Conversation with Jessica Catron

2019 Open AIR Artist-In-Residence 

in Partnership with the

Rattlesnake Creek Dam

"I enjoyed connecting to the other Open AIR residents, seeing their works-in-progress, and having time to share ideas and inspiration with one another. I appreciated the fact that there were both local and traveling artists selected."

- Jessica Catron

Jessica performs with the Missoula and Glacier Symphonies, writes for and performs with her band Missincinatti, and founded and currently runs Grow Music, which offers lessons and modern performance practice in Missoula.

Open AIR: What did you enjoy most about your residency? 

Jessica: I loved the location I was assigned - The Rattlesnake Creek Dam. I thoroughly enjoyed digging into the history of the area and the dam's construction, having private access to the grounds at any time of day, and learning more about the community's relationship to the dam (past, present, and future) through articles and public forums.

Open AIR: What was your research process during this time? 

Jessica: The visit to Trout Unlimited was very informative and left me with a much deeper knowledge. I also talked to friends and people I knew who grew up in Missoula about their personal relationships and memories of the dam. I spent time finding both natural sources and human-made remnants in and around the grounds of the dam, and recorded their sounds - either naturally or by me "playing" the sounds of water, wood, concrete, metal, tools, chain link fences, birds, pine cones, pine needles, grass, tunnels, rocks, tubing/pipes, and walking paths.

A beautiful summer day reflected at Rattlesnake Creek Dam

Open Air: How would you describe your work? 

Jessica: I tend to lean into abstract or experimental approaches/materials that I configure into basic musical composition with hopes to give the listener a familiar personal feeling or "sound memory." All sounds are fair game, though when I look back into the body of my work I see a strong connection to the natural world - though often imitated by human-made materials. I often have a very loose framework or idea in mind but also have learned to depend on my happy accidents and unexpected diversions. I sort of let the piece create itself, though I am ultimately the driver. I definitely work in manic sessions and spurts - flashes of hyper creativity and production - and then I sit on the result for a while. I begin to edit, fine tune, and dig in deeper to the details. I listen many times over until I feel the sounds and my intention line up sufficiently.

Open AIR: What are you up to now/post-residency?

Jessica: I'm back to my typical schedule of music teaching and family, occasional performance preparation and cello practice time