By Chris Lewis | May 20, 2021
Music has long been a staple in the life of Andie Winsor of Mount Pearl who was recently recognized by the province’s Arts and Letters Awards Program for a three-part composition titled, ‘Sonderless.’
It’s not the first award for Winsor, who nevertheless said this latest recognition is an honour.
‘Sonderless’ won in the Senior Music category and netted as prize of $1,000.
Winsor is in the third year of a music degree at Queens University, and is an acoustic composition major.
Three piano miniatures are familiar territory for Winsor, who grew up playing the piano.
“I started exploring different styles of piano composition,” said Winsor. “The first miniature explores minor seconds and some kind of crunchy sounds, but the second one is more impressionistic. It’s more tonal, and easier to grasp, I guess. The third one is kind of a minimalist piece that uses six or seven notes that repeat again and again. It mostly focuses on articulation – how loud you play the note, how fast, how short or long – or if it’s for the full duration of the beat. It focuses on all of that to try and make the piece come together.”
Winsor admitted being nervous about applying to music school, fearing the long hours of study would ruin the idea of music and composition. But the experience has been just the opposite.
Winsor said music lets people express themselves without having to resort to words.
As a non-binary person, this was something Winsor found especially helpful in exploring.
“This piece showed me that I can do just that,” Winsor said. “It helped me kind of show who I am through nothing but sound. By composing and putting my art out there, I think it may be helpful for other trans people to see how they too can just go out and do what they love to do, be open about who they are, and be successful all at the same time.”
To see your name and work recognized provincially is something that makes you appreciative on a deep level, Winsor said. A musician’s confidence can vary at times, Winsor admitted.
“I don’t necessarily need awards to be confident in what I do,” Winsor said. “I think after composing those three miniatures, even before winning the award, I felt confident about them and felt like I had accomplished something. But to be recognized, that was such a compliment and such an honour.”
Winsor said there is also value in trying for awards, even if you don’t win.
“That way, they give you critiques on your work: what didn’t translate and what did which is always good to be able to see for any artist,” Winsor said.
