moira smiley
projects and dreams in progress

VOCO
Moira Smiley and VOCO dig deep into the amazing spectrum of human voice as they sing post-folk, improvised-built ditties, ballads, vocal symphonies and dancesongs. VOCO, founded this summer, 2004 in Los Angeles, sings with the energy of street singing, the risks of improvisation and the wild side of harmony and rhythm. The unusual, rich and percussive combination of cello and banjo weave the funk and low end into the vocals.

New Demo! (VOCO has just recorded its first demo - five original songs of fresh vocal colors). READY FOR BOOKINGS! (contact Moira, or call (323)660-3510)

"At Cabaret Voltaire on October 21st, VOCO presented just the naked voice. The audience was estatic over how gifted and wonderful the group sounded." - Cabaret Voltaire, Hollywood, CA.

VOCO is: Moira Smiley (vocals, percussion), Jessica Basta(vocals), Christine Enns(vocals), John Ballinger(vocals, banjo, percussion), with Jessica Catron('cello)

Moira's original songs are often emotional, playful dialogues with sorrow, cynicism, and loss. They are somewhere between the wild precision of an Eastern European dance song, the rich rhythm of a South African mbira tune and the plaintive improvisation an Appalachian or African-American spiritual. VOCO's songs are inspired by Smiley's childhood 'wailing' of early American hymns, her travels around the world, and music where the songs and dancing are inseparable.

Other Projects:
Josephine - Moira was commissioned by Beckah Voigt (choreographer/dancer/actress) to write the soundtrack for her one-woman dance-theatre show, "Josephine Bonaparte". The piece premiered in October, 2004 and looks forward to being toured! It has also inspired Moira to think about what might happen if Josephine Baker (early 20th c.)and Josephine Bonaparte (early 19th c.) were to meet across time and explore their personal experiences of Paris, wartime, politics and art. Any ideas welcome!

Moira has been writing a song-cycle for two sopranos and accordion, and several commissions for for both choral and instrumental ensembles. Unlike VOCO, the vocal timbres and writing approach for these collaborations are intended to be "art-song" - for a flexible ensemble that is well-versed in the sounds of Western Classical/New Music tradition.

Ooodoo - Moira collaborates with Malcolm Dalglish, Naomi Dalglish, Josh Kartes and N. Scott Robinson in a group that does "percussive song" - based around the original music of Malcolm and Moira, and parallel traditional music. The group performed at Lotus Festival, 2003 as "Ooodoo"

The Smiling Minks - a quirky crinoline-wearing vocal trio with Vessy Mink and Suzy Williams that sings songs from 20's Tin Pan Alley, Bulgarian folk, oh... and just about anything else...

KITKA - Moira continues to "sub" with this wonderful Eastern European Vocal Ensemble www.kitka.org

Early Music and New Music:
Moira performs with early music ensembles Anima Fortis (early Baroque women composers), Sinfonye (medieval music), Concord Ensemble and Musica Angelica (Renaissance and Baroque). In January, Moira sings the role of the Sorceress in Musica Angelica's upcoming production of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas" Her ensemble, Anima Fortis will be performing the program "The Nun and Courtesan" for the Seattle Early Music Guild Series in 2005. She also continues to collaborate with Berlin-based Fata Organa (Christopher Fuelling) in music and physical theatre. Moira continues to seek out projects that use her refined sense of music in time, culture and place.

 

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