November 7, 2024
An interview with Caroline Nicolas
~ John Thiessen, Executive Director
John: We’re thrilled to have Caroline Nicolas with us today to talk about her new ensemble Ars Poetica and its upcoming performance Conjuring Magic November 22 at Manhattan’s St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church. Welcome, Caroline.
Caroline: Thanks, John. It’s a pleasure to be able to tell you about Ars Poetica.
John: I remember when we spoke last spring about your plans for a new group, and that you were trying to decide between two names. I thought one was stronger than the other, and that it might be helpful for your ensemble name to begin with “A” so you could be near the top of the list! Tell us the reason you formed Ars Poetica.
Caroline: I agree that Ars Poetica ended up being the right name, especially given our artistic mission. Even with many wonderful early music ensembles in New York, I find that there will still be a gap in performances of instrumental repertoire from the High Renaissance to early Baroque, and certainly for interdisciplinary projects collaborating with dancers and actors.
John: Indeed, your upcoming performance later this month does combine instrumental music with voice and dance, very much in keeping with that vision.
Caroline: Ars Poetica has instrumentalists, including myself, who also sing, and for this project our ensemble member Alyssa Weathersby will dance. Adding this component brings a different interpretation to the music and a more visceral and visual aspect to the performance.
John: How does working with a dancer influence the way you play the music?
Caroline: There is an obvious need for consistency of tempo and rhythmic vitality far above what we would normally do. If we were performing alone, we would evoke the dance, of course, but without the necessity to be as precise with time and rhythm.
John: For this project, how did you arrive at the right tempi for pieces with Alyssa?
Caroline: We sat down together before rehearsals began, and I played unaccompanied. Alyssa and I tried things a few different ways and then we arrived at tempos which were the right ones.
John: Take me back to the beginning. I understand that like me, you were born in Canada.
Caroline: Yes, I grew up in Winnipeg and left for Cleveland when I was 15, living a nomadic existence before finally settling in New York! I met my husband Kevin while studying at Juilliard. After graduating from the Historical Performance Department, we went to Basel for two years and are now back.
John: Your husband Kevin Payne plays the lute and he also sings for Ars Poetica.
Caroline: Yes, and he’s very good at both!
John: You play both violoncello and viola da gamba. Like the lute, the instruments can be played solo, but they are also used in early music continuo sections. Do you play violoncello and viola da gamba equally or does one predominate? How about the physical demands?
Caroline: It’s pretty much 50-50 for me, and I love playing both. The violoncello is of course a four-string instrument played with an overhand bow, while the viola da gamba either has 6 or 7 strings, and is played with the bow underhand. The viola da gamba produces a quieter, lighter sound, so that nuances of articulation are particularly important. Range of articulation is also critical for the violoncello, but as it’s part of the violin family, the violoncello has a much greater volume range.
John: It’s really the best of both worlds and the solo and ensemble repertoire as a soloist are almost endless. Are any new works being written for the viola da gamba?
Caroline: Yes, and in fact, I’m playing a new piece by Nico Muhly this weekend at the Guggenheim Museum. It is based on Buxtehude’s cantata Membre Jesu Nostri and written for viol consort.
John: How wonderful that the viola da gamba can live on with both historical and new repertoire! Caroline, everyone at GEMS wishes you and Ars Poetica the very best for your upcoming Conjuring Magic performance on November 22! Tickets are available on GEMS’ website. I hope everyone will also take a look at your ensemble’s page and support your group.
Caroline: Thanks, John. We’re so happy to be a GEMS ensemble and be part of an organization that makes early music thrive in New York!