Meet Urban Nocturnes | Chamber Music Ensemble

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Sinclair and Christopher McKay of Urban Nocturnes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Urban Nocturnes, what do you want people to remember about you?
The legacy of any project or enterprise is determined, at least in part, by its overriding purpose, and Urban Nocturnes’s aim from the outset has been to consistently provide a friendly and familiar space where an interest in classical music and enjoyment of collaborative performance may be cultivated. It is important to us that each of our programs, whether the setting be formal or casual, is something that we would want to attend ourselves. At the same time, we want to be accessible to people who may be hearing the music we love to play for the very first time. At the heart of this is our belief that while knowledge and information can enhance appreciation of music, it is certainly not essential to it.

We have been able to form a community of supporters by being reliable in terms of crafting programs that provide variety. Our unique makeup of instruments actually gives us options that other standard ensembles might not have in devising programs, which in turn allows us to push our own margins of creativity and potential. There is so much diversity and range within the classical music repertoire, and we have confidence that there is something for each audience member to appreciate. Some are going to be more interested in the live performance aspect than the music itself, and we try to balance the experience by choosing music that genuinely reflects our musicians’ personalities and attributes. In considering the prospect of legacy, it seems critical that our approach be evolutionary and reciprocal. The interaction between the music, the performers, and the audience is integral to keeping classical music performance alive, current, and progressive.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We are the founders of Urban Nocturnes, a professional classical chamber music ensemble made up of the two of us and four of our good friends, who also happen to be wonderful artists and collaborators. We are not a sextet but rather a collective that can be configured into subsets of various instrument combinations. The group came together as a result of a mutual avidness for chamber music performance, of which there is a somewhat limited amount happening in Phoenix on a regular basis. Five of the six of us perform regularly in the orchestral setting, which we love, but playing chamber music exercises the brain and feeds the spirit in other ways. Through diverse programming and a commitment to artistic integrity, we hope to contribute to and connect with the cultural vitality of Downtown Phoenix’s arts and music scene. Urban Nocturnes began its Artists-in-Residency at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in 2016, and the unique partnership we have with their music guild and staff, as well as the central location of the church itself, allows us to easily access our local community and to welcome experienced concert-goers and newcomers into the world of classical chamber music.

Last spring, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and the performing arts suddenly ground to a halt. When The Phoenix Symphony and AZ Opera canceled all of their planned performances for this year, our musicians were faced with having to explore and create opportunities through digital performances, teaching lessons over Zoom, and limited capacity outdoor concerts, in order to stay engaged with our craft and livelihood. The fact that we already had an established group of like-minded musicians and the relationship with Trinity in place kind of ended up being a lifeboat for us, artistically. The church presented two pre-recorded online video concerts featuring our members and used our musicians’ recordings in their online worship services. They also helped us organize and establish “Live in the Labyrinth”, a monthly concert series held in the church’s outdoor courtyard, which is right in the heart of the Roosevelt Row Arts District. Finding rehearsal spaces big enough to accommodate physical distancing measures became an unexpected challenge, and we were fortunate to be able to use their facility to prepare for these concerts. Without the will and willingness of all to be adaptable through these challenging times, we would have been much worse off in terms of our ability to stay connected to our audience, our music, and each other.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of the most gratifying things we typically do after playing a concert is to go out for celebratory food and drinks together. At the top of our list are two popular downtown establishments, Hanny’s and Fez. We’ve been going to Hanny’s since it opened in 2009, and we like to think of it as our “Cheers” bar—where everyone knows our names! We love that the building was originally a mid-20th century department store, and that the decor still evokes the style of the early days of Downtown Phoenix. Because the bar is located just a block from Symphony Hall, we’ll often see audience members there and have opportunities to chat with them about their concert experiences. Fez is another place we like to go after playing concerts, and it is conveniently situated near Trinity Cathedral. Their staff is so friendly, the food is solid, and the drinks are flowing!

For anyone visiting the Phoenix area, we would recommend that they check out the many cultural institutions our great city has to offer. The MIM and the Heard Museum are such unique gems, and the beautiful Phoenix Art Museum has a laid-back vibe that is not at all stuffy. For those interested in catching a performance, there are many great options: Arizona Opera, Ballet Arizona, Herberger Theater, and of course, The Phoenix Symphony.

We’ll often have family or friends come to visit from less temperate climates during the winter and spring months, when the weather in the Valley is ideal for lots of outdoor activities. Winters are perfect for visits to the Desert Botanical Gardens or Boyce Thompson Arboretum, located about 60 miles east of Phoenix. While out that way, the Queen Creek Olive Mill is a charming place to stop for lunch and learn about how the olives grown on site are processed into oils.
Phoenix has an enormous wealth of mountain parks within a 50 mile radius that offer scenic hiking opportunities at all levels of difficulty. The ever-popular Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain trails are right in town, but for a more intimate communion with nature, the magnificent Superstition Mountains are home to hundreds of miles of trails, and the magical desert landscape becomes covered with wildflowers after the spring rain falls.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We would like to give a Shoutout to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the wonderful members of its Music Guild. The people at Trinity are caring and welcoming, and they have been of great support to us over the years. Our role as Trinity’s Artists-in-Residence anchors our ensemble by offering a “home base” and the security of regular concert appearances. This stability has enabled us to add musicians to Urban Nocturnes’s roster, collaborate with guest artists, and increase our audience base and reach. We are particularly grateful to Canon Musician Erik Goldstrom. His vision for the music series is boundless, and his encouragement and open-mindedness have enabled all parties to grow as one.

Trinity has a commitment to the fine arts that is uncommon among such institutions in Arizona; they offer a diverse concert series and feature a rotating collection of local visual artists in their fellowship hall. The Guild hosts a reception after each of our concerts, which enhances the rapport we have built with our audience. We hope this Shoutout encourages the Downtown Phoenix community to value and take advantage of the exceptional music program that is right in their neighborhood.

Website: www.urbannocturnes.com

Instagram: @urbannocturnes

Facebook: www.facebook.com/urbannocturnes

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdaTIPxIT-Zib06vVgDl7bQ

Image Credits
Peter Wilson and Leland Gebhardt