Robyn Yost
US soundartist
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Interview: 10 questions
1. When did you start making music, what is/was your motivation to do it?
I started making music in college. I was a theater major and had the privilege of studying with some phenomenal voice teachers who were also musicians and composers. I went to a school that focused on developing a process for creating original work. There I learned I had a voice and a passion for using it in a musical context.
2. Tell me something about your living environment and the musical education.
I live in Brooklyn New York and work in an area called Bushwick, also in Brooklyn. Bushwick is a very exciting place to have a studio. It’s industrial and has slowly over the past ten yrs or so been a destination for artists who have been pushed out of their previous work and living spaces due to increased rent. It’s an area on the brink of major developmental changes itself yet still has retained it’s old world flavor. Lately I’ve been walking down the street and I’ll stop now and again and try to capture this time and place because I know it won’t last long. It’s exciting to feel the swell of upcoming change. I’m glad I’m here to watch it grow.
3. Is making music your profession? What is the context in which you practice music nowadays?
Making music will SOMEDAY be my profession, but for now it’s more of a private endeavor I practice in every spare moment I have.
4. How do you compose or create music or sound? Have you certain
principles, use certain styles etc?
I start with an idea which for me carries a certain vibration, or sound. I then try and find that sound that’s in my head. Because of the time we live in I feel all the groups and styles I love have a place in my music. Music truly is the universal language so it makes sense to me to combine and contrast different methods and styles to convey a particular message.
5. Tell me something about the instruments, technical equipment or
tools you use?
For this piece I used MaxMSP to experiment with a random collage of radio sound, which I then imported into Protools. I also play the piano.
6. What are the chances of New Media for the music production in
general and you personally?
Using New Media for the combination of found sound with acoustic is a perfect and in fact necessary method. In fact it’s the technology itself which gives rise to this idea and possibly.
7. How about producing and financing your musical productions?
I’ve given myself this year to figuring out the answer to this question. I’ll keep you posted.
8. Do you work individually as a musician/soundartist or in a group
or collaborative? If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you
prefer?
Right now I work solo. I’m learning the technology so I can better hone my ideas before I bring it into a collaborative sphere. I’m interested to see where and how far I can go alone.
9. Is there any group, composer, style or movement which has a
lasting influence on making music?
Yes of course! All styles contribute to my inspiration and some of the artists are Bach, The Books, Steve Reich, Led Zeppelin, OS Muntanes to name a few.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a soundartist or musician?
My dream is to build scores for the foundation for a live show. I want to use music as a springboard for other events and action to interact with, like video and dance.