MERE MORTALS is an exceptional performance and intuitive study on works for violin and piano by composers of marginalized identities with a brilliant legacy to share with the world. In a world that often grinds us to the bone, this release from Daniel Schlosberg and Caitlin Edwards asks us to slow down, step back, and appreciate the fruits of our labor.
TToday, Caitlin is our featured artist in “The Inside Story,” a blog series exploring the inner workings and personalities of our composers and performers. Read on to learn about her love for various R&B artists and her early dreams of being an entertainment lawyer…
Tell us about your first performance.
My first performance was at the age of four at my preschool graduation, where I sang a solo with our children’s choir. The song was I Believe by the legendary gospel/soul group, Sounds of Blackness. My family would tell me stories about this moment, how they couldn’t understand a word I was saying, but the melodies and my heart-filled intention could be heard and felt.
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?
Off and on, until my junior year of college, I aspired to be a lawyer, and specifically an entertainment lawyer. I wanted to find a way to still be connected with the arts as an advocate for artists through law. Now, I’ve found different ways to be an advocate in music and love every moment of it!
What advice would you give to your younger self if given the chance?
Stand firm on who you are as an individual and artist. Be confident and know that you deserve every good thing that comes to you. I’d also advise myself to come up with a consistent plan for practicing sooner than I did!
Take us on a walk through your musical library. What record gets the most plays? Are there any “deep cuts” that you particularly enjoy?
My musical library is filled with a variety of genres, with artists ranging from Tank and the Bangas, to Julia Fischer, to Jamila Woods, and more. Lately, I’ve been listening frequently to works by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson, the album Strength by John P. Kee, and Songs for Our Times by Sphinx Virtuosi. I don’t really have any deep cuts to recommend, but I will say that a beloved recording of mine is of Christian Ferras performing the Sibelius Violin Concerto.
Where and when are you at your most creative?
I am my most creative when I’m in solitude, where I can feel most connected with myself. You’ll likely find me creating in a coffee shop or at home. Similar to playing violin, when I compose or arrange music, it takes me up to half an hour to warm up and really get in my zone. When I’m focused and centered, that’s when the ideas begin to flow easily!
What emotions do you hope listeners will experience after hearing your work?
I hope that listeners will feel at peace and that our music can be therapeutic and healing, as it is for myself and my colleagues in performance, to the point that listeners receive what they need personally to continue through their lives.
Caitlin Edwards is a violinist, arranger, recording artist, and teacher based in Chicago. She began her musical journey at the age of 8 within a non-profit organization in her hometown of Birmingham AL. She later attended the University of Louisville (B.M.) and DePaul University (M.M.). Edwards is a classically trained violinist, but she’s inspired by gospel, jazz, hip-hop, and neo-soul. She released her debut album, Exhale, in 2021. She composes original music and intentionally performs the works of Black composers to help ensure that these composers and their compositions are remembered and spotlighted for aspiring young BIPOC musicians and the world as a whole.
