Young composer tackles old masterpiece
Schulich music student writes score for new production of Othello
Emma Quail, The McGill Tribune
Rather than following the example of the villainous character Iago, who gets what he wants by means of deception, a young composer is finding success through good old-fashioned hard work.
Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece Othello is currently being put on at the McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre, and first year McGill student James Keenan Campbell has composed the original score. Directed by Gabrielle Soskin, Othello is the latest performance of the Persephone Productions Company, which is centred on providing experience and exposure for young artists.
Campbell is a perfect example of the Persephone mandate. Starting off as a guitarist, Campbell began his music career by playing and composing folk music. "I played in a pretty successful folk band in Minnesota, so I started writing the violin parts for that. I've been writing folk music since the ninth grade," says Campbell.
Over the years, Campbell has picked up knowledge of theory and composition from choir and small classical music groups. Before and during high school, he was heavily involved in the fine arts. "My high school was really into the arts, so I did choir for six years and musical theater. … I just started looking at film scores pretty early on, too," says Campbell.
In his senior year of high school, Campbell started to write music specifically for orchestra. He composed for a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, where he also appeared on stage as Judge Hawthorne. Campbell has played roles and contributed music for other theatrical performances, such as Spring Awakening by Duncan Sheik and Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
With his passion for theatre and composing, Campbell wanted to continue his involvement in the arts within the local Montreal scene and found his opportunity with Persephone Productions. "I just saw an ad that some theatre company in Montréal was doing Othello and so I got the email address for the director," explains Campbell. "Actually, it was a little bit scary at first because she basically said that she didn't work with amateurs."
However, after hearing Campbell's original score for The Crucible and his samples for Othello, the director was so impressed that she agreed to let him take on the musical endeavour. During the composition process, Campbell was able to visualize and feel the music by observing the actors and actresses.
"When you're working with actors of this calibre, you get inspiration from them. When you see an incredibly intense scene, the piece just kind of fits. I can see a scene and kind of feel what needs to be there, and then just write it," says Campbell.
Apart from Othello, Campbell is working on some arrangements for Effusion, a McGill a cappella group which he is a member of. He is also writing a piece for his choir at home and continuing to work on his own musical, which he started this July.
"I might just make a run for it and see if I can be a professional composer, but you look at a lot of Italian singers [and realize] they're all lawyers and professional singers."
Not quite balancing that level of work, Campbell is definitely doing an impressive job of keeping up as a busy, young composer and a McGill student.
Othello plays at McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre (690 Sherbrooke) November 13 - 29 at 8 p.m., with weekday matinees at 1 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
18 Nov,2008
Rather than following the example of the villainous character Iago, who gets what he wants by means of deception, a young composer is finding success through good old-fashioned hard work.
Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece Othello is currently being put on at the McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre, and first year McGill student James Keenan Campbell has composed the original score. Directed by Gabrielle Soskin, Othello is the latest performance of the Persephone Productions Company, which is centred on providing experience and exposure for young artists.
Campbell is a perfect example of the Persephone mandate. Starting off as a guitarist, Campbell began his music career by playing and composing folk music. "I played in a pretty successful folk band in Minnesota, so I started writing the violin parts for that. I've been writing folk music since the ninth grade," says Campbell.
Over the years, Campbell has picked up knowledge of theory and composition from choir and small classical music groups. Before and during high school, he was heavily involved in the fine arts. "My high school was really into the arts, so I did choir for six years and musical theater. … I just started looking at film scores pretty early on, too," says Campbell.
In his senior year of high school, Campbell started to write music specifically for orchestra. He composed for a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, where he also appeared on stage as Judge Hawthorne. Campbell has played roles and contributed music for other theatrical performances, such as Spring Awakening by Duncan Sheik and Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
With his passion for theatre and composing, Campbell wanted to continue his involvement in the arts within the local Montreal scene and found his opportunity with Persephone Productions. "I just saw an ad that some theatre company in Montréal was doing Othello and so I got the email address for the director," explains Campbell. "Actually, it was a little bit scary at first because she basically said that she didn't work with amateurs."
However, after hearing Campbell's original score for The Crucible and his samples for Othello, the director was so impressed that she agreed to let him take on the musical endeavour. During the composition process, Campbell was able to visualize and feel the music by observing the actors and actresses.
"When you're working with actors of this calibre, you get inspiration from them. When you see an incredibly intense scene, the piece just kind of fits. I can see a scene and kind of feel what needs to be there, and then just write it," says Campbell.
Apart from Othello, Campbell is working on some arrangements for Effusion, a McGill a cappella group which he is a member of. He is also writing a piece for his choir at home and continuing to work on his own musical, which he started this July.
"I might just make a run for it and see if I can be a professional composer, but you look at a lot of Italian singers [and realize] they're all lawyers and professional singers."
Not quite balancing that level of work, Campbell is definitely doing an impressive job of keeping up as a busy, young composer and a McGill student.
Othello plays at McCord Museum's J. Armand Bombardier Theatre (690 Sherbrooke) November 13 - 29 at 8 p.m., with weekday matinees at 1 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
18 Nov,2008