“I quickly realized that I had truly captured a set of works that reflected my intentions and spirit as a performer. Each piece either grooved, sang, or told a story.”
On March 1, Lecturer of saxophone Dr. Heidi Radtke released her debut album, Convergence, with Navona Records. As stated in the album description, Convergence “explores the intersection of instruments, musical tradition, and the saxophone’s ability to explore these soundscapes, especially in the format of saxophone with fixed media. From a reimagination of Debussy to field recordings of natural spaces and sounds taken completely from a cell phone, the fixed media selections boast a wide range of musical styles, but all are connected through storytelling.”
What is music but a convergence of story, people, and place?
The album features music written by eight living composers with many of the compositions being new works, including two written specifically for Dr. Radtke. The pieces form a storytelling journey for the listener, ending with the title track, Convergence, by Sang Mi Ahn.
We caught up with Dr. Radtke to learn more about this exciting debut album and what she hopes listeners will take away.
UNC Music: What inspired you to commission, curate, and record Convergence?
Dr. Heidi Radtke: The recording project for Convergence was inspired by my first solo faculty recital at UNC, which took place in the spring of 2023. Since I was new to the area and still building collaborative relationships, I decided to program a recital that was comprised solely of music either for solo saxophone or saxophone with fixed media. The pieces that I selected were a mix of some of my favorite compositions as well as newly composed works, all by living/working composers. While I was preparing the program, I quickly realized that I had truly captured a set of works that reflected my intentions and spirit as a performer. Each piece either grooved, sang, or told a story. Recording an album has been a lifelong goal and with this recital program, I knew I was on to something. I quickly began to investigate the idea of recording these pieces (along with a few others) and the project for Convergence was born.
UNC Music: How did you decide on the commissioned composers?
Dr. Radtke: Only a few tracks on my album were composed specifically with me in mind. Those include the title track Convergence by Sang Mi Ahn and Ten Sacks o’ Sneaks and Snacks by Frank Felice. I met Frank Felice while we were both colleagues at Butler University in Indianapolis. Frank writes some of the most clever, whimsical, and thought-provoking music I have ever heard. I liked his music so much that I stole a piece he wrote for solo oboe and performed it several times on soprano saxophone. Finally, he decided to write me my own piece. Frank describes Ten Sacks o’ Sneaks and Snacks as “a quirky scherzo with ever-shifting tonal patterns of major thirds, playing hard to get against a fixed media part that sits on a base of looped beats comprised mostly of shifting cymbal patterns with odd percussion bits and clocks and blocks and clicks and clocks, but sly…. flirty…. mixed with a bit of mischief, wordplay and sent through the spin cycle with Stephenson’s Snowcrash, Gaiman’s The Sandman, and the Antique Roadshow. It can be a bit like an off-road county fair carnival ride. Or a ride through a long car wash with snacks. And sneaks. (Chuck Taylor’s preferred). Ten Sacks worth.”
Convergence was composed in 2011, while Sang Mi and I were both pursuing doctoral degrees at Indiana University. Most of the electronics part for the piece is taken from sounds I recorded for Sang Mi on my saxophone. The work begins with the solo saxophone, throwing questions out into the unknown, and soon after, a voice responds and the two embark in conversation. Through this intense sonic dialogue, the parts shift back and forth, blurring phrases and picking up where the other voice leaves off. The work finally comes to a conclusion with a convergence of the two voices. Creating this work was a really neat project and I always loved the piece. When it came time to make final decisions about my album, I knew I had to include this special composition.
When I perform, my primary goal is to entertain and provide a cathartic release for listeners. My favorite performances and recordings are ones where I find it easy to relax and lose myself while listening. I’m drawn in by compelling performers who truly commit to their performance and play music that reflects their soul.
UNC Music: Do you have a favorite track on the album?
Dr. Radtke: Every track on this album is special to me, but I feel most strongly connected to Breonna Taylor (How Many More?). The song is a collaboration between me and Rahsaan Barber, who composed and recorded the original for his 2020 release Mosaic. I was immediately drawn to the piece and wanted to find a way to take the original work, which is scored for jazz quartet, and perform it as a solo saxophonist. In this reimagining of the original composition, the melody and solo section of the work are placed over a fixed-media backdrop that includes a field recording of Iroquois Park, a sprawling 725-acre municipal park in the neighborhood where Breonna Taylor lived in Louisville, KY. Within the sonic landscape are the sounds of birds, frogs, and children playing in the distance, which serve as a constant reminder of the precious life that was lost.
UNC Music: What was the recording process like for this album?
Dr. Radtke: This recording was made possible through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Music Faculty Advancement and Research Program. This program provided me with the opportunity to record and mix all of the selections on my album during the summer of 2023. The recordings took place in Moeser Auditorium at UNC over the course of 3 days at the end of May. Because the selections are with fixed media and not other live musicians, I was able to record my solo part separately from the audio files. To do this, I used headphones to listen to the accompaniment while I played and recorded my part using mics setup throughout Moeser. UNC Music’s Multimedia Technician Jay Harper was absolutely amazing! He did all of the recording, mixing, and mastering of each track. I had a blast working with him and am still amazed at how wonderful it turned out.
UNC Music: What do you hope listeners will take away from this album?
Dr. Radtke: When I perform, my primary goal is to entertain and provide a cathartic release for listeners. My favorite performances and recordings are ones where I find it easy to relax and lose myself while listening. I’m drawn in by compelling performers who truly commit to their performance and play music that reflects their soul. These ideals frame my own performance goals and were my inspiration during the recording process. After listening to my album, I hope people leave refreshed, inspired, and open to receiving new ideas and perspectives.