{"id":47842,"date":"2024-03-22T22:49:30","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T22:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/?p=47842"},"modified":"2024-08-09T07:40:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T11:40:53","slug":"carleton-music-alum-amy-brandon-receives-juno-award-nomination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/2024\/carleton-music-alum-amy-brandon-receives-juno-award-nomination\/","title":{"rendered":"Carleton Music Alum Amy Brandon Receives Juno Award Nomination"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Carleton Music Alum Amy Brandon Receives Juno Award Nomination\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><em>By Emily Putnam<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those from the Carleton community tuning-in to the <a href=\"https:\/\/junoawards.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Juno Awards<\/a> this weekend may get to see a familiar face on screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amybrandon.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amy Brandon<\/a>, who is now a Juno nominated composer, started her journey at Carleton in 2002 to study jazz guitar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brandon says she feels overwhelmed and excited for her first-time nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to have this acknowledgement from my peers and to be in the company of the other nominees I admire so much, such as Dinuk Wijeratne, Emilie Lebel and Nicole Liz\u00e9e.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brandon is nominated for Classical Composition of the Year for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/amybrandon.bandcamp.com\/track\/simulacra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Simulacra<\/em><\/a>, a piece&nbsp;recorded with <a href=\"https:\/\/symphonynovascotia.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Symphony Nova Scotia<\/a> and cellist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jzcello.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jeffrey Zeigler<\/a>, who she says she wrote the piece for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-soundcloud wp-block-embed-soundcloud\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AmyBrandon Simulacra MvtI by amybguitar\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F1653477306&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> Amy Brandon is nominated for Classical Composition of the Year for Simulacra.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSimulacra is essentially a sonification of my own experiences with identity\u201d, says Brandon. \u201cLike many others, I\u2019ve often felt intense pressure to alter aspects of my fundamental self in order to better \u2018fit in\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI express this in the piece by making the timbre of the cello a metaphor for this kind of self-inhibition and self-suppression \u2013 it travels from the narrowest of timbral ranges to the fullest, undergoing continuous transformation, eventually ending in an uneasy balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brandon\u2019s compositions have been described as \u201c&#8230;gut wrenching and horrific\u201d (Critipeg), and &#8220;otherworldly, a clashing of bleakness with beauty&#8221; (Minor Seventh).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI get great satisfaction from creating music that has a certain physicality, although sometimes that quality is not necessarily beautiful in the traditional sense. But to me, this manipulation of timbre is what carries the most communicative aspects of music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The piece, conducted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.karlhirzer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karl Hirzer<\/a><strong>,<\/strong> was first performed at the <a href=\"https:\/\/upstreammusic.org\/post\/open-waters-festival-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Waters Festival<\/a> in 2023 and was supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/canadacouncil.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canada Council for the Arts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/artsns.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ArtsNS<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/upstreammusic.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Upstream Music Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe title of the cello concerto, Simulacra, refers to Baudrillard\u2019s famous book on semiotics, and the concept of \u2018a copy that does not have an original\u2019. This is a nod to the idea that sometimes we create our identities out of nothing, creating a kind of hyperreal self that replaces us in the real world.\u201d says Brandon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1110\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-1024x1110.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-1024x1110.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-200x217.jpg 200w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-400x434.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-768x832.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-1417x1536.jpg 1417w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon_Headshot_Dark-1-1889x2048.jpg 1889w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Amy Brandon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>She says her education at Carleton helped to instill important values that she carries with her today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI worked with <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/music\/people\/wayne-eagles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wayne Eagles<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/music\/people\/garry-elliott\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Garry Elliott<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/music\/people\/tim-bedner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tim Bedner<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.roddyellias.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roddy Ellias<\/a>, all of whom had a profound impact on me musically and as a person. I was lucky to have had the chance to work further with Roddy beyond my degree &#8211; we toured a little together on the East Coast and he is featured on my first album, &#8216;<a href=\"https:\/\/amybrandon.bandcamp.com\/album\/scavenger\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Scavenge<\/em>r<\/a>&#8216; which was released in 2016. He&#8217;s a brilliant guitarist and composer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI also took classical guitar lessons from Garry even after I graduated. His approach to teaching gave me a foundation of discipline which I relied on later in life as I moved into composition. He taught me that nothing good comes without effort and practice, which is a philosophy I use to this day twenty years later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brandon says Carleton\u2019s music program was always encouraging of her innovative and unique sonic interpretations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne thing I appreciated about Carleton as a whole was its openness to musical ideas and influences from beyond the traditional conservatory system. I never felt that my musical ideas, however outlandish, were considered unwelcome. This musical openness definitely laid the foundation for my later approach to composition and performance in more experimental and free improvisational styles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-200x160.jpg 200w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-400x320.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/AmyBrandon-Credit-Pixelcraft-2048x1638.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Amy Brandon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>She says her compositions help bring her internal emotions outward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor me, composing is as simple as wanting to take everything that I hear inside, and bringing it outside. Simulacra, and all my pieces are these kinds of personal communications to &#8216;the outside world&#8217;.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m grateful that other people have found these expressions to be something worthwhile, and I cherish all the collaborations with performers that have come from that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year\u2019s winners will be revealed in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/junoawards.ca\/events\/juno-opening-night-awards-presented-by-music-canada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Juno Opening Night Awards<\/a> Presented by Music Canada&nbsp;on&nbsp;Saturday, March 23&nbsp;and&nbsp;The <a href=\"https:\/\/junoawards.ca\/events\/the-2024-juno-awards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Juno Awards Broadcast&nbsp;<\/a>on&nbsp;Sunday, March 24, live on CBC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Those from the Carleton community tuning-in to the Juno Awards this weekend may get to see a familiar face on screen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":47856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[167,121,51,622,90,1,97,27],"tags":[353,356],"class_list":["post-47842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-alumni-news","category-arts-news","category-event-story","category-fass-news","category-general","category-music","category-news","tag-juno-award","tag-music"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47842"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47871,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47842\/revisions\/47871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}