vagrant when it comes to influence; I allow a lot of things to creep in. Right now, the music of Sarah Hennies, Galina Ustvolskaya, and Laurence Crane are having a deep effect on my music. I’ve been really feeling the poetry of CA Conrad. Both Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht have had a huge influence on my thinking.
Like most of my recent work, American Dream ended up being about coming to terms with the end of world. Speaking more specifically, the catastrophe of the 2016-17 election cycle was definitely the main catalyst for writing the work. Writing American Dream was an exorcism that channeled my contradictory feelings of doom, despair and hope. But American Dream and its two companion works on the album were written over a two year period, so there were also many small, insignificant moments that inspired the work. For example, the first piece on the album, Gas Station Canon Song, was inspired by waning sunlight reflecting off of the walls of a gas station bathroom in rural, western Pennsylvania. Some moments where inspired by things as simple as looking up at the blue sky.
How do you see the progression of your music given the number of years you’ve written, edited, produced and have been involved in pretty much every facet of music making?
I think my work has become more focused and perhaps more “notated”. I’m always trying to get into a super basic essence in any musical idea. It’s like I’m always going backwards, trying to find that original moment you start over from. I’m always refining this process to get to the simplest idea possible.
What do you consider the most central art pieces with an undeniable influence on your work?
The answer here somewhat depends on what I’m into at this very moment. I tend to be very vagrant when it comes to influence; I allow a lot of things to creep in. Right now, the music of Sarah Hennies, Galina Ustvolskaya, and Laurence Crane are having a deep effect on my music. I’ve been really feeling the poetry of CA Conrad. Both Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht have had a huge influence on my thinking.
How much do you rely on your circle of friends, collaborators, and mentors for an honest review of your work? What’s your reaction to critical reviews and reception of your music by trained ears or novice listeners in audiences around the country and the world?
I rely heavily on close collaboration for each work. Most of my music has been written for close friends. They have all been extremely generous with their time. We will spend sometimes months workshopping various ideas until the piece starts to gel. Their feedback is essential, but my role is to create a vision of something that does not yet exist, and I can’t expect my collaborators to always know what’s right or wrong. Sometimes we’re not sure of the direction the work is taking us. I’m very grateful for the critical reception I’ve received. I tend to ignore reviews written by square-thinking people. Audience reception is very important to me, but I’m also very comfortable with only one or a handful of people liking a work. I recall a concert when a person turned around to me after my piece was done with tears in their eyes, all they said was, “Thank you for understanding”. At that same show, another person looked me straight in the face and said “Your piece really pissed me off.” Both of these reactions are beautiful. I recognize that my music can be polarizing, but when I speak with audiences before my music is performed I always remind them it is ok to let themselves wander, zone out, or get lost in the sound worlds I’m presenting to them. There’s no secret way to hear my work. It’s just an encounter that I urge folks to come to with an open mind and hear.
What can you tell us about your relationship with Bearthoven, a group that has performed and recorded a lot of your music including the most recent recording, American Dream?
I’m friends with all three members of Bearthoven; Karl Larson (piano), Matt Evans (percussion), Pat Swoboda (bass). The three of them have played my works in various capacities, but American Dream was the first work written exclusively for them. Karl and I have a particularly close collaboration. He’s played all of my music written for piano. In many respects, Karl is my prima ballerina.
You are as active as can be in the New York music scene but also in the new music hotspots around the country and beyond. Who are the people and where are the places that have made an impression on you as a composer and an artist?
A close collaborator, Kevin Sims, has had a huge influence on my work. Kevin is percussion, multi-media artist, and Oud player who resides in rural Aaronsburg, PA. Kevin’s radically open-minded way of creating art has affected me deeply. Also seeing how he creates art and cultivates a public outside of any institutional support is inspiring. I think he’s on the front lines of what it means to be an artist in our modern world.
Outside of music, what else has gotten your attention to the point of learning obsessively about it from a variety of sources?
I’m deeply into the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.
Knowing you have a wicked sense of humor, share with us the funniest thing you’ve heard or even said out loud in the past few days?
I invented a possible new word. “Turdis”. Which is a combination of the words Tortoise and turd. Not sure if it’s funny though.
We have two new ongoing campaigns and it would be awesome if you gave us your take on both or either one of them?
#BeatTheBlues features works and confessions of artists and non-artists about experiences and ways to beat the blues and rise from the depth of darkness.
As someone who often has the blues and deals with it via art I think this is a potentially interesting topic.
#WhatMatters - to you the most at this point in time and how does your work and life reflect that.
This is maybe less interesting because I’m not sure it’s so important what artist think is important. The work will reflect what’s important. The artist’s intention matters less.
Thank you Scott and Congrats!
The new album can be purchased HERE
I rely heavily on close collaboration for each work. Most of my music has been written for close friends. They have all been extremely generous with their time. We will spend sometimes months workshopping various ideas until the piece starts to gel. Their feedback is essential, but my role is to create a vision of something that does not yet exist, and I can’t expect my collaborators to always know what’s right or wrong. Sometimes we’re not sure of the direction the work is taking us. I’m very grateful for the critical reception I’ve received. I tend to ignore reviews written by square-thinking people. Audience reception is very important to me, but I’m also very comfortable with only one or a handful of people liking a work. I recall a concert when a person turned around to me after my piece was done with tears in their eyes, all they said was, “Thank you for understanding”. At that same show, another person looked me straight in the face and said “Your piece really pissed me off.” Both of these reactions are beautiful. I recognize that my music can be polarizing, but when I speak with audiences before my music is performed I always remind them it is ok to let themselves wander, zone out, or get lost in the sound worlds I’m presenting to them. There’s no secret way to hear my work. It’s just an encounter that I urge folks to come to with an open mind and hear.
What can you tell us about your relationship with Bearthoven, a group that has performed and recorded a lot of your music including the most recent recording, American Dream?
I’m friends with all three members of Bearthoven; Karl Larson (piano), Matt Evans (percussion), Pat Swoboda (bass). The three of them have played my works in various capacities, but American Dream was the first work written exclusively for them. Karl and I have a particularly close collaboration. He’s played all of my music written for piano. In many respects, Karl is my prima ballerina.
You are as active as can be in the New York music scene but also in the new music hotspots around the country and beyond. Who are the people and where are the places that have made an impression on you as a composer and an artist?
A close collaborator, Kevin Sims, has had a huge influence on my work. Kevin is percussion, multi-media artist, and Oud player who resides in rural Aaronsburg, PA. Kevin’s radically open-minded way of creating art has affected me deeply. Also seeing how he creates art and cultivates a public outside of any institutional support is inspiring. I think he’s on the front lines of what it means to be an artist in our modern world.
Outside of music, what else has gotten your attention to the point of learning obsessively about it from a variety of sources?
I’m deeply into the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.
Knowing you have a wicked sense of humor, share with us the funniest thing you’ve heard or even said out loud in the past few days?
I invented a possible new word. “Turdis”. Which is a combination of the words Tortoise and turd. Not sure if it’s funny though.
We have two new ongoing campaigns and it would be awesome if you gave us your take on both or either one of them?
#BeatTheBlues features works and confessions of artists and non-artists about experiences and ways to beat the blues and rise from the depth of darkness.
As someone who often has the blues and deals with it via art I think this is a potentially interesting topic.
#WhatMatters - to you the most at this point in time and how does your work and life reflect that.
This is maybe less interesting because I’m not sure it’s so important what artist think is important. The work will reflect what’s important. The artist’s intention matters less.
Thank you Scott and Congrats!
The new album can be purchased HERE