Composer and electronic artist Natalie Roe is a Company Silver Medal Award winner with an interest in acoustic and electronic music. Her unique sonic landscapes include works for The Flying Bedroom Theatre Company, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and a 26-Speaker Dome Installation in Helsinki. Natalie also recently won the Oram Awards, which supports women and gender diverse artists. Here she tells us more about her fascinating work.

How would you sum up your music in a sentence?
I love exploring new styles and sounds, especially acoustic and electronic sounds, and combining them with different mediums.

What triggered your interest in electro-acoustic music?
I trained as a classical composer and began looking at electronic instruments and sounds while studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD). I then did a year at the Sibelius Academy in Finland where I learnt how to use a modular synthesiser. I’ve been combining my love for acoustic and electronic music and performance ever since. I recently did a project with a designer in which I created soundboards that had microphones attached to the back of the canvas. As he painted the canvas, I took the sound and put it into a modular synthesier in front of a live audience.

Who or what are your greatest sources of inspiration? 
This is a hard one. All my inspiration pretty much comes from my surroundings – the people I meet, especially if they are creative, and the places I visit. This made making music during lockdown before I moved to Finland in the summer of ‘21 particularly challenging. Moving to a new city and meeting different people inspired me to start composing again. Artists I admire include Jon Hopkins, Anna Meredith, Max Richter, Shlomo, Laurie Anderson and the inimitable Yoko Ono.

What are the main challenges in producing experimental sounds?
I’d say having the confidence to be bold and accept that your music won’t always be met with lots of compliments! However, if there’s a sound you love, there will be people it resonates with. Getting people to take your music as seriously as traditional classical music can also be a challenge.

What projects are you currently working on?
I’m taking the leap to go full-time into music and am very open to exploring new projects and creative avenues. I’m currently involved in a children’s theatre company called The Flying Bedroom. Formed of music and design creatives that are actor musicians, we created our first show while at the RWCMD. We’ve just received Arts Council of Wales funding for a second show which will combine music and technology with puppetry to inspire young creatives to try out music technology.

You recently won the Oram Awards. How important is diverse representation to you within the music world?
Diversity is so important, especially in the male-dominated fields of composing and electronic music.  I know personally how hard it can be to carve out a space in the scene. Seeing young female artists thrive in these traditionally male genres shows younger audiences that this type of music is for everyone. Winning the Oram Awards is, I hope, a step towards becoming a strong female role model for others.

How do you see your relationship with acoustic and electronic music evolving?
It took me a long time to combine these two worlds in a sophisticated way, but with every bit of music I make, there’s always so much more to explore. What’s nice about bringing these worlds together is that it also unites audiences – fans of both acoustic and electronic genres – to foster new communities. My work in this field is only going to expand and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

You can find out more about Natalie at
Website: https://natalieroemusic.weebly.com 
Instagram: @natalieroemusic

Interview by Suzy Willmott

Suzy is freelance copywriter who works with the Musicians’ Company