Postcard from Ursula Kwong-Brown

The October, 2022 postcard features composer, sound designer, and arts technologist Ursula Kwong-Brown, whose piece "I See You, I Hear You, I Believe You" will receive its premiere at SFGC's concert Kamala's Hope on October 21st.

What was the first piece you ever wrote?
The first piece I ever composed was a short little song called “Rushing Water” that I wrote when I was 7 years old at the direction of my piano teacher, Kathy Eddy, who had all of her students write their own pieces.  Her instruction was to write 8 measures per week, and I just really got into it. I wish that all young musicians were told to write their own music! At that age, it feels as natural as coloring or writing a story -  you’re too young to think that you “can’t” do it.  It flows straight from your emotions to the page without any worries about the rules, music theory, or the norms that we learn about later in life. 

What are you currently working on?
I’m working on so many projects right now I wish there were more time in the day!!!  Currently, I’m in DC writing music with my frequent collaborator (and husband!) Danny Erdberg for Arena Stage’s production of Holiday, a wonderful 1928 romantic comedy by Phillip Barry. In two weeks, we’re heading to Tucson where we’re co-composing and sound designing a delightful holiday play inspired by Pride and Prejudice. We’re also working hard on an immersive theatrical  installation inspired by sound baths and guided meditations that draws on my longstanding interest in biofeedback & neuroplasticity (in undergrad, I double-majored in music and neuroscience!). On the concert music side, I’m finishing up revisions to a symphonic work called “Cover the Walls” which will be performed by the Longmont Symphony in Colorado, and I recently started working a big new song cycle  based on my dear friend’s writings about her childhood struggles with depression.  I’m also in the final mixing stages for an EP of my solo cello works performed by the incredible Nan-Cheng Chen, which should be out soon!

What drove you to tackle the subject matter in your piece, "I See You, I Hear You, I Believe You"?
Over the course of the #MeToo movement, I’ve been struck by the number of friends and colleagues who have confided in me that they feel unable to come forward with their stories of sexual harassment due to very real concerns about the impact it might have on their careers, or worries about how the world might judge them. What I came to realize is that what these survivors needed most from me was validation, a willing ear, and deep empathy. It can’t be understated how empowering it can be for someone who has gone through this kind of trauma to simply have their experience heard and acknowledged. Too often, when they’ve attempted to come forward, they’ve endured minimizing, dismissal, and gaslighting - which can re-enact the trauma all over again.  It’s such a simple thing to tell someone simply and directly, “I see you, I hear you, and I believe you.” I hope that the brave young women of the SF Girls Choir take this message to heart, and when they have their own difficult encounters in life - as we all do - they realize they are not alone. There is a whole community just waiting to provide support for them.

What does your compositional process usually look like? Did this piece differ from the usual?
The writing process for this piece was fairly typical for my vocal work: I started by singing the melody to myself, and then slowly added layers of harmony, listening and shaping as I went. The editing process was unique and special for me, in that Marika Kuzma, the choir director who I used to work with at UC Berkeley, and to whom the piece is dedicated, gave me detailed feedback on nearly a dozen different in-process drafts. She helped me both tighten the structure the piece, and optimize its use of vocal register, so that the piece gradually expands into the most dramatic moment before the end, all without overtaxing singers’ voices. 

Which composer(s) do you find yourself learning the most from?
Hmm…. that’s a great question! It’s hard to choose, but currently my top 5 greatest influences are Debussy, Stravinsky, Arvo Pärt, Kaija Saariaho and Sondheim, in that order.  Also David Bowie.  Especially his late-career Blackstar era.

What advice can you give the singers at SFGC who may be curious about composing themselves?
Don’t wait, just do it!!! You already have all the knowledge and experience you need to start writing music. My favorite prompt for young composers is to have them set a poem to music, either as a song without words (a la Mendelssohn) or as a an actual vocal setting. I find that grounding music in text brings clarity to compositional intent; if the words truly mean something to you, then you’ll know what emotions you’re trying to convey with your music. And connecting your music to emotions is essential! Think of it like journal writing, but with music instead of words.

What has been the happiest accident of your career so far?
Honestly, having this piece performed by the SF Girls Choir feels like a wondrously happy accident, definitely one of the more happy accidents of my career! I was inspired to write the piece in the summer of 2021, and then sent it out into the world to friends and friends-of-friends.  I had always hoped SFGC might be interested, but I didn’t hear anything back for nearly a year! I was absolutely floored and overjoyed when Valerie Sainte-Agathe chose to program it for the 2022 season opening concert. 

What is your favorite thing about composing professionally? Least favorite?
I adore collaborative projects where I get to be inspired by working with wonderful performers, musicians, writers, choreographers, and most recently, my co-composition/sound design partner, Danny Erdberg.  I only lament how hard it is to get large works, like operas and symphonies, presented and commissioned.  Navigating the practical considerations, when all you want to do is make art, can be exhausting!

What inspires you about working with SFGC?
The San Francisco Girls Choir is just so good!!! I couldn’t believe how good they were the first time I heard them, which was in 2015 at an SF Symphony SoundBox event featuring Lisa Bielawa. The choir spread out amongst the audience, and suddenly we were all floating in the most beautiful cloud of sound.  They were stunning!  Easily the best girls choir I’ve ever heard. 

What are you excited to work on in the future? Give us a sneak peek!
I am super excited to create more non-traditional works that blur the lines between theater, music, performance art, opera, science, and public good.  Our theatrical sound bath, Healing Room, which we hope will premiere this Summer, is just such a project.  Our goal is to provide a safe, easily-accessible community space where people can come together to acknowledge all of the crazy things that have happened to us over the past few years, experience transformative art with friends and neighbors, and begin the process of healing. Stay tuned!