Podcast E12: The links between writing and music
In this episode, Clare Lynch talks to musician Elisabeth Parry about being commissioned to write a biography of the legendary flautist Sir James Galway. Elisabeth talks about the importance of finding an angle if you want your writing to stand out in a crowded marketplace. She also reflects on the links between music and writing.
Tune in to hear Elizabeth discuss:
Writing as part of a portfolio freelance career
How to gather interesting material by interviewing people
The discipline required to perform well in both writing and music
Why you should always read your work aloud
Why you need to expose yourself to different ‘voices’ – in writing and music
The advantages of coming to music and writing late in life
How to cope with performance anxiety – as a writer and musician
The benefits of ‘free’ writing and writing every day
About Elisabeth Parry
Elisabeth Parry is a flute player, teacher and writer with a passion for exploring creativity in words and music. As a musician she has played in opera, ballet and symphony orchestras, and is highly regarded internationally as a specialist teacher of adult students at all stages of their musical development. As a writer, her work has included numerous academic and non-fiction articles and books, and she is currently working on the biography of Sir James Galway. Elisabeth brings her thoughtful and analytical approach equally to the playing, teaching and writing processes, and embraces a close connection between the two aspects of her career. She is particularly interested the cadence and shape of phrases, whether musical or written, and in her creative writing is fascinated by concepts of the "slipperiness" of time. In both her music and writing, Elisabeth believes that silence - the space between the notes and the unsaid beneath the words - is where the magic happens.
