Agent: Chris Colbourn
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“With sly loveliness, Ms. Joachim, a Haitian-American composer, flutist and vocalist, sketches a whole universe, conjuring the stories of Haitian women.” – The New York Times
“No more joyous chamber-music collection has arrived this year than “Fanm d’Ayiti.”” (2019) – The New Yorker
“Even when brief and minimalist, Nathalie Joachim’s compositions cross complex ranges of emotion. Here, in a piece for cello (and vocals recorded by its composer), the somber cast of mood at the opening is complicated by a change in gait. The effect is akin to what you might feel inventing a new dance on the spot, while trudging through otherwise grim surroundings.”– The New York Times (on “Dam Mwen Yo”)
Nathalie Joachim is a GRAMMY-nominated flutist, composer and vocalist. The Brooklyn born Haitian-American artist is hailed for being “a fresh and invigorating cross-cultural voice” (The Nation). She is co-founder of the critically acclaimed urban art pop duo, Flutronix, and comfortably navigates everything from classical to indie-rock, all while advocating for social change and cultural awareness.
Ki moun ou ye (Who are you)
Created by performer/composer Nathalie Joachim, Ki moun ou ye weaves together textured vocal samples, somber flute tones, and longing melodies that take listeners on a journey of discovery and defining of self.
In Ki moun ou ye, Joachim takes us through an intimately staged song cycle that ponders its title’s posed question: “Who are you?” Set on the remote Caribbean farmland that her family continues to call home after seven generations, Ki moun ou ye travels deeper into the Haitian heritage introduced on Joachim’s GRAMMY-nominated Fanm d’Ayiti. Performed in both English and Haitian Kreyòl, the immersive work examines the richness of one’s voice – an instrument that brings with it DNA, ancestry, and identity – in a vibrant tapestry of Joachim’s live voice, and intricate electronically sampled vocal textures underscored by an acoustic instrumental ensemble. Ki moun ou ye invites listeners into an exploration of personal history, and draws upon the voice’s historic and ongoing role as a tool for survival, healing, preservation of self, fellowship, and an affirmation of freedom.
Fanm d’Ayiti
The suite from the GRAMMY-nominated album Fanm d’Ayiti (Women of Haiti) by composer/performer Nathalie Joachim has a lush and melodic new arrangement for a full symphony. Commissioned by St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series, Fanm d’Ayiti is a celebration of some of Haiti’s most iconic yet under recognized female artists, as well as an exploration of Joachim’s Haitian heritage. The project features original songs incorporating the recorded voices of Joachim’s grandmother and the girls choir of her family’s home farming village of Dantan; new arrangements of songs by some of the greatest known female voices in Haitian history; and recorded interviews with these artists about their lives fighting for social justice and uplifting the people of Haiti. Developed in a two year Liquid Music Virtual Residency, Fanm d’Ayiti premiered in March 2018 with members of SPCO in St. Paul, MN, and the original version was recorded with Chicago-based ensemble Spektral Quartet.
