In advance of her forthcoming solo EP, Sligo-based Austrian violinist, singer, yodeller, and composer Claudia Schwab has released her new single, Went to Walk. We asked her the BIG questions . . .
Recorded in Sligo and Slovenia, the song features Claudia on fiddles and vocals, as well as special guests Jos Kelly on keys (Moxie) and Matija Solce on accordion (Los Hostes, Trio Katastrofa, Fekete Seretlek).
Accompanying the release of the single is a music video made by French artist, dancer, videographer, and musician Raphael Decoster, presenting his unique approach to amalgamating sound, visual art, and movement.
Claudia has performed on numerous recordings and collaborated with a range of cross-genre artists both established and emerging.
She was commissioned to write for the NCH Sounding the Feminists Commissioning Scheme 2019 and was awarded a Next Generation Bursary Award from the Irish Arts Council (2019), the Neuer Deutscher Jazzpreis 2019 with the Band "Shreefpunk + Strings" and a Hubert Von Goisern Förderpreis (2020).
Claudia currently performs with the Claudia Schwab Quartet, Plúirín na mBan (feat. Cathy Jordan & Irene Buckley), Los Hostes (feat. Matija Solce & Aleš Zorec), Trio Hupsala (feat. Johannes Bär & Vinzenz Härtel), the Irish Gamelan Orchestra, German jazz trumpeter Matthias Schriefl and Sligo-based band The Craic Addicts.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I love going anywhere on a train. I moved to Ireland by accident and stayed because the craic was too good. My new favourite pastime is going off the radar.
How would you describe your music?
World Fusion, Jodl Beat, Trad inspired original compositions with a fondness for loops and drones and the odd venture to an experimental side of things thrown into the mix. At the core of my music lies the close interaction between the voice and the violin, as well as the fusion of music traditions from all over the world (but especially Ireland, Austria, India, and the Balkans). A resonance between vocal chords, violin strings and different places from around the world that are woven together into a new entity, inhabiting a kind of a transcultural homebase that I carry around with me.
Who are your musical inspirations?
The Beatles, Broadlahn (Austrian band), Hubert Von Goisern (Austrian musician), Triology (string-trio); Netnakisum (Austrian string-trio); Pt. Sukhdev Prasad Mishra (my Indian violin teacher); Global Sounds; Sandi Lopicic Orchestar; Ethno in Transit; Kate Young; all the amazing traditional musicians around Sligo, such as Rodney Lancashire, Seamie O´Dowd, Mossie Martin, Cathy Jordan, Dee Armstrong, Seamus Hernon or Fiona Doherty; Dervish; Kila; Regina Spektor; Joanna Newsom; Radiohead; Le Monte Young; John Cage, wind, rain, the ocean, birds, forest and mountain dwellings .... as well as any good music or musician that I come across on my travels, playing or singing straight from their heart, which happens all the time !!
What was the first gig you ever went to?
It must have been a classical music concert - I grew up being dragged to many of them (it brings back memories of studying the programme from top to bottom, checking out everything remotely interesting around the room in an attempt not to fall asleep and to make it through 'til the end!).Amongst one of the first bigger gigs I went to see as a teenager was Flogging Molly in Vienna, I´ll never forget it, I was blown away by them.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I genuinely have no idea. I just remember making tapes recording stuff from the radio! Spice Girls, Nirvana, Tic Tac Toe, Green Day ...
What's your favourite song right now?
Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet´s How Long Must I Wait For You? (I think that must be the title of the song).
Favourite lyric of all time?
Well, all time is not over yet, right? But so far maybe this line from Jinx Lennon’s´ song Pushing the Patients Around: "Someone to take you from A to B when your legs become your enemy" - it just cracks me up!
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would listen to the ocean.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Bandcamp, iTunes; Spotify, my webpage, Facebook, YouTube.
