Kate Soper composes music that is about music, as reflected in Orpheus Orchestra Opus Onus, her work that centers around the Greek mythological character who himself was a musician. The piece is being premiered this month by the New York Philharmonic 鈥� a commission connected with her being named the Orchestra鈥檚 Kravis Emerging Composer 鈥� in concerts conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, May 22鈥�27. Equally adroit as a composer and singer, she herself is making her NY Phil debut as soloist in the performances.
As a youngster Soper played piano, sang in choir, and wrote simple pieces. Her early influences in composition came from the music she played on piano 鈥� Chopin and Debussy 鈥� and from the singer-songwriter Tori Amos. After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in composition at Rice University, Soper came to New York City for graduate studies at Columbia University, where she joined the Wet Ink Ensemble, which she now co-directs.
As the soprano soloist in Orpheus, Soper embodies the title role, but with a twist. 鈥淲hat if he wasn鈥檛 some great musician that could make anyone fall to their knees, but just the first person to really get interested in the idea that music has something to do with celestial orbits and truth in numbers?鈥� she says. 鈥淢aybe it went off the rails when it started being about expensive orchestra concerts, union struggles, and kings trying to one up each other with how many violins they had.鈥�
Soper explains the work鈥檚 evocative title, observing that 鈥淥rpheus鈥� refers to the protagonist, and 鈥淥rchestra鈥� to the instrumentation, while 鈥淥pus鈥� represents the idea of what it means to create a work of music. 鈥淥nus鈥� points to the question of who is responsible for what music can do. 鈥淲hy do we make music carry all these burdens?鈥� she muses. 鈥淲hy do we say it represents this or represents that, or that this music is for these people and this music is not?"
Soper created the text, drawing from more than a dozen sources found in poetry and librettos from operas about Orpheus, and also weaving in her own words. The music she wrote also quotes phrases from these operas, as well as some recognizable orchestral excerpts.
Kate Soper has composed only a few works for full orchestra, and relished this opportunity to write for the New York Philharmonic. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an embarrassment of riches,鈥� she said of the genre. 鈥淵ou have all of these different shapes, all of these different colors, and not just subtle shadings, but completely different ensembles within this group.鈥� She continues: 鈥淲hen I was writing I couldn鈥檛 think too much about it because I didn鈥檛 want to start feeling self-conscious about not giving every single player an amazing part.鈥�
Of her first time composing for and appearing with the Philharmonic, Soper says: 鈥淚 have deep respect for the Orchestra.鈥� She is honored by the Kravis recognition and by this commission, but, she explains, 鈥淭he most important part of it for me is just the opportunity to write this piece and perform with them.鈥�
Soper is also excited to be working with Gustavo Dudamel for the first time. In fact, she sees the conductor as a character, of sorts, in the piece. 鈥淚, as Orpheus, am kind of getting in on his band a little bit, and there are a couple moments of gesturing towards him, or being in cahoots with him. There鈥檚 a relationship between the soloist and the conductor that is present and visible. I hope that he enjoys that.鈥�
