Video annotation (see full video in Portfolio, 13'35''- end)

Suvi keeps the tube horizontal stepping back, the resulting projection in front of her, her face turning green with the upper projections (13’35’’); on the screen appears the word “susarak” (“silently”); the hand is on the page, as if thinking to write more, going to the line’s head and away, it restarts writing, when the cut comes; at 13’46’’ a big ink stain appears on the sail, taking the most of it, while Suvi slowly enters with the tube from the right side: her face is hidden, only her arm and the tube, kept as a weapon, are visible: she points it to Anni (who is now sharing her space), walks with the other tube, painting her shirt green. They start to “write”
on each other with the tubes (14’17’’); on the screen, a hand plays with the stain, a finger going back and forth as if writing on the stain, while Suvi slowly turns to the audience, then to Anni; Anni sheds light on Suvi, following her as with an ox-eye, the light making visible portions of
her body; then suddenly Anni’s face is under Suvi’s moving projections, appearing and disappearing while walking back to her cello. The hand is moving on the stain as if it was suspended on it, slowly oscillating and still writing (the movement of the hand from side to side may remind the movement of a bow). A black and white round projection with a writing
hand is superimposed to the image (15’15’’), travelling on the sail.
16’16’’-18’’ Anni voicing and playing first-plan (“susarak”); 16’24’’ Suvi walking on left, slowly bringing tube to Anni (16’43’’ ca. Part III). 17’01’’ close up of Anni and Suvi rotating the tubes from horizontal to vertical position (on “s”); 17’05’’ suddenly, ink falling from above; 17’17’’ ink expanding behind them (from below to above); 17’19’’ close up of tubes, Anni’s face looking to left (“tyst” etc.); 17’28’’ overall view; 17’32’’ sound ends, staying still; 17’53’’ close up of Anni and Suvi looking to the left, lights on.

(24.3.2023)

Online interview (19.5.2023)

P. How do you consider your relation between your own voice and your instrument's voice, and how it changed over time?

A. For me the tone formation on the cello has from an early stage been connected with sound timbre of the voice and viceversa. The power of the listening ear.

My connection to cello playing has had much more of an intellectual angle to it due to studying it intensively during many years in comparison towards my attitude to singing which has come to me very naturally and is purely autodidact. By starting to improvise on the cello, with a more soundbase attitude, I learned to use and value other sound aspects and qualities of the instrument. My singing has developed a lot through for instance free improvisation from where I've found new dimensions to my voice. By using singing and cello playing simultaneously I've noticed new aspects in relaxation of the mind and body which have been very healthy and developing.

P. How did the recordings we did together and/or the piece we developed together change your perception of this relation?

Did this experience bring to your attention any new insights or observations?

A. By working with your music I've explored softer and smaller sounds both in voice and on the cello which has opened my perception and care for the subltle sounds 'in between' the more somewhat articulated and fuller textures. The first piece of yours I was included in, 2017, was an eye opening experience from which I learned a lot. At this time I only had performed a few contemporary pieces as only a singer this is quite something else than performing new music as a cellist for instance. The second piece we did together in 2019 included both cello and singing and focused more on the subtle sounds in between as I already mentioned. At this time the visual elements were more present and this was also inspiring. (...) My insight in the possibilities of simultaneously combining voice and cello has broadened a great deal.

Online interview (19.5.2023, see full version in thesis Appendix 1.3)

P. How do you consider your relation between your own voice and your instrument's voice, and how it changed over time?

M. I bought my violin [Casper Strnad Czechia early 19th century, bow Victor Fétique Paris 1915]  in 2014 after many years search. The sound was always the main issue: I was looking for a special sound but did not know how it should be. I fell in love with my violin from the first tuning. It is hard to describe: I just knew it was there. I tested the violin during 3 weeks, tried to analyze and to be critical, but the inner feeling and sensation of the sound did not change (...).

During the years, I have tried to conceptualize the violin as my sound to make my playing easier and to find new perspectives in performance practice. However, I do not actively think that the violin would have my sound. It has its own, and thanks to that sound, I can learn more about music, violin playing, and even about myself as a performer. (...)

Sometimes I play my other violins to refresh my sense of sound.

I own 3 violins, I got the first when I was 13. Hence, I can reflect my development as a violinist through those different violin sounds. (...).

After holiday, it always feels good to go back to my current instrument.

P. How did the recording we did together or the concert you played in (see The end of no ending, 2017) change your perception of this relation? Did these experiences bring to your attention any new insights or observations?

M. The concert and the recording did not change my perspective. By that time, I had played with Strnad violin already three years. However, your research topic and your beautiful works made me aware of different perspectives and of the importance of personal sound. Especially the work with Kurdish Iranian drum player Ahoora Hosseini joining the Uusinta Ensemble (...) made a huge impact on me. The way you combined different cultural and musical sound traditions was really touching. Hence, you gave me a lot of ideas to think about.