In the world of contemporary classical music, some composers focus on technique, others on storytelling. For Nan Avant, it’s about weaving nature, heritage, and emotion into every note. Her music has traveled from the cosmic imagery of NASA to the windswept coastlines of Maui, from the intimate voice of a violin to the roar of a wind machine. I spoke with Nan about her creative process, the sounds that inspire her, and the deeply personal experiences that find their way into her scores.
A Musical Heritage That Spans Continents
Nan’s influences are as varied as her compositions. Growing up with a Peruvian father and an American mother, she absorbed both Latin rhythms and the European classical tradition. Her early training was at the piano, steeped in Beethoven, Bach, Ravel, and Chopin. But even as a teenager, she began to compose — not through formal study, but by imitating the styles she loved. “I wrote little piano sonatas in the style of Scarlatti or Mozart,” she recalls. “It all began at the keyboard.”
From Piano to Percussion Plates
Avant’s creative process often begins at the piano, but it doesn’t stay there for long. She is known for working directly with instrumentalists, especially when writing for instruments outside her own experience. One striking example is Bijoux (The Nebulae), a work inspired by the formation of stellar clouds. “I wanted a mechanical sound, like the universe building something,” she says. A percussionist introduced her to steel road plates and anvils, which she combined with orchestral textures to capture the rhythmic pulse of creation.
The Lahaina Winds
In 2023, wildfires devastated Lahaina, Maui — a place Nan once called home. The tragedy became the inspiration for Lahaina – Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. “It was heartbreaking,” she says. “I lived across from that great banyan tree. I had to write about it.” She experimented with flutes, violin “wind” effects, and even considered having violinists blow into their instruments before ultimately turning to a traditional wind machine and bass drum. “It was about finding the right sound to carry the weight of the memory.”
Celtic Marches and Irish Airs
Nan’s curiosity about sound has led her to unexpected places — including the world of Celtic bagpipes. Married to a Scottish piper, she decided to write Triumph for both Scottish and Irish pipes with orchestra. “Bagpipes are tricky,” she admits. “The range is narrow, and pitch can be a challenge.” But by combining the Scottish march tradition with the lyrical possibilities of Irish pipes, she created a piece that has since been performed from Seattle to Edmonton to Scotland.
Orchestration as Storytelling
For Avant, orchestration isn’t just about assigning notes to instruments — it’s about building worlds. She begins at the piano, sketches in Finale, and uses playback tools to experiment with instrumental colors. “It’s a world you step into,” she says. “You try, you reflect, you adjust — until the sound tells the story.”
Listening to Nature
Whether she’s scoring the birth of a nebula, the crash of the ocean, or the whisper of wind through banyan leaves, Nan Avant’s music asks us to listen more closely to the world around us. As she puts it: “If there’s a sound I wish existed, I’ll find a way to make it.”
Featured Works Mentioned:
Aloha ‘Oe – Queen Lili’uokalani, jazz bossa nova arrangement
End Credit Music from Remember Me (2009)
Bijoux (The Nebulae) – Northwest Sinfonia Orchestra
Soundness of the Sea for Violin and Piano
Lahaina – Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra – London Symphony Orchestra
Tributum – Northwest Sinfonia Orchestra