Tuesday Tunes: Rachel Holdt

What music inspires you the most in the classroom; in the choreographic process?

Having recently completed my MFA at Mills College in Oakland—and having worked with and been exposed to the world-renowned experimental musicians there, I do approach this particular topic with a great deal of self-realized snobbery.

Inspiration comes from many sources, and less is definitely more, but soundscapes that evoke ideas are the most compelling.

Jacaczek, a polish electro-acoustic musician is one of my most fruitful sources of inspiration in both the classroom and for choreography. 

I tend to lean heavily towards the electronic artists, but there are very few acoustic or traditional musicians that move me as deeply.  I find that electronic musicians can create an environment that can be more loosely interpreted than direct methods of traditional musical artists, giving me freedom to create with the sound or directly oppose it.  Some other favorite electronic artists are Squarepusher, Aphex Twin (AKA Caustic Window and AFX, Richard D James), Autechre,  Ulrich Schnauss and Goldfrapp. Continue reading →