#6 Joanne Metcalf: Fueled by love

Welcome to blog post #6 of The Insightful Creative.

I absolutely enjoyed talking with composer Joanne Metcalf on September 3. Her music has been critically acclaimed as “extraordinarily beautiful” (International Record Review) and is known for its evocative lyricism, rhythmic extravagance, and “beautiful use of vocal colours and texture” (Glasgow Herald).

She looked over some questions I had shared with her before our conversation and said, “I love that you ask first about love. Every piece of music I write, all the choices I make… they are fueled by love. I need to love the artistry of the person I am composing for and the potential of what that composition might bring into the world.”

Joanne knew she wanted to be a composer after listening to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as a young girl. She says, “I knew it with certainty, with knowingness,” and talked about making decisions with certainty throughout her life. She added, “if it feels right, I will do it,” because she always asks herself “is it part of fulfilling my mission, my dharma, my life’s purpose?”

As composition faculty at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin, Joanne guides her students to be open without judgement while they are creating. She says, “When you first write something down, it doesn’t need to be perfect – it doesn’t even have to be very good. It just has to be something you can work with. See what it will become and love the process. Perfectionism is a creativity killer.”

We finished our conversation reflecting on how we met and the importance of people in our lives. The Dutch composer Jacob ter Veldhuis introduced us with the idea that Joanne and I might enjoy knowing each other (and we do!). “It’s all about the people,” Joanne adds, and we close by sharing the wonder of the “subtle currents” that are in play in our lives. She adds, “we need to be aware of these,” as they can keep us connected to things bigger than ourselves or remind us of what is important to us. “I make my musical decisions by staying true to what I’ve built.” And then she puts her hands on her heart at that moment and says, “straight to the heart.”

Fueled by love, indeed!

Thank you, Joanne for the inspiring conversation!
To learn more about Joanne, please visit: https://www.joannemetcalf.com/