THE UNITER INTERVIEW

October 7th 2009

Shatter it and pick up the pieces

Edmonton musician brings his beautiful, electro-acoustic experimentations to the University of Winnipeg

by Aaron Epp (Managing Editor)

Edmonton musician Mark Templeton will incorporate music he’s never played live before into his set in Winnipeg at Send + Receive.

When Edmonton-based musician Mark Templeton moved to Montreal for a year-and-a-half, he thought he would make a lot of music while living in the French city. He was wrong.

“My time in Montreal was great, but at the same time, I found it a little more difficult, personally, to become motivated to create,” Templeton said by phone last week.

“I was a little surprised by that because I kind of expected that I would have more creative output, being in such a vibrant city.

“But that’s the thing, I think: It’s easy to take in a lot and coast, and not [create] a lot yourself in a city like Montreal.”

A renowned, experimental, electro-acoustic musician, Templeton’s latest release is a 12” record he put out this past summer called Sea Point. The album features three songs from his latest CD, Inland, as well as three new songs.

Templeton will use those new songs for the first time ever as the basis of an improvisational live performance when he appears at the University of Winnipeg’s Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 14 as part of the 11th annual Send + Receive festival of sound art.

The University of Winnipeg’s CKUW 95.9 FM is co-presenting the performance in celebration of the campus radio station’s 10th anniversary.

I kind of expected that I would have more creative output, being in such a vibrant city. But that’s the thing, I think: It’s easy to take in a lot and coast, and not [create] a lot yourself in a city like Montreal.

– Mark Templeton, musician

- See Mark Templeton Wedneday, Oct. 14 at the Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall at the U of W
- USO Project + Selfish (Italy) and Ezekiel Honig (U.S.) will also perform
- Tickets are $12
- Doors open at 7 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m.
- Send + Receive: A Festival of Sound is on Oct. 13-17

Story Links

• Fields Awake
• Send + Receive

He first garnered attention with his debut release, 2007’s Standing on a Hummingbird.

Using acoustic instruments like guitar, banjo and violin as the basis of his songs, Templeton records various parts before chopping them up and splicing them together on his computer. The result is beautiful, atmospheric music that has been described as “pastoral” but also “painterly.”

“On Hummingbird I chose to hide the sources a little more,” Templeton said of the difference between that release and Inland. “After it came out, I was a little more comfortable with allowing the instruments and the sound sources to breathe and come to the surface.”

Another difference is the use of voice on Inland. Templeton would record a very unpolished vocal track “then shatter it and pick up the remnants and pieces and put them in a new order” to create new sounds.

Templeton’s works have been commissioned by organizations of contemporary dance, film and audiovisual disciplines. At times, Edmonton-based experimental filmmaker aAron Munson’s visuals have accompanied his live performances.

Earlier this year, the duo’s ongoing collaboration resulted in the release of M. Templeton & aA. Munson: Acre Loss on CD and DVD. The project features visuals by both men, set to music created by both men.

“Acre Loss and Inland are both kind of foreshadowing the direction I’m moving into,” Templeton said.

“I’m interested in seeing what happens in the next couple years – what recorded works will sound like and how they relate to Acre Loss and Inland – because I feel it will be a balance of the two.”

This article appeared in Volume 64, Number 06 of The Uniter, published October 8th 2009.

ZOOBIZARRE LIVE SET

Live set from Zoobizarre, Montreal on May 24, 2009.

ANTICIPATE ARTISTS UPCOMING SHOWS

Despite the cold Anticipate Recordings artists are keeping busy w/ tours, festivals and showcases.

Upcoming live performances:

Ezekiel Honig (w/ visuals by Joshue Ott):
February 15 @ Monkeytown (Brooklyn, NY) – Type Records Showcase w/ Xela, Koen Holtcamp

Morgan Packard (w/ visuals by Joshue Ott):
January 24 @ Castaways (Ithaca, New York)
April 16-19 @ Communikey Festival (Boulder, Colorado)

Sawako:
April 1 @ MATA Festival, Le Poisson Rouge (NYC)

Mark Templeton & Nicola Ratti (North American Tour – April):
April 26 @ Somewhere There (Toronto, Ontario) w/ Pau Torres
April 29 @ Casa Del Popolo (Montreal, Quebec) w/ Mountains
(more dates to follow)

SEE/VUE ARTICLES

Really enjoyed performing in Edmonton this past weekend. Thanks to all who came out. Here are some articles about the show:

Vue Weekly

SEE Magazine

THE HYDEAWAY

Looking forward to performing in Edmonton on December 5th at the Hydeaway. Details are here:

THANKS

Thank you to everyone who assisted w/ the Bear and Bridge Tour. So many people helped out in so many ways… Thanks again! It was great to perform at so many interesting venues and to hear such great music. As a result I hope to do it again soon.

ANTICIPATE RECORDINGS @ CASA DEL POPOLO

Back in Canada to perform at Casa Del Poplo in Montreal for an Anticipate Recordings night.

I’ll post some follow-up info to the Bear and Bridge tour soon…

ARCIKROEN, VERONA, ITALY

Performing my last show of the tour w/ a great Italian band. Details are here:

VPRO

I will be doing an interview and live performance on Dutch National Radio tomorrow morning. The Bear and Bridge Tour is wrapping up. One more show in Verona, Italy and then back to Canada!

EAT THIS FESTIVAL

Sunday afternoon performance in Utrecht, The Netherlands, followed by an on air performance in Amsterdam, Monday at Dutch National Radio – VPRO.