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2 May 2017

The collaborative process behind Ocho


Nick Wales (right) with Rafael Bonachela, David Fleischer and Damien Cooper Image: Nick Wales (right) with Rafael Bonachela, David Fleischer and Damien Cooper  
© Pedro Grieg

Sydney-based composer and producer Nick Wales talks about the ideas and the collaborative process behind the Sydney Dance Company's production Ocho, showing this month in Sydney (until 13 May), Melbourne (17-20 May) Canberra (25-27 May) as part of the double bill Orb. In the finale of Ocho, Nick has been collaborating with the songman Rrawun Maymuru from North East Arnhem Land, creating unique and captivating music for Rafael Bonachela's choreography. For production details, see: the SDC website.

My music-making practices are varied and diverse - I have an interest in electronica, world music, classical forms and popular music. I compose music for dance, make works with visual artists and film makers, and I also work in popular music with my band CODA and some other collaborations with Sarah Blasko. Ocho is an exciting work for me, as the finale of this work features a collaboration with Rrawun Maymuru a Yolngu songman from North East Arnhem Land.

Nick Wales interviewed about his music for Ocho (Youtube)

Some time ago, Rafael Bonachela asked me to collaborate with him to make music for his upcoming work for the Sydney Dance Company. The process with Rafael usually involves me initially creating the musical elements, then the choreography and and workshopping of ideas follow without music to find the movement language. Once Rafael has found this language, he then incorporates the musical elements. We have a dialogue about the musical style, length of certain sections, and what does and doesn't resonate with him.

I have collaborated with Rafael a number of times and our works are investigations into specific concepts. We like to abstract these concepts rather than play out anything too literal or narrative-based. In this case, Rafael wanted the new work to be informed by the number 8, it was to be called Ocho and it would be about 40 minutes long. I knew he would be working with eight dancers, and would contain elements of solo dance within, as Rafael wanted to show his individual dancers' techniques.

My first point of departure was to look into the numerological meaning behind the number 8. I was particularly drawn to the idea of 8 being a number of balance between different forces: the material world, authority and personal power, balancing with spiritual dimensions and eternal freedom.

Music excerpt 1: brass and electronica, movement 1

I knew the first section would be mainly solos, so to match this I wanted to explore the aspect of personal power and authority. I worked with trumpeter Dave Elton and sound designer Bob Scott to create beds of brass textures, the trumpet for me personifying ideas of strength and absolute authority.

As part of my creative process I like to record organic sound sources (instruments or field recordings) and then process them with plugins and programs on the computer. I am a big fan of GRM tools for some of this processing and also bit crushing programs. Bob Scott helped me with some elements of this as part of the process. I juxtaposed the brass textures with hard-hitting abstract electronica (lots of 808 drum kicks, granular synths and glitchy intricate percussive elements). I liked the 'urban' feel of this sound palette as it reminded me of the music used for 'krumping' dance styles, where solo dancers show off their moves to each other.

From the dark intensity of the first movement, I then moved into more ambient explorations of the trumpet and the introduction of the ancient Persian flute, the ney. The ney is an important instrument in mystical Middle Eastern traditions and has been referred to, in some Persian texts, as representing the human as the symbol of the 'absolute'. I liked this idea, as the number 8 has an element of universality in its numerological nature. These flute passages, performed by Peter Daverington, are juxtaposed with abstract electronica elements reminiscent of electronic dance music - for me the ney flute personified a spiritual path, with the electronica acting as a derailing element in this path towards spiritual freedom, which is the main element I wanted to explore in the third and final movement.

Music excerpt 2: ney flute textures and electronica

The ambient electronica and ney flute develops into more '4 on the floor' feel with focal elements being a Roland 303 bass line, electronic drums and percussion by Bree van Reyk playing tom tom, kick drums and congas. The trumpet and brass textures that establish the first movement are recapitulated to help reflect the eternal and ever-recurring nature of the number 8. I used a more regular pulse for the rhythmic language of this section to help to unify the dancers. I was informed by Rafael's intention to move away from soloistic dance elements and create an ensemble piece for the climax of the work.

Music excerpt 3: movement 2 - build

The third and final movement is a balancing element to the aggressive first movement. In the finale I wanted to explore the eternal and spiritual aspects of the number 8. I was searching for a spiritual song to help articulate this aspect and was in creative conversations with Rrawun Maymuru, a Yolngu songman from North East Arnhem Land. I was drawn to the rich and ancient connection to spirit, the land and the universe that his traditions embody. We discussed how a song from his culture might reflect the universal aspect of the number 8, and Rrawun offered a songline stemming from his paternal side, the Mangalili clan, called Nyapillilingu; 'the Spirit Lady'. In Yolngu culture Nyapillilngu is the spirit lady that protects the passage between the Earth and the Milky Way. She looks after this land and the spirit of this land, all the way from Earth to the Milky Way, to ensure safe passage between both dimensions. This song, for me, spoke to the eternal and balancing aspect of number 8 and the duality between the heavens and the earth. Rrawun sang the song over a bed of strings, piano and electronic elements.

Music excerpt 4: Finale - Nick Wales & Rrawun Maymuru - Nyapillilingu ('Spirit Lady')

Working for dance is always exciting for me. It not only involves collaborative exploration with choreographers, but also other creatives to bring the work to the stage. There have been a number of collaborative meetings with the creative team as part of the process with Damien Cooper (lighting design) and David Fleischer (set and costume design). I mixed the score with sound engineer Bob Scott, who offers great insight, helping to create more depth and clarity in the recording. Each element feeds into each other to create the final vision to bring to the stage.

Ocho forms part of the Sydney Dance Company's double bill Orb, performing from 29 April until 27 May in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. For more information, see the website.

Further links

Nick Wales - AMC profile

Sydney Dance Company: Ocho
Choreographer Rafael Bonachela
Composer Nick Wales, featuring vocals by Rrawun Maymuru, used with permission of the Mangalili Clan
Lighting Damien Cooper
Costumes and sets David Fleischer
More production details, performance dates and tickets (www.sydneydancecompany.com)



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