From birth, Pilar Dukes Torras has been a music enthusiast. When a child only asks for music-related gifts, it’s clear that there’s a burning passion within her.
And her passion was indeed present, confirmed by her involvement in amateur bands and later duets with her bandmate. Music is a part of her history, present and future, because even though there may be breaks, all stories continue, and Pilar is already working on that continuation.
I have the privilege of hearing it from her herself, but if you want to reach out to her directly and learn firsthand what I’m telling you…
Life is a journey of ups and downs. Due to various circumstances, insecurity, and other reasons, I strayed far from music. But now, I feel strong enough to return.
When did your musical interest begin?
I’ve been interested in music for as long as I can remember. I used to ask for record players, microphones, and records as gifts. I clearly recall a day when a friend of my father gifted him a Pink Floyd album that he didn’t like at all. I listened to it and couldn’t stop – I would play it all the time.
What are your influences?
I was raised on Supertramp, then moved on to The Police and Talking Heads. Later, skipping many bands, I became really into R.E.M. and Nirvana. I also took an interest in Elvis Presley, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, The Doors. When I discovered MondoSonoro magazine and Radio 3, doors opened for me as I discovered PJ Harvey, Bjorj, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, Nick Cave, to name just a few examples, and other less mainstream musicians.
Spanish music?
Mainly Indie bands and also Corcobado and Albert Pla.
Where did your musical journey begin?
“I started as a singer in an amateur band, despite having no musical training, and was fortunate enough to be chosen. I then continued on to play in other amateur bands before deciding with the band’s bassist, Joan Gomis, that we wanted to make our own music. I must mention that I had taken a break from international dance companies. I needed a breather and returned to Barcelona, where I enrolled at the Taller de Músics and studied solfeggio, guitar, and piano.”
Multi-instrumentalist?
“No, not at all! I’m terrible, and after so much time without playing, I’m even worse, if that’s possible.”
Let me tell you about my experience as an independent composer.
My artistic adventure with Joan was called Bebra. We put in all our efforts, purchased an eight-track and other gear, trademarked our name, registered all our tracks and even formed a band for live performances. Our first self-released album, “Celos,” received excellent reviews, but we hardly made any profit.
Meanwhile, I was still making a living from dance, and Joan had his job for the same reason.
A few years later, we decided to release our second self-released album, “A Light for the Two of Us.” The reviews were also very positive and we performed, but we had no more money. We wanted to pay the musicians, but we were losing money. The musicians who collaborated with us were fantastic colleagues who offered to perform in public for free. Marvelous people. I got more and more involved in dance to make a living and I became demoralized because I didn’t know how to deal with the situation. I left everything behind on the musical front.
And now?
Crafting new tracks, building a website, and seeing what happens this time around…
What would you want to get?
In the first place, I’d like to see where my composition takes me now, somewhat removed from what I have done before. Secondly, I hope that my tracks will have enough impact to perform them live with others. I love live performance and the stage. Fingers crossed.
Good luck!
Thanks!
A composer is someone who crafts and arranges music.
They may work with a lyricist to create a song or write their own lyrics.
They also need to be able to orchestrate their music for various voices, and have a good understanding of how it will sound when played by different types of instruments.
In a nutshell: a music composer is someone who has a passion for music and is able to express it in written form.
If you’re into music, you’ve likely heard of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach.
But do you know about other musical greats who’ve made history?
Let’s take a look at 2 trailblazing women:
Amy Beach (1867-1944) was an American composer who wrote operas, symphonies, tonal poems, chamber music, and various vocal works. She was the first woman to lead major orchestras in America and Europe.
Ethel Smyth (1858-1944) was an English composer known for her operas and patriotic songs written during World War I. She was also actively involved in social causes such as women’s suffrage and pacifism.
But the story doesn’t end in the 19th century.
There are still strong, powerful women making waves and composing their own pieces of art today:
Aretha Franklin is known not only for her music but also her activism. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and won numerous Grammy Awards throughout her career. Throughout her life, she also became a civil rights activist.
Beyoncé is known not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter and actress. Her album Lemonade was named Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammys, making it one of five albums to have won that award twice.
Taylor Swift is one of the world’s most popular pop singers today, and she writes all her own songs! In addition to being an artist with a huge fanbase, she has also been involved in philanthropic causes such as raising funds for cancer research through concert ticket sales or selling products whose profits go to charitable organizations such as the Red Cross or UNICEF.
Comprehending and implementing the concept, one could say that Pilar Dukes Torras is a fantastic composer.
Her love for music, education, experience and charismatic personality have combined to form a woman who writes her own songs.
From a young age, Pilar sought out objects related to music. Her favourite gifts were records, instruments, or microphones. As for her musical tastes, these range from Nirvana to Nick Cave. Although she is open to anything and loves lesser-known groups too.
Before receiving professional training, Pilar was part of various amateur groups.
Gradually, she progressed and at one point formed a duo with Joan Gomis, the bassist of one of the bands. From this union came two wonderful albums. Despite their quality, it was not enough to make a living from it, and Pilar redirected her path towards the world of dance.
… And now.
Pilar has returned with more eagerness than ever to reclaim that musical world that she loved so much.
She is now composing new songs with which she will soon amaze the world.
