We virtually met the composers Raphaelle Thibaut and Jordane Tumarinson to talk about the "Uto'Pians vol.2" project, a beautiful example of how nature can be helped through art and music. Below you can find the interview.

Can you tell us how the "Uto'Pians" project was born?

JT: The project was born in 2019, I wanted to make a contribution to the conservation of nature. Music has this unifying power, combining the two seems to me a good way to carry out the project and to spread it. In addition, is a good way to meet other composers who have this common opinion and to feel that we belong to this same family.

Can you tell us something about the artists involved in the project?

JT: The artists involved in the project are composers that Raphaelle and I have chosen either because we know them or by discovery and whose music touches us. We try to choose artists from diverse backgrounds with a gender balance for the richness of diversity and eclecticism.
RT: Each artist has a sensitivity, a musical personality and a very particular background, I really like this aspect of the project.

What do you think is the relationship between music and nature?

JT: When we observe nature, we can see that it is an endless play of energies, colors, sounds, and also of stories and sensations (see emotions) that live animals, birds, ants , trees....
Music translates it all, it expresses it as words could. Music is therefore a way for a woman or a man to express the life he feels, because sometimes this life is too hard or too beautiful to keep it. That's why music touches us in my opinion. When we are moved by music, it is as if our sensations and emotions were understood and felt by the composer, it is a sharing of emotions.
RT: I often say that nature is the ultimate soundtrack for me. And I'm sure we're all connected to it, especially when it comes to music which I think has always been heavily influenced by the nature. Knowingly or not!

How hard is it to take care of such an important project?

JT: It can be difficult for me because I have a lot of ideas but applying them is another matter, that's why I asked Blue Spiral Records to help me and then I decided to do the selection of artists with other composers, besides the cool side of sharing, it reduces my share of work.

What is most challenging about what you do?

JT: It's not difficult, it just takes time, our ambition is not to "save" the planet. What is difficult, I find, is the guilt by certain media or documentaries like: "It is man's fault that the planet is in this state". It's complicated. The desire to preserve nature must in my opinion arise from love for it and not from guilt or "we must". But just respecting it is a minimum, and helping with our possibilities admirable women and men who work daily in contact with nature, through association or not, gives us satisfaction.
RT: I totally agree with Jordan. Reaching out to humans by associating them with what is close to them, what they experience on a daily basis, those they love, is the best way to raise awareness in a lasting way. Touching with beauty and ownership should be a much more part of awareness campaigns.

What are your reference musicians?

JT: Personally I love Radiohead James Blake, Sigur Ros, right now I listen to Herbie Hancock a lot, and all the Uto'Pians artists.
RT: Russian composers of the romantic era (Rachmaninoff, Moussorgsky, Tchaikovsky ..) and more recently neo-classics. And of course, all film music composers.

What do you think about today's music scene?

JT: I think there is a lot more choice than a few years ago, a lot of diversity, but to find the music that we like, you have to look for it more.
RT: I think it's a great time to be a musician. There is more place for novelty, for talent and for diversity.

Will there be a "Uto'Pians vol.3"?

JT: Yes, Uto'Pians vol.3 will see the light next year on March 21, in the World Forest Day. I hope you will be there ;)
Thank you.

The artists of "Uto'Pians vol.2" are:

Raphaelle Thibaut / Arthur Jeffes / Christopher Dicker / David Weengren / Christina Higham /
Patrick Delobel / Feryanto / Midori Hirano / Marie Awadis / Dominique Charpentier /
Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres / Wilson Trouvé / Oskar Tena / Valeska Rautenberg

What is "Uto'Pians vol.2"?

"Uto'pians" is a piano collection consisting of compositions by composers from all over the world. Now in its second edition, the artists were chosen by the curators Raphaelle Thibaut and Jordane Tumarinson. Part of the profits will be donated to Animals Australia, Australia's leading animal protection organisation. Their investigations shine light in dark places so we can illuminate the pathway to a kinder world. All animals deserve kindness and a life worth living. For millions of animals each year, this remains but a dream. "Utopians" was born to support the wonderful work these organizations have been doing for years. Here are Jordane Tumarinson's words on this project: «as an artist and sensitive, i am amazed by the nature and in our current context, I think it could be a good thing to participate in its preservation. We all participate in our own way, and it can be a way more: to conjugate music and nature. So this project is to federate composers around a common cause, discover each other and maybe become friends. So i found the word: "Uto'pians" for the album, an utopian is a dreamer (today we need dreamers like us) who believe in harmony with society and with nature. Also, it is a game of words with pians: piano.» Erased Tapes, 1631 Recordings and Manners McDade collaborated on the project.

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Tracklist:

​Credits:
Curator: Raphaelle Thibaut & Jordane Tumarinson (creator of the project)
Label: Blue Spiral Records
Master: BSR Studio
Artwork: BeatArt

Listen to it

Digital platforms

https://album.link/vQvTBbb3NrzH2

Blue Spiral Records

https://en.bluespiralrecords.com/utopians-vol2