Interview with composer Nancy Skolos

The Lowell Chamber Orchestra is proud to present the premiere of Nancy Skolos' "Fantasia Folia" this December; LCO sat down with Skolos to know more about her artistic background, both in music and in visual arts

1. What inspired you to become a composer, and when did you feel that composing was your artistic path?

I’ve been a visual composer as a graphic designer for decades. Six years ago at a chamber music camp, I met an extraordinary composer, sound artist, and teacher, Kristina Warren, who was also a Visiting Assistant Professor at Brown in Providence where I was teaching at RISD. She agreed to give me composition lessons and, because I’m a clarinetist, wisely created an accessible entry point: improvising simple tunes and recording them on my iPhone. Within a few weeks I was editing and layering them in GarageBand, and a few months later she introduced me to notation software. I’ve been composing steadily ever since, exploring a wide range of ensembles and instrumentation

2. How would you describe your musical voice to someone hearing your work for the first time?

Stylistically, it probably aligns closest with minimalist music. My pieces are layered and sometimes busy but because I start with melodies, there’s always an underlying shape and narrative.

3. What ideas, images, or emotions spark your creativity when you begin a new piece?

Pretty much anything—a memory, something I see in nature, a personality, a current event. I’ve written pieces about my grandparent’s farm, three cats I’ve known, the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, it’s pretty intuitive. 

4. Can you share the story behind one of your recent compositions?

Fantasia Folia has a particularly visual inspiration. My husband, Tom Wedell, a graphic designer and photographer, developed a fascination with fallen leaves. He’s photographed hundreds, animating them with light so they almost appear to dance. He produces large-scale prints where textures and surfaces are stunningly detailed, even in decay. Our hikes hunting for leaves in late, gray fall, combined with his photographs, inspired the piece.

5. Who are the composers, artists, or thinkers who most influence your music?

There are so many but a few stand out: 

Composers: Antonio Vivaldi, Johannes Brahms, Max Richter, and David Byrne 

Art movements: Cubism, DeStijl, Surrealism, Postmodernism 

Thinkers: Charles Sanders Peirce, Gaston Bachelard, Henri Bergson 

6. As a graphic designer: How do visual arts shape the way you compose? 

In countless ways. First, my visual art has always been shaped by my early musical experiences. Even in two-dimensional design, I think in terms of intervals, rhythms, layers, and movement. My creative process in both disciplines is similar: I start with something then let the work evolve organically, allowing the form to guide the content. Years of visual art also taught me patience and craft which have accelerated my progress in music composition.

7. What do you hope audiences feel or discover when listening to your music?

Things in life are shifting so quickly that the emotional content of music is sometimes tricky. There are so many new feelings, fears, and general nuanced anxiety and confusion we all have to process and sharing those emotions through music, while still making it enjoyable is challenging. For me the best strategy is to acknowledge and present those feelings but interrupt them and shift them in subtle ways—much like we cope with them in our heads. I like to pass the melodic lines between instruments so there are multiple ways to hear each thought and especially consider the transitions—the spaces between thoughts. 

8. What upcoming projects or premieres are you excited about right now?

Beyond this premiere, I’m working on a concert band piece, As One Breath, reflecting on the unspoken connections between musicians, and a new Christmas carol.

9. What’s the best thing about being a composer?

There’s nothing better than dancing to your own music.