Rebecca Bruton is a composer, songmaker, vocalist, and guitarist based in Calgary, Alberta. She creates work that moves in the narrow space between sorrow and celebration, drawing upon interests that include the pace of trekking through the Rocky Mountains, land/blood memory, the choreographic, multi-species kinship, and the malleable nature of time. Bruton creates within and across several musical arenas, including experimental chamber music, song, film scores, and free improvisation. Her chamber compositions are widely performed, having been commissioned by Ekmeles vocal ensemble (NYC), Nordic Afect (IS), Quasar Quatuor de saxophones (Montréal), Arraymusic (Toronto), Ultraviolet Ensemble (Edmonton), and more. Bruton is an avid collaborator, especially across disciplines. In the fall of 2021, she performed in the premiere of We Needed to be rescued, a collaborative movement and music work she co-created with choreographer and dancer Heather Ware (produced by Dancers Studio West). She also tends to a long-term collaborative friendship with multidisciplinary artist Angela Rawlings, having set Angela’s 2017 si tu to microtonal music for four voices (I n s t i t u, 2021), and collaborated with Angela in the polyvocal duo Moss Moss Not Moss (Tectonics Glasgow 2016). Autumn 2022 saw Bruton debuting a shimmering ornament of silt, an electro-acoustic multi-channel installation she co-created with Icelandic composer and violinist Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir (Sphere/ Sphère Festival, National Arts Centre, Canada). She also leads Swanherds, an experimental folk supergroup featuring Zoë Alexis-Abrams, Laura Swankey, Ryan Driver, Pete Johnston, Kurt Newman, and D Alex Meeks.
Name:
Rebecca Bruton and Jason Doell with Quatuor Bozzini and JunctQín keyboard collective
Genre:
Experimental Classical
Founded:
Came together as a collective in 2018
# of Albums:
1
Latest Album:
A root or mirror, blossom, madder, cracks; together (out August 28th 2024)
Favourite musician growing up:
FAR too many, but it started with Canadian songwriter Fred Eaglesmith and fiddler Natalie MacMaster. My family went to the very eclectic Calgary Folk Festival every year, so I was exposed to a lot. I got into experimental music in middle school and I’ve been expanding my ears exponentially since. But I’ve always returned to Americana songwriters like Lucinda Williams as my ‘desert island’ music.
Favourite musician now:
FAR too many, but on heavy rotation I currently have ‘Throne,’ by Heather Leigh – Glaswegian pedal steel player and singer.
Guilty pleasure song:
Jann Arden – Insensitive
Live show ritual:
10-20 minutes intentional yawning
Favourite local musician:
Chad VanGaalen
EP or LP?
LP
Early bird or night owl?
Depends on the season
Road or studio?
Both good – as a composer, I mostly travel for one-off premieres and residencies, which is a magical way to get to know a place.
Any shows or albums coming up?
I’m really excited about the release of A root or mirror, blossom, madder, cracks; together – it’s a split vinyl LP I wrote and produced collaboratively with Toronto experimental composer Jason Doell. We each wrote one side of the album, but the entire album is performed by the combined ensemble of Quatuor Bozzini (Montréal) and JunctQín keyboard collective (Toronto). We’ve been dreaming and working on the project since 2018, and I’m so excited to see it out in the world!
Where can we follow you?
Rebecca Bruton | Jason Doell | Quatuor Bozzini | JunctQín
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
The Eden
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
Any alleyway in Bridgeland. The community was historically Italian, and there are so many historic vegetable gardens still going! I love watching for alley pumpkins.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
St. Patrick’s Island Park. I love how even with the re-landscaping since the flood, it’s still so wild, and stays cool on hot days. I’ve seen coyotes there, and it’s right in the middle of the city. I love swimming on the South side of the island, and picking Saskatoons. The whole place has a special presence.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Central United Church
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Blackbyrd Myoozik
