Poster Matra percussion
L-R: Krissy Bergmark, tabla; Ryan Hayes, double bass; Andres Crovetti, xylophone; Jenny Klukken, marimba; Mathew Solace, drum set
Courtesy of the ensemble

Live from the Fair: Matra

Matra is a percussion ensemble that composes eclectic sounding music, drawing influences from jazz, world music, and prog rock. They will be going into schools in the Twin Cities and northwest MN this year as Artists in the Classical MPR Class Notes's education outreach program. They will perform LIVE at Dan Patch Park on MPR Day, Friday, September 1 at 2:00 p.m. Krissy Bergmark, tabla, and Jenny Klukken, marimba, took time to answer some questions for Classical MPR.

This is your first time performing at the fair for Minnesota Public Radio and on the MPR Day Stage no less!. [Is it your first time performing at the fair in general?? If not, where have you performed before] Are you excited? What are you hoping that people will get out of your performance?

Krissy Bergmark: Almost all of us have performed at the fair with other musical groups, but this is the first time we're performing as Matra. All of us contribute a great deal of creative effort into this group, so we are thrilled to be able to share it at the State Fair, and especially on the MPR Day Stage! I think one thing we struggle with sometimes as a group is how to explain exactly what we do, so I hope that the audience will appreciate our unique sound created with diverse instruments. I love the music we make, and I hope we can share that love with everyone listening today.

Jenny Klukken: Krissy and I have performed together before with the Women's Drum Center, and believe it or not we actually had MORE equipment to haul that day than we do today! I love the State Fair and MPR so I am thrilled to be here, and I hope people see something totally new and intriguing when they see Matra today.

Matra was a Class Notes Artist in 2015-16 and you will be again this year. What was your experience as a Class Notes Artist like? Why do you think this program is important? What are you looking forward to again in 2016-17?

Krissy: We loved being Class Notes Artists, and we're so excited to do it again this year! There's nothing like sharing your music with a gymnasium full of energetic elementary school students first thing in the morning! I think we were surprised at how engaged the kids were most of the time. Many would come up and ask us questions and refer to us by name, and it was really wonderful to feel like we had an impact on their day, and hopefully how they listen to music. I am most looking forward to sharing more information about tabla. For our program this year, we are planning on doing a bit more with the curriculum specifically about tabla, which is an instrument that is new to probably 95% of the students we work with.

Jenny: This program is amazing; I feel like we've been planting little seeds all over Minnesota that will grow up to be more music-appreciative adults some day. We're really looking forward to another year will Class Notes to connect with more Minnesotan kids.

What sorts of things do you bear in mind when preparing a performance at the Minnesota State Fair?

Krissy: Over the years, we have discovered that our music does best in a quiet room or in a concert setting. Obviously at the State Fair, there is a lot more activity! We tried to choose tunes that would be upbeat, fun, and audible for a more active audience.

Jenny: LOGISTICS! Moving our gear is no simple task, so we were super grateful for MPR's help and consideration of our logistics.

Can you share the name of a piece or two you'll be performing at the Minnesota State Fair? Why are these special?

Krissy: Part of what makes this group so much fun to be a part of is the collaborative nature of our compositions and writing process. We workshop these tunes together before we really settle into the final product, so we are all contributing to each other's pieces, and the album contains compositions from each of us. Ryan [Hays, double bass]is a relatively new addition and joined us after we had finished writing the album, but he has absolutely been a vital part of the workshopping process.

Meterhey is one of my tunes, and I wrote it last winter while I was spending time in India studying tabla and composing for Matra through a travel and study grant from the Jerome Foundation. "Meterhey" is the English pronunciation of what I would say as I got into a cab, to make sure the cab drivers were using a meter and not trying to overcharge me, which happens during tourist season! This piece is laced with literal sound references from the city (like car horns, which are ever-present), and also musical references to rhythmic forms from Hindustani music in the solo section.

When The Mood Strikes is a really fun tune that actually didn't make it on the album! It wasn't quite ready at the time, but this tune was written by our drummer, Mat [Solace]. It earned its title after he was struggling to compose, and then ended up writing it in a single night! It's a catchy little tune that we like to use for the beginning or ending of a set.

When you're done with your performance, what are some of your State Fair must-have treats or must-do activities?

Krissy: For me, cookies are a must. I also love trying the weirdest foods I can find. Deep fried avocado is on the docket, and also the sweet corn Blueberry eclair. And maybe some duck bacon wontons. I always like to check out the piglets in the birth center, too!

Jenny: I've gotten really into the chicken in a waffle cone from the Blue Barn, and whatever other new inventions they've cooked up this year. I also LOVE the International Market Square for the around-the-world shopping experience!

Visit the MPR Stage at Dan Patch Park on Friday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m., to see Matra's live performance. If you're not at the fair, you can hear the live broadcast of Matra on Classical MPR. John Birge hosts.

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