Concetta Abbate
LAMINARIA is Violinist/Composer Concetta Abbate’s follow up release to her acclaimed Mirror Touch, a solo 5 string violin and voice collection inspired by the neurodivergent experience of synesthesia, which resulted in Abbate’s first international presentation at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp Music and Synesthesia conference. For this new endeavor, Abbate explores writing for a 10 piece orchestra and takes on another synesthetic endeavor, translating a film genre, such as folk horror, to music.The title comes from the Latin word for kelp, a plant which is used medicinally to induce labor for birth or abortion. Abbate was intrigued by a plant which could be so powerful to stand on the crux between life and death. The piece explores lived experiences of mental health crisis and utilizes a shadow ghost as symbolism for experience clouded by trauma. In an interview with QPTV Abbate says, “Topics such as mental health and trauma are so taboo in our society, it can make us feel isolated to hold those experiences but Art is a place where we can be playful and express difficult feelings within safe space”. The musical score contains composed orchestrations and motifs as well as spontaneous improvisations which are embedded into the sonic narrative. The orchestration is incredibly unique, unlike any piece written before including low end woodwinds such as bassoon, bass clarinet and alto flute as well as two singing string players, a singing french horn player and a rhythm section of guitar, drum kit, keyboard. Musical instrument builder Skip la Plante hand built and designed a set of original instruments to create analog foley sound effects which underscore the haunting oceanic soundscape of the entire composition. The piece has been performed live 11 times garnering a cult following on the NYC music scene. Six of those performances have been in collaboration with the Wendy Osserman Dance company. For these performances the dancers created original choreography to the music to highlight the colorful narratives of the piece. The release of the musical album accompanying the live performances is highlyanticipated by Abbate’s audience. The creation of LAMINARIA music composition and studio recording has been funded by New Music USA, the Alice Ditson Fund, the Gilman Foundation,The Amphion Foundation,The Cheswatyr Foundation, The Wendy Osserman Dance Company, ASCAP and BMI.
