IN.SIGHT di Fabia Mantwill: un viaggio orchestrale nell'interiorità

ENGLISH VERSION

Interview with Fabia Mantwill about the album IN.SIGHT

Revealing moments in the creative process

Fabia, IN.SIGHT is a deeply introspective work, built on intuition and trust in the creative process. What were the most revealing or transformative moments during the making of this album?

The moment I let go of trying to hold on to something constructed, I felt the freedom to follow my intuition in the creative process. That began right at the start of the project. Initially, the record was inspired by the idea of hope – what it means to each of us, what it gives, its impact and importance. But as I researched and spoke to my friends and other artists about it, I realized hope is something very personal. I didn’t want the entire record to revolve around a single theme. So, I let it go and began collecting small “musical seeds.” That decision opened the door for me to dive into the new record with a mindset of letting go – trusting both the creative journey and my ability to transform these ideas into music.

The power of collaborative composition

The record was born out of a unique collaboration with Michael League and Magdalini Giannikou. What was it like to share the initial writing phase with two other composers, and how did this influence your orchestral approach?

For this album, I wanted to invite other artists into what is usually the most vulnerable stage of my process – the writing phase. When I’m still searching for ideas, scribbling notes, unsure if they will become a song, I feel most exposed. But I was curious to see where collaboration might lead me, and it turned out to be a truly genuine experience.

I had known Michael for several years, though we’d never worked together, and I hadn’t collaborated with Magda before either. Still, my gut told me they were the right people – the way we hear and approach music has a certain similarity, yet each of us brings a different skill set and perspective to writing. We met in Spain for three and a half days, bringing our initial musical seeds to the table. From there, we would each work on different songs, then regroup after a few hours and swap pieces, adding our ideas and directions. Sometimes we also wrote together in pairs. It was inspiring. Rather than losing authenticity, the songs felt richer – sometimes taking a path I might not have found on my own. This opened new possibilities for my writing and influenced what I imagined during orchestration.

Soloists as narrative protagonists

Each track seems tailored for the featured soloists. How did you choose the six guests (Rosenwinkel, Cohen, Maiga, Collier, Stevanovich, Kliphuis), and how did you craft the musical parts specifically for them?

It was different for each piece. For Circular, I knew I wanted the sound of the kora, but didn’t have someone in mind specifically. I asked around and Momi was recommended to me. I flew him in from Barcelona for the Berlin recording, and we had a fantastic time. For Fairy Glen, I initially thought of inviting a harpist, but as the piece evolved, I heard Kurt’s sound. I’ve known Kurt since my jazz studies in Berlin in 2011, and having worked with him already in 2021 for my debut record EM.PERIENCE I knew he was the right person for this track. I’d seen Roosevelt perform live several times and loved his storytelling on the lap steel guitar. I’d always thought, “One day, I want to play with this guy.”

When Whirl the Whirl began to take shape, I sent him the track and asked if he’d like to join this one – he said yes. For Olhos, I immediately thought of Anat and the voice of her clarinet – that decision was clear from the start. With Sleeping Giant, I had just met Morris a few weeks before the recording and we connected right away. This is when I decided to include him into this album right away. He’s one of the rare French horn players who improvises so beautifully, and with such an incredible tone. And I met Goran during an artist residency and he performed a solo piece there.

I was deeply touched by the beauty and meaning in his accordion playing, which is why I invited him to play on the record, too! For all soloists, I prepared a chart, but I also gave them the story or background of the song – sometimes images, sometimes a poem, sometimes adjectives or emotions. Then I asked them to interpret it in their own way – to play what they hear and be free.

An inward gaze and new perspectives

The title IN.SIGHT suggests an inward gaze, but also a new perspective. What did you discover about yourself during this musical journey, and how is that reflected in the sound of the album?

I learned the courage to share more of my raw self as an artist. Being vulnerable is a form of strength. Each composition carries a life-affirming tone, though in different layers. Even Sleeping Giant, which may sound dreamy, distant, or even a little sad, holds a strong and beautiful message. The idea for that composition came to me during a hiking trip in Ireland three years ago. I sat by the sea, looking at an island shaped like a sleeping giant. I’d been through a challenging year, but in that quiet moment, something lifted. I felt a deep, personal farewell, followed by an overwhelming sense of ease and light. As I began to hike further, I recorded a melody on my phone – that voice memo became the seed for this piece.

Musical identity beyond genres

Your work moves fluidly between jazz, folklore, film music, pop, and classical—yet it remains coherent. How do you maintain such a strong and recognizable musical identity amid this variety of genres?

People often feel the need to categorize music into genres. For me, it’s simple – there is music that resonates with me, and music that doesn’t. That’s different for each of us, shaped by what we grew up with and what we love now. For a long time, I thought I needed to fit into one genre. Eventually, I stopped trying and decided to create my own musical world and language – one that unites the influences that shaped me: classical music (I began classical piano at six), jazz (I started playing the saxophone aged 10 and later studied jazz), the honesty and depth of folk music, and the vulnerability of singer-songwriters. I believe all of it has value, and I love exploring “the in-between.”

Experiences with renowned masters

You’ve previously collaborated with renowned names such as the Metropole Orkest, Vince Mendoza, and Becca Stevens. How did these experiences contribute to the sonic vision we find in IN.SIGHT?

In 2016, I joined the Young Metropole Orkest, where I fell in love with the sound of a symphonic orchestra paired with a big band. It was overwhelming – in the best way! I promised myself that one day I would write for an ensemble like that. Back in Berlin, I knew no such orchestra existed, so I created my own in late 2016 – the Fabia Mantwill Orchestra – and we performed our first concerts in February 2017.

In 2018, I was invited to the Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop with Vince Mendoza, where I arranged Becca Stevens’ stunning song Ophelia. I learned so much, watching Vince rehearse and refine arrangements, and hearing his insights. He also made us write a 2-minute arrangement during three nights that eventually got recorded to prepare us for the future jobs. It was a great challenge and I learned so much, even though I got very little sleep. Since then, I’ve worked with ensembles like the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Kurt Elling, the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the Berlin YouthJazzOrchestra and the Radiojazzgruppen in Stockholm. With each project, my sonic vision grows – I keep learning and exploring every day.

The orchestra as a living organism

The orchestra you lead and compose for is a living organism, capable of telling stories and creating rich soundscapes. How would you describe the role of the orchestra in this project, compared to that of the individual instruments or soloists?

My orchestra is the sonic heart of my music. I love rethinking traditional instrument roles, challenging them to break patterns and expand the sound world. Every musician is essential – most are dear friends and artists I deeply admire. There is a lot of respect for each other. The guest soloists bring their own voice and vision, shaping the direction of each piece. It’s a constant balance of give and take – one couldn’t exist without the other.

Hope as an invisible thread

Hope seems to emerge as a central theme in the album, though not explicitly stated. How do you convey such deep emotions without turning them into a clear manifesto?

I believe the music we make carries the essence of who we are. In life, I try to focus on the positive, even in difficult or challenging times. It’s not always easy, but once we start looking for it and believing in the good, we will find it and feel its incredible power. For me, that’s also the meaning of hope.

A work to be heard without haste

In an era dominated by playlists and fast consumption, IN.SIGHT presents itself as a complete work, demanding attentive listening. What do you hope the audience will take away from an immersive experience with the album?

To pause and surrender. With IN.SIGHT – and my music in general – I want to invite listeners into a space where they can simply be and listen—to the music and to themselves. Let thoughts wander and emotions flow, whether positive or negative. In a world that moves at an ever-increasing pace, this album is an invitation to slow down, to notice the small details, and to rediscover the beauty in attentive listening.

A Final Glimpse

Speaking with Fabia Mantwill means journeying through the very landscape her music evokes: a terrain of inner depths and sudden openings. Her words, like her compositions, don’t seek definitions—they create connections, leaving images and insights suspended in the air. There’s no desire to pin down a single meaning, but rather an invitation to listen closely, to be surprised by the details, to discover that hope can dwell even in the pauses, the silences, the breaths of an orchestra.

The interview, like the album IN.SIGHT, doesn’t close—it opens. It’s an invitation to return to music with different ears, to inhabit that fragile yet powerful space Fabia Mantwill builds, piece by piece, with the ease of someone who knows that art is never a final answer, but a question that continues to resonate.