You began your journey in music at the age of 24. How would you describe your development as an artist and your transition to discovering your unique voice?
Finding one’s voice is undoubtedly a complex and individual journey. Every artist strives to express themselves in the most authentic manner, aiming to create a distinct voice. Personally, my musical journey is an ongoing process. Music accompanies me, guiding me through uncharted territory where each step often remains uncertain, and musical ideas reveal their essence independently of my initial thoughts. To illustrate, it resembles walking through a forest in daylight. While you may have a sense of direction, the deeper you venture, the more you lose your way. Eventually, darkness sets in, and all that is recognizable are the haunting sounds, the trees, and the rustling leaves. With eyes wide open in the dark and breath short, one must surrender to that unpredictable darkness where anything can occur— a darkness that can lead to the abyss or it can serve as a conduit to a transcendent experience.
Music embodies that unpredictability, making it challenging to define precisely because of its inherent unpredictability.
How does your sense of identity influence your creativity?
I believe that identity is central to self-expression, at least on a subconscious level. It intertwines with various factors such as life experiences, social interactions, perspectives, and family history. All these themes significantly influence music and creativity at the individual level. Moreover, there exists an innate, hidden “voice” within each of us that filters the outside world and translates it into sound; this voice is unique to every individual.
Many descriptions exist regarding the ideal state of mind for creativity. What does this state feel like for you? What contributes to it, and what are the distractions? Are there strategies to enter this state more easily?
I do not have a specific ideal state of mind for creativity. Instead, creativity emerges spontaneously and in various circumstances. It can arise from a sound, a walk, an encounter, a conversation, the sky, the rain, traffic, or the voices of passersby. Each element is “recorded” at the moment and will later inform the musical idea when it is ready to recreate the memory of prior events. For me, there is no ideal state, but rather a moment of complicity—different each time—between myself, the idea, and the sound that will come to life. Any interruption to this delicate chemistry constitutes a distraction, which can vary from my dog barking to the phone ringing. However, these elements are also significant since they may be incorporated as sounds, pauses, or variations within the musical score.
Music and sound possess the ability to heal, yet they can also inflict pain. What is your personal opinion on this matter?
Music has the capacity to guide one’s senses, lacking a safety zone, as it exposes individuals to a wide range of emotions across various spiritual planes. Behind an apparent joy, there often lies a process of suffering that purifies into joy, and vice versa. In music, joy and suffering coexist; they share the same root, and it is this interconnectedness that enables music to heal or hurt. This explains how the same piece of music can evoke different, sometimes contradictory, emotions and reactions.
Art serves as a purpose in its own right, yet it can also integrate into everyday life, assume social and political roles, and encourage greater engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and your role as an artist?
Music combines explicit or abstract concepts and serves as the “language” of everyday life, reflecting introspection in the pursuit of self-awareness and understanding others. It can also serve as a tool for addressing social issues, exposing injustices, and challenging political parties. Music acts as an instrument for raising awareness and fostering understanding, taking steps toward a more enlightened future. However, this requires listeners who are open-minded and attentive, which is not always the case.
What insights can music offer about life and death that words alone cannot convey?
Music can serve as a sonic representation of emotions that are otherwise confined to our minds. It provides a means to share profound experiences with others without the necessity of verbalizing them or attempting to find words that may not capture the essence of an idea accurately. Our ability to process emotion through music often surpasses our linguistic capacity. Music serves as an invisible line separating day from night, darkness from light, and life from death, as well as the earthly from the Divine.
What project are you currently working on?
I am composing stage music for a ballet centered on the life of the novelist and poet Jack Kerouac. This project explores the spiritual significance of freedom and the intense experiences of this prominent figure in the Beat Generation.
Do you have a phrase or piece of music that accompanies you?
There are sequences, rhythms, and notes that converge toward a point of rest, a silence, and within that silence lies the Infinite.
One of the pieces of music that accompanies me, is “Ghost Variations” by Robert Schumann for solo piano filled with a combination of profound sense of sorrow and solemn beauty.
If you enjoyed this interview with Maria Rago visit her personal website mariaragomusic for more information, updates and music. Maria Rago is also on Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud.
