Catherine Duc/Interview
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This email interview was conducted on February 25, 2007 with Catherine Duc
WMG Abby: How's it like living in Australia?
Catherine Duc: Really wonderful - I love Australia! I was born in Melbourne (the second largest city in Australia) and my parents are originally from Vietnam. I really enjoy the cultural diversity, the friendliness of the people and the beautiful and different sceneries.
WMG: You took up piano lessons when you were young. Have you had any incling that music is what you wanted to pursue?
CD: When I was studying classical piano, I didn't have any plans to be a professional pianist. It wasn't until I was 17 and started taking classes in music technology that I discovered how much I enjoyed composing and wanted to pursue music and share it with other people.
WMG: What does your music sound like?
CD: It's a blend of the music that has influenced me - ambient, world, electronica and film soundtracks. Two artists I'm often compared with are Enigma and Enya.
WMG: Who are your musical influences?
CD: Ambient/worldbeat artists like Enigma and Deep Forest were my earliest influences. Also world music, a lot of Irish music (from traditional to pop) and soundtrack composers like James Horner (Titanic) and Harry Gregson-Williams (Narnia).
WMG: Where do you get your inspiration in writing your songs?
CD: Sometimes I'll be trying out new sound libraries and playing my keyboard and a melody will come up. I'll then record it. Later on, I'll go back and develop the song. Another way is that I'll hear an arrangement in my head when I'm doing everyday things such as travelling on the train or walking. I'm also inspired by beautiful sceneries and exotic places.
WMG: Was was it like being praised and awarded such prestigious accolades?
CD: It was a really big surprise when I found out I had won the instrumental music awards actually! I was overjoyed and extremely grateful for the recognition. I'm very happy that other people enjoy my music as much as I enjoyed creating it.
WMG: What is it about ambient/electronica/world music that drew you in?
CD: I love being taken away to the sonic landscapes that ambient/electronica/world music create. It's away from the activities of everday life, where I can dream and explore in my mind. When I write music, I like to create different worlds.
WMG: I see a lot of upcoming musicians going the same path as yours, what can you offer that will differ you from those other artists?
CD: As a musician in the ambient/New Age genre, I think my sound focuses more on world music. I think using Celtic, Middle Eastern and other world music influences are the 'spices' of my musical recipe. I also use elements of Trance, classical and pop music. My music is a melting pot for all the types of music I love listening to.
WMG: How would you deal if you were criticised as another ambient musician?
CD: I'd like the reviewer to listen to my album without any prejudices. Of course, music is very subjective. We all have our favourite music genres and some people won't listen to a certain genre of music. I've had very good feedback from many publications worldwide, so criticism from one reviewer wouldn't worry me.
WMG: Any particular favorite from all the songs you wrote?
CD: My favourite track is 'In The Light of Day'. It was inspired by one of my favourite movies 'Titanic'. The song creates the grandeur and vastness of the open sea. This song took the longest of all the tracks on my album to write and produce because it's an orchestral composition.
WMG: Any gigs going on?
CD: I'm not performing live at the moment. My music is very multi-layered and uses a lot of electronic programming and orchestral instruments, so it's difficult to replicate that sound live without having a lot of musicians and keyboardists on stage. This is something I would like to do in the future though.
WMG: Tell us more about your debut album, Visions and Dreams?
CD: I created Visions and Dreams as a soundtrack for dreams. Each song will take you to different places and times - from a rainforest in South America, to a medieval castle to sailing across the ocean. I believe it's important to try and find some time and get away from the 'everday tasks' and allow ourselves to dream and contemplate.
WMG: How did you create the right sound for the album?
CD: When I'm composing, I'll imagine scenes and then create the music for the 'movie' in my mind. This technique really guides me with composing as I'll know instinctively if something is working well with the overall song. I also spent a lot of time investigating and choosing music equipment to create the right sounds for my sonic palette.
WMG: Why did it take 2 years to produce your album?
CD: I didn't set myself a timeframe to record the album because I wanted every song to be inspired in its own time. I wanted to get the sound perfect and this involved a lot of listening, editing and more listening. Some songs took 60 hours to record (not including the final mixing).
WMG: How are you dealing with the growing popularity you're getting so far?
CD: The number of messages I'm getting from listeners, media and commercial organisations is increasing and I usually receive several hundred emails every week about my music. I like to try to reply to most people individually and this can take a while for listeners to hear back from me. But several people have said they appreciate the 'one on one' messages from me, so I'll continue to do this as long as I am able to. With the media, in the past I used to contact writers about my music but now it's the other way around. I'm very happy that I can share my music with more people every day.
WMG: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
CD:I'd like to work with well known world musicians on my albums and also compose soundtracks for films. I'd also love to visit Ireland for a long-term stay to experience their music and culture.
WMG: Thanks so much for the time. Any last messages to your fans?
CD:Thanks for the inteview Abby! I want to say a big thank you to all my friends and listeners for their support and encouragement. Hi to all my friends on MySpace!
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