Lockdown chats with Isabel Hede.

For our second installment of lockdown chats, I spoke with one of my dearest friends and collaborators, Isabel Hede. Isabel is a remarkable violinist, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with as a part of Forest Collective since the very beginning in 2009. Isabel was there at the very first performance, in a deserted lift in a gallery that no longer exists. I think that gallery is now a bike shop on Guildford Lane in Melbourne’s CBD.

Tell us about your involvement with Forest Collective, how long have you been involved and how it all started?

I met Evan in our studying days at the Victorian College of the Arts and was delighted when he mentioned a new ensemble he was starting and asked me to be a part of it! It was right at the beginning of Forest and I'll never forget our first show when we performed in a bizarre gallery space with a small room full of different tapes and materials. It was my first real introduction to improvising and new music and I absolutely loved it and knew this is something I would want to pursue further.

Can you name your highlights from working with Forest Collective?

A big highlight of the many fantastic concerts I have performed with Forest Collective was the more recent performance at Heide MOMA, performing the wonderful music of Diimpa. It was an outdoor performance on the most beautiful summer day in Melbourne and I have never felt so grateful to perform to an audience after so many months of no music in lockdown.

What's keeping you occupied this lockdown?

This lockdown has been a challenge creatively for me and I'm sure many other artists, so many cancellations and postponements really takes it out of you. Though as spring arrives, I've been inspired by nature and am starting to work on a second album which is very exciting. I've also been enjoying a reignited passion for reading thriller murder novels!

What's on the musical horizon for you at the moment?

I'm looking forward to creating new music for some upcoming/postponed performances and yoga retreats! Also looking forward to hopefully touring with some new music ensembles next year. It will be so wonderful when we can have performances back in Melbourne!

Be sure to check out Isabel’s new album modulatemusic.bandcamp.com/album/landscapes