Alumna Sarah Neufeld wins a Juno
Sarah Neufeld, BFA (electroacoustic studies) 03, and her musical partner Colin Stetson, have won a 2016 Juno Award for instrumental album of the year for Were The Way She Was, a "forceful collection of eight tracks patiently carving a sonic landscape" (Spin Magazine).
Sarah Neufeld and Colin Stetson
Although Arcade Fire fans know Neufeld well as a key ingredient of its dynamic sound, the Montreal-based violinist and composer always maintained her own identity throughout her decade-plus tenure with the group, creating genre-defying solo work, including her album with Stetson, an acclaimed saxophonist.
Born in British Columbia, Neufeld lived in Vancouver until age 18 when she moved to Montreal for her studies at Concordia. In the early 00's, she was asked to participate in sessions for what became Arcade Fire’s international breakthrough album, Funeral.
Neufeld has contributed to all of the band’s subsequent albums, on top of being a full-time touring member. In between those projects, she maintained focus on developing her distinct musical approach, and released her debut solo album, Hero Brother, in 2013. Her second, The Ridge, followed in early 2016.
In a 2014 interview with the Concordia Magazine, Neufeld said that the Department of Music's electroacoustic studies program allows students the flexibility to explore their own creative interests.
“In electroacoustic studies, I learnt about new sound technologies and explored their possibilities in video art, literature and dance — other areas of interest to me — while also studying musical composition and jazz improvisation,” she adds. “The program is beautiful in the way it enables students to work on a lot of different things and then bring them all together.”
This spring and summer, Neufeld will be touring in support of The Ridge. For a list of dates and locations, visit sarahneufeldmusic.com