In Conversation with Jennifer Marten-Smith

Guest interview by Elena Wittkuhn — Mirabilis Collective cellist and creative contributor

Jennifer Marten-Smith, thank you so much for joining us. Firstly, could you please tell us a bit about your introduction to music?

I was five years old when I started piano lessons. Growing up in a musical family, I think it was inevitable that I would learn an instrument. My father was an opera singer, my maternal grandfather was a renowned tenor in Germany, and my mother studied piano although she did not pursue this as her profession.

As a child I had the fortune to have my mother sit with me for every practice, which kept me company but also kept me focused. I also had the great fortune to have a piano teacher whom I adored. I looked forward to my lessons – every Wednesday afternoon – to show him the progress I had made.

What was a turning point in your early musical journey? Were there any challenges or highlights you’d like to share?

At the age of twelve I was invited to study with Frau Professor Gediga-Glombitza at the Musikhochschule in Cologne, Germany. Because I was born in Bremerhaven (my mother is German, and my father had a career in Germany as an opera singer), there was no language barrier. The professor’s house was closer to where I was living than the Musikhochschule, so she would let me go there to practice while she was at work. I have a wonderful memory of hours at the piano, entertained by red squirrels running up and down the beautiful tall trees outside the window. Shortly before I returned to Tasmania, the Hochschule put on a concert where I performed Beethoven 32 Variations, another highlight of that trip.

Do you think your talent affected your childhood or artistic identity in any way?

I do not think growing up as a ‘talented’ pianist really changed my childhood that much. I still got to ride my bike, play with friends, go horse riding, do gymnastics. My favourite time was spent with my family and my animals. We had holidays at Christmas, and we often stayed at a shack on Bruny Island, where they let us bring our dogs and cats. It was great fun, running on the beaches, climbing rocks, avoiding snakes, and trying not to get hooked on blackberry thorns. They were happy times – but after two weeks I would be itching to go home because I missed my piano.

Could you please break down the differences in the roles that you take on in your career – between soloist, accompanist and repetiteur? Do you have a favourite, and if so, why?
I have worked as a soloist – there’s so much great repertoire to explore – and there is something really fulfilling about performing when every musical decision is your own, where it is just your own skills that need to be honed and where you are solely responsible for the beauty of your sound.

I have also worked as an accompanist/collaborative pianist – which still involves solo skills but also requires knowledge of the other part. Where two people must make the music sing, where two opinions are brought together to sound as one, and where you sometimes must be willing to relinquish control over musical direction.

Some partnerships require work; rehearsals to figure things out, such as: phrasing, dynamics and breathing written into parts. Others coalesce more quickly, and when you play, everything simply falls into place. Both types of partnerships are exciting! When you get on stage to perform together, and you bring the music to life for the audience, it does not matter, at least to those listening, how long it took to put the jigsaw together.

Thirdly, I have worked as a repetiteur – in Australia and in Germany – and this is also a fascinating role. Although as a repetiteur, it can feel a bit more as though one is in the background, as it is rarer to be involved in the actual performance. Nevertheless, it is exciting to be around opera. You get to meet a lot of people, as well as the core group of musicians working at the opera companies – guest singers, conductors, directors, choreographers, and you work on a wide variety of shows. Perhaps because I grew up in an “opera” family I was destined to work in this field for a time at least, 25 years as it turned out. I continued to play solo, and I did many, many concerts collaborating with singers. I also played a lot of chamber music, another love of mine.

All these styles of “being a pianist” are great, but deep-down performing is still what I love the most, so I will put it out there that being a freelancer now, with all the options at hand, is a fun time of life.

What is your approach to practice?

As a child I had a regular practice routine – a certain amount of time spent learning at a particular time of the day. It is a little trickier as an adult, juggling bill paying, work, family, and other commitments, so I have had to come up with ways to learn music thoroughly but quickly. Lots of focused ways to challenge the brain, ears, fingers, and muscle memory. Luckily, through early training, I am a very good sight reader. This talent, plus the ability to hear absolute pitch away from the instrument, saves a lot of learning time.

We’re about to see you and the wonderful violinist Johan Dalene embark on a national tour with Musica Viva. What has the preparation process been like so far?

For this Musica Viva tour, performing with violinist Johan Dalene, I have been afforded the luxury of time. With soloists like Johan, much in demand, timetables are tight, and concerts need to be booked in early. There is a great variety of music on this programme, and it has been a fun journey learning the notes, the style, working on technique, listening to old recordings, coming up with new ideas.

And the best part is still to come – meeting Johan for the first time just a few days before our performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre, with a short intense rehearsal period to bring our ideas to life.

At Mirabilis Collective, we’re always excited to hear female compositions and new works. This program features one of each – “D’un matin de printemps” by Lili Boulanger, in its original composition for violin and piano, and the world premiere of Jack Frere’s “Tilted Scales”. How would you describe the program as a whole?

The programme we are performing has something on it for everybody. From classical through to a brand-new commission. You’ll hear a lot of beauty and a lot of impressive technique from both instruments – a feast for the ears, eyes, and heart.

Jennifer Marten-Smith and Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene will perform in Perth on Thursday 19 June at the Regal Theatre , as part of their national tour, “Northern Lights”.

For full concert details, visit the Musica Viva website.
To book your tickets directly, head to Ticketek.

Photo credit – Luke Frost

Uncovering Connie Converse: A Voice the World Almost Missed

In a quiet apartment in 1950s New York, a woman named Connie Converse was writing songs no one was quite ready for—frank, poetic, and deeply personal. Long before the era of confessional singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan, Connie was crafting music that offered a startling window into the soul. But after years of rejection and silence, she packed her belongings into a Volkswagen and disappeared. Her music—like her name—was nearly forgotten.

This May, Finding Connie brings her songs to Australian audiences for the very first time. Presented by Mirabilis Collective, the concert is a tribute to a woman whose work was too early, too honest—and too extraordinary to remain hidden.

Who Was Connie Converse?

Born Elizabeth Eaton Converse in 1924, Connie was a gifted student, a self-taught musician, and a quietly radical thinker. In the early 1950s, she recorded home demos of original songs that blended classical nuance with folk simplicity, philosophical lyricism, and startling emotional honesty. Her music defied the conventions of her time.

Uninterested in pursuing fame and unsupported by the male-dominated industry around her, she eventually stepped away from songwriting altogether. In 1974, shortly after turning 50, Connie wrote a series of farewell letters to her family and friends, drove off, and was never seen again.

Her story was largely unknown until a 2004 WNYC radio broadcast shared some of her music. That moment sparked a wave of discovery, culminating in the publication of To Anyone Who Ever Asks by Howard Fishman—a richly researched and empathetic portrait of Connie’s life, music, and mysterious disappearance.

Connie Converse in Ann Arbor 1959

A Lost Genius Rediscovered

Connie Converse’s music is quiet and unassuming—but under the surface, it's fierce in its clarity and emotional depth. She writes of longing, disconnection, inner complexity, and the ache of being unseen. Her harmonic palette—often borrowing from art song and classical form—sets her apart from her folk contemporaries, while her lyrics cut close to the bone.

Her work resonates deeply with listeners today—particularly with women, queer artists, and others who have felt outside dominant narratives. She composed not for commercial success but as an act of expression, of trying to be understood.

In her absence, she has become something of a mythic figure: a reminder of how easily important voices can be missed—and how vital it is that we keep listening.

Connie Converse composing at the piano in her New York apartment in 1958.

A Collective Tribute: Finding Connie

Finding Connie is the result of a rich collaboration between Mirabilis Collective and the University of Western Australia’s Conservatorium of Music. Third-year composition students were invited to create original chamber arrangements of Converse’s songs, reimagining her music through a fresh contemporary lens. These new works form the centre of the program.

The concert also features a multigenerational ensemble of women musicians, performing alongside exceptional UWA student performers. Together, we’re weaving Connie’s voice into a new musical conversation—one that stretches across time, generations, and experience.

We extend our warm thanks to James Ledger, Head of Composition at UWA, for his generous support and for facilitating this special opportunity for the students.

This performance forms part of our 2025 Unveiled concert series, dedicated to amplifying women’s voices through chamber music, storytelling, and creative collaboration.

Connie Converse performing in New York in 1958.

Why Connie’s Music Matters Today
Connie Converse’s music captures something timeless: the ache of disconnection in a crowded world. Her song One by One becomes a haunting metaphor for modern isolation—“we can hear each other pass / but we’re far apart, in the dark.” Writing in the 1950s, she was already diagnosing a spiritual malaise we’re still grappling with: lives filled with noise, yet void of deep connection.

In an era when community was shifting—urbanisation rising, families dispersing—Converse wrote music that reflected both the alienation of her time and the yearning to break through it. Today, as we scroll through curated lives, swipe through connections, and increasingly live behind screens, her songs still resonate deeply.

Bringing Finding Connie to the stage is about more than reviving her lost music. It’s about giving voice to the unheard, making space for stories that were once dismissed or overlooked. It reminds us that history is full of women like Connie—brilliant, ahead of their time, and worthy of being seen and heard.

Connie Converse in her West 88th Street Apartment 1959

Mirabilis Collective presented Finding Connie on 4 May 2025 in collaboration with UWA Conservatorium of Music student musicians and composers.

The concert received a glowing review in The West Australian, highlighting the emotional depth of the performances and the powerful storytelling at the heart of Finding Connie. Read it here.

Programme Notes and Interviews

For a further deep dive into Connie Converse’s life and music, read the Finding Connie concert programme notes here.

Listen here to Mirabilis Collective cellist Elena Wittkuhn in conversation with Bec Bowman on RTR FM’s Artbeat segment, recorded on Friday 2 May. In this 20-minute interview, Elena discusses Connie Converse’s music, the mystery surrounding her disappearance, and how Mirabilis Collective brought her songs to life in Finding Connie.

Listen here as Mirabilis Collective violinist and composer Julia Nicholls reflects on the haunting beauty of Connie Converse’s songwriting in this interview with Curtin Radio’s Jenny Seaton.

Want to explore more?
Howard Fishman’s acclaimed biography To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse is available here—read by the author and featuring excerpts of Converse’s music.
Shortlisted for the Plutarch Award for Best Biography.

To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse by Howard Fishman.

Women’s Voices Reshape Classical Music: A Closer Look at the 2025 Grammy Awards

The 67th GRAMMY Awards marked a decisive shift in classical music, celebrating artists who are redefining the genre and making space for voices long overlooked. This year’s winners not only demonstrated technical brilliance but also showed how classical music can respond to contemporary social movements while honouring its traditions. Through bold interpretations, rediscovered works, and genre-blurring compositions, these women are reshaping what classical music can be.

Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución Diamantina: A Soundtrack to Resistance

Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz emerged as a standout, winning three major awards:

• Best Classical Compendium

• Best Contemporary Classical Composition

• Best Orchestral Performance (awarded to conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Her ballet score, Revolución Diamantina, is a powerful example of how classical music can engage with social movements without sacrificing artistic complexity. The piece mirrors the energy of feminist protests in Mexico City, shifting between structured precision and moments of controlled chaos. Ortiz’s innovative use of choral writing departs from conventional Western classical traditions, evoking raw, primal emotions that capture the urgency of political resistance.

In her acceptance speech, Ortiz dedicated the award "to all the brave women in Mexico and around the world who fight against injustice every day," reinforcing the work’s deep connection to activism.

Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz accepts her Grammy Award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, where her album Revolución Diamantina won multiple awards, including Best Classical Compendium and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

Karen Slack and Michelle Cann Illuminate Florence Price’s Hidden Legacy

Soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann won Best Classical Solo Vocal Album for Beyond the Years — Unpublished Songs of Florence Price, a groundbreaking recording that brings 19 of Price’s previously unpublished works into the spotlight.

Florence Price, a pioneering African-American composer, faced immense racial and gender barriers during her lifetime, and much of her work remained unheard for decades. This album’s recognition is part of a broader effort to correct historical oversights in classical music. Slack and Cann’s passionate performances bring Price’s compositions to life, proving their rightful place in the canon.

Upon receiving the award, Slack reflected on this moment:
"Back then, this award only went to very famous superstar singers on major classical labels. But today, I get the opportunity to be here among the greats that have come before me to represent the inimitable American composer Florence Price, a trailblazing Black woman who wrote extraordinary music at a time when it was believed that only European and male composers belonged in the concert hall."

Cover of Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price by soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann. The Grammy-winning album, released on Azica Records, brings to life 19 previously unpublished songs by the pioneering African-American composer Florence Price.

Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion Break Boundaries with Rectangles and Circumstance

Composer Caroline Shaw, in collaboration with Sō Percussion, won Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for Rectangles and Circumstance. Shaw, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, continues to redefine what contemporary classical music can be, fusing rhythmic experimentation with lush harmonic textures.

This album blends classical precision with a freewheeling, improvisatory spirit, proving that contemporary classical music can be both artistically rigorous and deeply accessible. By expanding the expressive possibilities of percussion and embracing genre-fluidity, Shaw and Sō Percussion create a sonic landscape that speaks to both devoted classical listeners and those new to the genre.

Composer Caroline Shaw with members of Sō Percussion, winners of the Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for Rectangles and Circumstance. Their innovative collaboration blends classical precision with contemporary experimental soundscapes, redefining the boundaries of chamber music.

Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater: A Posthumous Tribute to a Visionary

The late Kaija Saariaho was posthumously awarded Best Opera Recording for Adriana Mater, performed by the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, under conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. Featuring vocalists Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan, and Christopher Purves, this recording captures the depth and complexity of Saariaho’s unique compositional voice.

Composed in 2005, Adriana Mater tells a harrowing story of war and trauma, themes that remain painfully relevant today. Recorded just before Saariaho’s passing, the opera serves as a final testament to her legacy.

Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron noted the emotional weight of the recording:
"This opera explores issues most of us are processing—war, cycles of violence. Kaija’s music speaks to these struggles in a way that feels both urgent and timeless."

Saariaho’s deeply atmospheric, colour-rich style revolutionised modern opera. This Grammy win cements her status as one of the most influential composers of our time.

Cover of Adriana Mater by Kaija Saariaho, performed by the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen. This Grammy-winning opera recording, featuring Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan, and Christopher Purves, explores themes of war, trauma, and resilience, cementing Saariaho’s legacy as one of the most visionary composers of our time.

Elaine Martone: Classical Producer of the Year

Among the celebrated women at this year’s GRAMMYs, Elaine Martone was honoured as Producer of the Year, Classical, marking her sixth GRAMMY win. With a career spanning decades, Martone has collaborated with leading ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, and her recent work features four recordings with the orchestra, further solidifying her reputation as a masterful producer.

Reflecting on her career, Martone emphasised the importance of mentorship and leadership in the industry:
"I never felt held back as a woman. I felt very lucky to grow a department and hire the right people," she says. "A key skill for my work as a producer is that I'm nurturing. I like being of service, including mentoring young women. Women represented about half of my staff."

Martone’s dedication to excellence and advocacy for gender balance continues to shape the classical music landscape, highlighting the vital role of producers in bringing complex musical projects to fruition.

Elaine Martone celebrates her Grammy win for Producer of the Year, Classical at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. A six-time Grammy winner, Martone has been a leading force in classical music production, championing artistic excellence and mentoring the next generation of women in the industry.

This year’s classical GRAMMY wins highlight a significant transformation in the field. These women—composers, performers, and collaborators—are proving that classical music can honour its traditions while embracing new perspectives. Whether through Ortiz’s politically charged orchestral writing, Slack and Cann’s rediscovery of Florence Price, Shaw’s redefinition of chamber music, or Saariaho’s deeply affecting operatic storytelling, these artists are expanding what classical music can be.

Though Beyoncé’s historic Album of the Year win dominated headlines, the impact of these classical awards cannot be overstated. They signal an ongoing shift—one that moves beyond recognition and towards a future where classical music is more inclusive, innovative, and relevant to today’s world.