MusicNicoleMitchell

Your Dream is rooted in your mind,
Choose.
Act.
Move.

From When Life's Door Opens by Akaala Redwood Mitchell (Nicole Mitchell)

What makes art exciting for me is the play between the real with the imaginative, the familiar and the unknown, and the dance between composition and improvisation.

Flute Solo, 2010

There is a Yearning,
and there is a road that leads to answer It.

From When Life's Door Opens by Akaala Redwood Mitchell (Nicole Mitchell)

IB

How would you describe the difference between the yearnings that lead you, alternately, to composition and improvisation?

NM

I wanted to create spaces/structures for improvisation that fit closer to the directions I was interested in exploring. Out of this came my initial desire to compose. Now they operate like two faces on the same coin—I equally enjoy and desire to develop both and each side feeds into the other. Composition is slow improvisation, and improvising is composing in real time with no editing; they operate like two faces on the same coin.

IB

How do you juggle the impulse to improvise, an activity in which you're self-responsible, with the task of composing and organizing music employing larger forces, where you are potentially responsible for the participation of many others?

""Wheatgrass"" by Nicole Mitchell

NM

I view music as a path to self-development. Music has been my inspiration spiritually, and helped me to develop my creativity. Music helps me to honor time alone and face my internal challenges and motivates me to communicate and collaborate with others. It's been an amazing journey.

My multi-directional desires pull me in all directions—from composing in different approaches and leading ensembles of varying sizes from duo to twenty-piece ensembles and working as a collaborator on other people's projects. All these activities spiral into the holistic experience in music.

"...there [are] always...special moments, whether...of fear or of inspiration, when it's like the world has suddenly cracked open and it's way more than we ever imagined...That's why I love to improvise...improvisation is a practice that allows you...to actually experience the greatness of possibility and surprise and spontaneity. But also with composing there's the idea of creating music that can be transformative and inspirational..."

From I Dreamed of Other Worlds an Interview with Nicole Mitchell, May 8, 2008 by Ellen Waterman in Critical Studies in Improvisation

Improvisation is the joy of my work. It unifies and deepens the communication between musicians and celebrates the present moment. Improvisation fosters independence and cooperation; it is multilingual, and I seek diversity in its approach.

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Improvisation allows you to actually experience the greatness of possibility, surprise and spontaneity.

Nicole Mitchell

Improvisation fosters independence and cooperation.

Nicole Mitchell

Composition is slow improvisation.

Nicole Mitchell