3.4: Jessica Wagner and Mike McCormack by New Music Edmonton

Welcome back to The No Normal.

Please note this important caution: this episode includes discussion of mental health issues experienced by the artists, and including experiences of suicidal ideation and a depressive episode. Listening to this may be triggering for some listeners.

This episode is dedicated with thanks to everyone at The Canadian Mental Health Association.

Back in February 2023 New Music Edmonton presented an extraordinary event, the premiere of a new composition by Mike McCormick, performed by Edmonton vocalist, and long-time friend of Mike, Jessica Wagner. The work, under: went is a powerful, very personal artistic gesture, a work and performance unlike anything I have ever experienced in a concert hall. We were honoured to have present at the show staff and volunteers from The Canadian Mental Health Association. They led us through a post-performance discussion group focused on the topic of suicide, and of the ideas brought forth by the composition.

In the following conversation, we caught up with Mike and Jessica only a few days after the event, and we had a chance then to really get to the heart of the work, and also to get to know a little more about both of their backgrounds.

Music included in this episode:

02:11 Underwent (excerpt)
Jessica Wagner, soprano
Composed and with electronics by Mike McCormack

6:11 Regnevejr (excerpt)
Jessica Wagner, soprano/ Natalie Dzbik, violin
Composed and with electronics by Brandon Chow

08:22 Duo 1 (excerpt)
Jessica Wagner, soprano
Composed and with electronics by Nico Arnáez

14:02 Rootpat (excerpt)
Composed by Mike McCormack

25:40 Underwent (excerpt)

43:33 Underwent (excerpt)

58:58 Underwent (excerpt)

For more Information:
Jessica Wagner:
https://www.jessicawagnermusic.com/

Mike McCormack:
https://mccrmck.com

The Canadian Mental Health Association
https://cmha.ca/
https://edmonton.cmha.ca/