Meeting Sarah Dacey
Welcome to the first contribution to a mini-series of interviews with new members of our Artistic Board. Today we put the big questions to singer Sarah Dacey, who is also a member of vocal trio Juice. This Saturday (01/10/16) she will perform Void by our 2016 composer in residence Nina C Young alongside Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Adam Swayne (piano) at the Southbank Centre, London, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
Hello Sarah. Please tell us the ways in which you have Rioted so far.
- By making my performance debut on the following instruments: triangle, guiro, pebbles, bird whistle, loudspeaker and a chocolate bar wrapper.
- By adjudicating a fantastic Young Composers Competition.
- By singing a bit.
Teenage tearaway, or nerdy note-learner?
I think I was such a nerdy note-learner that it terrified others, thereby making it seem like an act of insane rebellion against the education system and thereby a ‘tearaway’… or maybe I just seemed a little unhinged!
I rejected doing Music GCSE, saying it was a waste of time (!) and preferred practising the violin to doing any actual work during my A Levels. Not sure I would have done it differently in hindsight.
I then went onto York University where the first piece I performed was Aria by John Cage, and it’s all been uphill from there really.
Favourite musician?
Lang Lang for sheer exuberance, Meredith Monk for originality, Viv Albertine for feminist inspiration, Barbara Hannigan for vocal virtuosity, Jimi Hendrix for improvisation … This list could be neverending to be honest.
Favourite performance venue?
The Multi-Storey Car Park in Peckham. It formed the backdrop for the best performance of The Rite of Spring that I’ve ever heard.
People have said this about me…..
“She’s like a pint of beer – cool, effervescent, hopefully without a big head and sometimes can just last a bit longer than you were expecting.”
Strictly or X Factor?
Love the art forms. Hate the format. Neither.
The best 007 is …
I did LOVE Daniel Craig but I’m looking forward to hearing David Oyelowo voicing the new James Bond audiobook and, if I had to put my money on it, I reckon James Norton (from ‘Happy Valley’ and ‘War & Peace’) would make an excellent choice for the next film.
I would most like to Riot about …
Three things make me incredibly angry at the moment – Brexit, Sexism and Climate Change.
ARGGHGHGHGHGGHGH!
Many thanks, Sarah!
