NEWS
Another awesome review from Textura! Read up on FMP 2.0:
“…the intrepid cellist demonstrates a fearlessness in her programming choices and execution…As these provocative releases clearly show, however, Gookin, if anything, defiantly refuses to be silenced. Both releases contain music of immense power, and that the performances are almost entirely by her alone testifies to her belief in the difference a single individual can make.”
Five amazing compositions led to the recording of this fearless album, Forward Music Project 2.0: in this skin.
I could not have done it without Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Kamala Sankaram, Paola Prestini, Alex Temple, and Shelley Washington!
“Dam mwen yo” by Nathalie Joachim was picked as one of the top 25 best classical music tracks of 2020!
“Even when brief and minimalist, Nathalie Joachim’s compositions cross complex ranges of emotion. Here, in a piece for cello (and vocals recorded by its composer), the somber cast of mood at the opening is complicated by a change in gait. The effect is akin to what you might feel inventing a new dance on the spot, while trudging through otherwise grim surroundings.” SETH COLTER WALLS
The Forward Music Project 1.0 album was an editor’s pick as the top 2020 Contemporary Classical Albums!
“The works on Forward Music Project 1.0 bravely and vulnerably confront social issues such as human trafficking, arranged marriages, and child loss/abortion while also celebrating women’s resilience, joy, and power. Whether she’s accompanying the radiant voice of Nathalie Joachim (Dam mwen yo), bushwhacking through woody col legnos (Stolen), plucking along to jagged, iridescent, robotic soundscapes (Las Desaparecidas), or absolutely shredding in perpetual motion to the finish (Swerve), Gookin’s technical facility and dedication to this repertoire is inspiring. By equitably commissioning a diverse roster of composers to contribute their perspectives, this is a premier example of feminist advocacy done right.”
GRAMMY® season is upon us and Forward Music Project 1.0 is up for consideration in four Classical categories! I am so proud of this project, the amazing composers, and the whole team that worked incredibly hard to bring this album to life.
The seven works on this album were my first FMP commissions. I have performed them so many times that they have become embedded in my bones, heart, and soul. This embodied performance is best summed up in The WholeNote album review, "It is the highest level of artistry that can realize a message, a story, or an emotion while seeming to have not performed it at all."
Forward Music Project shares stories that need to be heard and brings new sounds to ears around the world. It has been a true healing journey for me, as I hope it has been for you.
Thank you for listening and for your consideration!
BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO
BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION
Dam mwen yo by Nathalie Joachim
BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, CLASSICAL
Garth MacAleavey, Mike Tierney
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL
Amanda Gookin, Louis Levitt
“The joy of transmitting knowledge is perceptible” — NY Times
“Gookin herself shines throughout the record” — I CARE IF YOU LISTEN
“It is the highest level of artistry that can realize a message, a story, or an emotion while seeming to have not performed it at all.” — The WholeNote
“The performances clearly reflect Gookin's virtuosic command...the playing is always used in the service of bringing the composer's material to its optimal realization” — Textura
“Everything here exists on a level of glorious musicality” — AnEarful
“The music compels the attention from the start and does not let go” — AllMusic
Read more press
Millions of people around the world are mourning the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who tirelessly fought for gender equality with grace and strength. The world is figuratively and literally on fire. This is not the first time humanity has self-combusted, but in the effort to not allow history to repeat itself, what can we do? How can we humans increase our empathy, generously give in spite of our own ego, and attempt to deeply understand that which we do not know? I have so many questions.
Last night while watching the series premiere of Ratched, one quote stuck out to me. “Save one life and you’re a hero, save 100 lives and you're a nurse.” While this is clever and true, I am not a nurse. What does this mean for me, for all of us? What if we stretched out our arms a little further to reach just one other person? What if we did this without the bells and whistles of heroism? What would it feel like to save (or spare) the life of someone who is not like you, or who may even have hurt you? How do we learn to make empathetic choices and cause no harm? How do we engage in conversations around the worthiness of an individual’s life when it comes to public policy? How can we be more like Ruth Bader Ginsburg?
To me, connection, listening, and understanding are the beginning of rebuilding a world out of balance. I hope I can open the door if but a crack to invite more openness, honesty, and healing in.
A generous and wonderful review of the Forward Music Project 1.0 album!
“The performances clearly reflect Gookin's virtuosic command (most evident, perhaps, in Jessica Meyer's light-speed Swerve), but the playing is always used in the service of bringing the composer's material to its optimal realization.”
My recording of Dam mwen yo by Nathalie Joachim from the Forward Music Project 1.0 album was featured on BBC Radio 3!
“Tom Service with recordings of new music from around the world that challenge borders - political, physical, temporal and stylistic, including…music for voice and cello by Nathalie Joachim…”
Today I woke up to such a kind review of the Forward Music Project album. It gave me such a boost of gratitude and a gentle reminder to be just as kind to myself and to others.
"It is the highest level of artistry that can realize a message, a story or an emotion while seeming to have not performed it at all. This was my takeaway from my introduction to cellist Amanda Gookin."
"From one track to the next I was moved by the stunning technique that beautifully unified the collection. Gookin keeps the unique and accessible collaboration on message by including the voices of the composers themselves, available as short descriptive introductions in their own voices on YouTube, thus keeping this album refreshingly free of ego. But the music itself warrants attention regardless of the storytelling."
It was such a joy to create this playlist for I CARE IF YOU LISTEN and American Composers Forum/innova Recordings! There are so many artists who inspire me daily that I could make a thousand more.
ListN Up is a series of weekly artist-curated playlists. Born from a desire to keep artists sharing and connected during times of isolation, ListN Up offers an intimate sonic portrait of contemporary artists by showcasing the diverse and stylistically varied music that influences their creative practice. This series is sponsored by American Composers Forum/innova Recordings with new releases every Friday on I CARE IF YOU LISTEN.
Another great review of the Forward Music Project 1.0 album!
“What gives the Forward Music Project 1.0 interest beyond specifically feminist circles, however, is the direct, even fervent quality of the music, and especially of Gookin's cello… The music compels the attention from the start and does not let go. Strong production adds to the appeal, and listeners of all stripes will be left looking forward to Project 2.0.”
Great review in AnEarful of the Forward Music Project 1.0 album!
“Rest assured that everything here exists on a level of glorious musicality, with access to the artists' intentions not a requirement for listening. But once you know, you will be even more floored by what Gookin has achieved here.”
What a thoughtful review of the Forward Music Project 1.0 album!
James May of I Care If You Listen writes, “The power of Gookin’s project lies in its bringing together of diverse female composers to tell the stories of their individual identities. In that way, Gookin is staking a claim for those composers to exist as themselves, with all the influences and experiences that shape them as artists and individuals…
As the new music scene deals with its demons of white-supremacist patriarchy, Forward Music Project is exactly the kind of effort that can guide our community toward sincere personal connection by centering the earnest interests of female-identifying composers…
Gookin herself shines throughout the record, demonstrating the curatorial care with which she treats each commission.”
Forward Music Project 1.0 came in #6 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Charts! Feels great to be in such fabulous company!
Today's the day, folks! Forward Music Project 1.0 is out!
It has been an amazing journey these last 4 years. When I started FMP I had a determination and a lot of heart, but I could never have predicted that this project would lead to 18 commissions, amazing performance opportunities, and AN ALBUM!
This would not be possible without the first seven fearless composers who joined me on this mission. To elevate stories of feminine empowerment through their beautiful music.
I hope you enjoy your listening experience. And remember, you are not alone.
Love you, Allison Loggins-Hull, Jessica Meyer, Angelica Negron, Nathalie Joachim, Morgan Krauss, Leila Adu, and Amanda Feery.
“communal joy embedded in a music of cooperation”
— NY Times
My upcoming album, Forward Music Project 1.0, was listed in today’s New York Times!
“The cellist Amanda Gookin has had some experience shepherding new works into the classical repertory. PUBLIQuartet, a group that Gookin co-founded, co-commissioned a piece by Jessica Meyer for its Grammy-nominated 2019 recording, “Freedom & Faith.” Gookin’s latest album — “Forward Music Project 1.0,” which comes out on Friday — adds to that momentum by presenting listeners with a fresh slate of compositions.”
Seth Colter Walls writes the album “commences in high style, courtesy of the composer and multi-instrumentalist Nathalie Joachim’s track “Dam mwen yo” and describes Nathalie Joachim’s and my collaboration as “communal joy embedded in a music of cooperation” where the “joy of transmitting knowledge is perceptible.”
Dear friend,
I am deeply inspired by the fearless activists of the Black Lives Matter movement who have motivated thousands of people around the world in a call to action. Let's not forget that BLM was founded by three Black women: Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi.
As a white American, teacher, and performer, it is my responsibility to continue my own anti-racist work. Anti-racist work requires an immense amount of honesty, self-reflection, and self-education. There is no way to the other side but through. Through the discomfort of understanding my own existence and my role within systemic racism. It is from this raw place that progress comes.
Please consider the links listed below. Included are nonprofits, entrepreneurs, community centers, and projects that need your ongoing support.
And remember to vote.
Black Lives Matter.
Yours,
Amanda
Black Women's Blueprint
"We engage in progressive research, historical documentation, policy advocacy and organizing steeped in the struggles of Black women within their diverse communities and within dominant culture."
The Audre Lorde Project
A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color community organizing center, focusing on the New York City area.
Center for Black Equity
Promotes a multinational LGBTQ+ network dedicated to improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and equal rights while promoting individual and collective work, responsibility, and self-determination.
Loveland Therapy Fund
Brings opportunity and healing to communities of color, and especially to Black women and girls. "Through fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more, ultimately we hope to contribute to both the empowerment and the liberation of the communities we serve."
GirlTrek
Pioneers a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles through walking campaigns, community leadership, and health advocacy.
Essie Justice Group
A nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. Our award-winning Healing to Advocacy Model brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. "We are building a membership of fierce advocates for race and gender justice — including Black and Latinx women, formerly and currently incarcerated women, transgender women, and gender non-conforming people."
Rachel Cargle
Rachel Cargle is a public academic, writer, and lecturer. Her activism and academic work are rooted in providing intellectual discourse, tools, and resources that explore the intersection of race and womanhood.
Rise Up: Visionary Business for These Times
Led by Andréa Ranae (www.andrearanae.com)
"With our planet at risk and socio-political tensions high across the world, within our governments, our media, our schools and communities, we’re tasked with a vital question: How can we co-inhabit the earth in ways that, at minimum, are sustainable and, at best, cultivate a world where all living things have access to the resources they need to flourish?"
SoHumanity
"The next big wave of change in community is in how we show up, recognize and gain the most from the diversity within the group. We teach individuals and organizations how to activate their unique strengths for themselves and those around them, listening deeply to the body for guidance." I recommend taking Tanya Birl-Torres' virtual yoga classes at www.breadandyoga.com.
Third Root Community Center
"At Third Root Community Health Center, social justice is at the core of healing. Among our goals are to challenge systematic health disparities, hierarchies within different modalities of healthcare, and to provide a different model of care that grows out of love." Third Root has offerings for BIPOC folks as well as a building solidarity virtual workshop series.
Beyond Reproach Podcast
Beyond Reproach is a comedic history podcast about scandals and scandalousness in politics and government. Each episode hosts Stephanie & Tux explore the sordid stories of America's past, all while drinking heavily, talking too much, and generally making fools of themselves. They hope that these stories entertain you, teach you a thing or two, and maybe even draw parallels between the mistakes of the past and the quagmire that is American politics today.
Dear Friend,
I am wishing you comfort, peace, and health.
This is hard. This is really hard. Performing artists have lost all work for the foreseeable future; teachers have become lifelines for their students; obituaries are posted daily; we are caught in political turmoil, engaged in an infuriating debate of what "freedom" actually means for all who share United States soil; and even in the midst of a pandemic, the U.S. healthcare system cannot meet the needs of those who are sick.
This has been a shock to most, if not all of us. We need comfort. The feeling of helplessness is oceanic. I want you to know that if there is anything I can do for you, all you need to do is reach out. I can share emergency funding and mental health resources, lead deep breathing and meditation sessions, share recipes and cooking tips, or just answer your call and listen.
Ok, I need to turn the light on and share some positives! There are a couple of things that are keeping me going creatively. I may not have any live performances coming up, but I do have my debut album coming out July 2020, I am collaborating with six amazing composers for Forward Music Project 3.0, and I accepted the position as Director of Purchase New Music starting this Fall. I've also started Patience + Butter, a food blog of my recipes inspired by my mother, and participated in online at-home performances.
Today is #GivingTuesdayNow, a lovely initiative to spread generosity to organizations in need. I've shared a few organizations to consider donating to below, including Forward Music Project. I've also shared some mental health and community resources if you or someone you know one needs help.
I am so grateful to those who donated and commissioned new FMP 3.0 works this season. I am also incredibly thankful to be an award recipient of the NYC Women's Fund grant for my debut album, which I have been self-funding up until now.
I delayed my plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign and have momentarily halted individual fundraising. I just don't feel comfortable making these asks right now. But today, in light of #GivingTuesdayNow and if you are able to, any contribution you make to help FMP keep moving will directly pay artists for their work and support new initiatives. These new initiatives are a podcast and a concert/storytelling series (which will begin online and transition back to an in-person gathering space when it is safe to do so).
Be safe. Be well. Stay home. Stay creative. Reach out.
Yours,
Amanda
Forward Music Project
Forward Music Project is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
New Music Solidarity Fund
Artist-led initiative granting emergency funding to musicians impacted by COVID-19.
Artist Relief Tree
Relief fund for artists affected by cancellations due to COVID-19.
Sphinx Artist Fund
Dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts, this relief fund provides financial support to Sphinx community members most in need.
Feeding America
Feeding America established a COVID-19 Response Fund to aid the most vulnerable people throughout the country.
Food Bank for New York City
Providing emergency food to vulnerable New Yorkers who may be quarantined, along with those impacted by the economic downturn.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(800) 273-8255
Samaritans of New York
(212) 673-3000
National Domestic Violence Hotline
(800) 799-7233
New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline
(800) 942-6906
Informed Immigrant
Resources for Immigrants during the coronavirus crisis.
Yoga with Adriene
Free online yoga videos.
Tara Brach
Free online guided meditations.
I am honored to be an award recipient of the NYC Women's Fund for Media, Music, and Theatre! This grant will help fund my debut solo album, Forward Music Project 1.0, which features the very first seven FMP works I commissioned in 2016.
I’ve been hard at work with my team to create the best album I can. I am so incredibly thankful for the support I’ve received behind the scenes. More updates to come as we get closer to the release date!
Forward Music Project 1.0:
Amanda Gookin, cello
Featuring works by: Jessica Meyer, Allison Loggins-Hull, Morgan Krauss, Amanda Feery, Angélica Negrón, Nathalie Joachim, and Leila Adu
Recorded at: National Sawdust
Recording Engineer: Garth MacAleavey
Co-Producers: Amanda Gookin, Garth MacAleavey, Louis Levitt
Mixing and Mastering: Mike Tierney
Album Art: Giselle Manzano Ramirez
“TEM206: Amanda Gookin on jumping first and making art that is unabashedly outspoken”
I had a blast talking with Andrew Hitz on his podcast, The Entrepreneurial Musician! Join us for this fun and open conversation on starting projects, risk-taking, activism through music, and what it means to be a courageous artist. I hope this will bring you some joy and perhaps spark a few new creative ideas…
