What “Weakness” Can Be // An interview with Molly Joyce
by composer William Brittelle
Perspective, Molly Joyce's groundbreaking multimedia project, found its genesis in a single word: weakness – a word Joyce had herself used on countless occasions in reference to her left hand which was damaged in a childhood car accident. It wasn't until disability activist Judith Heumann pressed her on the word's usage that Joyce began to peel back the layers. Joyce eventually realized that, by using such language…
"I was, in effect, reiterating flawed, socially-constructed notions about what weakness can and should be. I didn't necessarily think I should refer to my left hand as strong and abandon weakness altogether, but rather this motivated a larger undertaking to see what weakness and related terms mean to individuals across disabilities, identities, experiences, and more."
An accomplished composer of great breadth and varied technique, Joyce's work has thus far touched upon many musical threads: post-classical, experimental, indie. Still, Perspective marks a decided shift into new ground – a dual focus on language and collaboration. Based on a series of interviews Joyce conducted with members of the disabled community, Perspective functions as a conscious turn away from a solitary, inward-looking mode of composition. Joyce explains,
"Up until this project a lot of the work I was creating was centered on my own body and disability and narrative, so I had an urge to expand this and highlight others' voices. I think it mirrors perhaps the more communal recognition of disability and integral shared experience out there, which I find continually motivating."
Perspective interviewees: Katie De Leo; Richard Grimm; Arbdella Hudson; Katrina Jirik; Kevin Kling; Amoke Kubat; Gaelynn Lea; Chris Martin; Nicole Mary Milligan; Leslye Orr; Atlas O. Phoenix; Donna Ray; Gabriel Roderick; Danny Roherty; Matthew Sanford; Andy Slater; Nathan R. Stenberg; Poppy Jean Sundquist; Mai Thor; Debbie Towey
For Perspective’s Great Northern-commissioned winter iteration, Joyce engaged with the Twin Cities' multifaceted disability community, exploring concepts of darkness, resilience, isolation, and restraint. Interviewees included legendary disability activists local to the area: musician Gaelynn Lea; storyteller Kevin Kling; yoga teacher Matthew Sanford; and connections with local disability groups the Self-Advocacy Advisory Committee of The Arc, Dreamland Arts, and Interact Center.
Despite Perspective's multimedia platform, Joyce retains her role as composer, though now in a collaborative, supporting role. Her entrancing soundscapes tastefully and movingly color the austere black and white "lyric video" presentation of the material. The task, akin in a way to film scoring, presented an exciting new testing ground for the composer:
"I definitely felt challenged in terms of timing, and trying to figure out how to effectively underscore the rhythm and of course nuance and content of their responses. I aimed to hopefully enhance rather than detract from the responses."
Through Joyce's journey of identity and self-discovery, she's carved out a space for others to tell their story. And, via her musical talents, she has a means to support those stories in a most compelling way. With its unique structure, skillful execution, and holistic approach, Perspective is the rare artistic gift that enriches and emboldens the lives of creator, audience, and participant alike.
Molly Joyce has been deemed one of the “most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome” by The Washington Post. Her music has additionally been described as “serene power” (New York Times), written to “superb effect” (The Wire), and “unwavering” and “enveloping” (Vulture). Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand from a previous car accident, and the primary vehicle in her pursuit is her electric vintage toy organ, an instrument she bought on eBay which engages her disability on a compositional and performative level. Molly is a graduate of Juilliard, Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Yale, alumnus of the YoungArts Foundation, and holds an Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies from City University of New York.
William Brittelle is a North Carolina-raised Brooklyn-based creator of music, text, and multimedia. An avid collaborator, Brittelle has worked with a number of artists across multiple disciplines, including Roomful of Teeth, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Bryce Dessner, Kanye West, Son Lux, Oneohtrix Point Never, A Far Cry, and the Seattle, Baltimore, and North Carolina Symphony Orchestras, the Basel Sinfonietta, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His production projects include upcoming and recent albums with Julia Holter/Spektral Quartet, violinist Michi Wiancko, keyboardist Erika Dohi, and Roomful of Teeth. His latest full-length LP entitled "Spiritual America" featuring Wye Oak, the Metropolis Ensemble, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, was released by Nonesuch/New Amsterdam in 2019.