London Grilling: Kate Whitley, The Multi-Story Orchestra
Hi Kate, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you do for a living?
I’m Kate Whitley, I’m a musician. I play piano, I compose music, and I run an orchestra that performs in car parks (called The Multi-Story Orchestra). I started the car park orchestra when I left uni and I still can’t quite believe it’s become my actual job!
At what age did you discover your talent for music?
My older sister started playing piano when I was 4 and I was really jealous so asked if I could learn too. My dad taught us both. I think I was around 12 when I started really loving music. Before that, I mainly just wanted to be like my sister.
Who/what inspired you to become a pianist and composer?
Umm I think I only really wanted to do music once I discovered how fun it was to organise and put on my own performances and projects. I don’t really like being told what to do by other people! I liked doing my own projects because then I could really think about what music I was making and why, and could have lots more freedom. My favourite thing now is when we as The Multi-Story Orchestra create a new piece all together, and it feels like there is so much creativity and freedom involved in that.
Where did you train to become a professional pianist?
I studied piano at Guildhall School when I was a teenager. I had a really brilliant but slightly terrifying teacher called John York. Once after I played a piece to him he said to me ‘that’s the most wrong notes anyone has ever played in this room before’
What have been the highlights and proudest moments of your career to-date?
Ooh. Two things - last year The Multi-Story Orchestra put on a piece called ‘The Endz’ in memory of the death of a young person from one of the schools we work with, and it was definitely the most moving thing I’ve been part of. I am still so amazed by and proud of our young people who were in it. Secondly, last month we performed our new piece ‘Verified’, which is about social media, and I think it’s the best piece of music we have ever made - just such good songs - and I am super proud of it.
You write for solo artists, orchestras, choirs and more. Do you have a favourite musical genre?
I love writing choir music. Hearing lots of voices singing together is so moving, especially when it is young people.
Your piece Speak Out To Words by Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai was commissioned by the BBC for International Women’s Day 2017 in support of the campaign for better education for girls. Is this a cause you personally feel strongly about? Are there any other causes that are close to your heart?
Yes, I was so pleased to be asked to write that - it was great to be a part of BBC 3’s women's day celebrations too, as that is a surprisingly recent initiative.
In terms of other causes, I’ve also written several pieces about climate change, and the piece about the dangers of social media I mentioned before.
I wrote a piece earlier this year for inclusive ensembles in Newcastle and Bournemouth, and anything in aid of accessibility and equality are always most important to me.
You co-founded The Multi-Story Orchestra in 2011 with conductor Christopher Stark. How did that come about?
We were looking for ideas of unusual places to do concerts and a friend of mine suggested car parks! It was really about escaping formal concert halls and finding different and more exciting places to play and ways to make music.
Where in London can our readers find the Multi-Story Orchestra performing in 2023?
Our next show is coming up very soon in Peckham on 6th and 7th July! Routes is a new spoken word and music piece about someone on a first date being asked ‘where are you from’ - which triggers a whole load of stuff for them. We are then back in Peckham end of August plus at the Southbank Centre a few times this autumn, details are all here
You’ve achieved so much in your career already - what’s next for you? Do you have any other exciting projects in the pipeline? What are your goals, dreams and aspirations for the future?
My main aspirations are to have a more chilled out time. It’s been a lot of work to set up and grow the organisation, and I’d really like to sit back a bit now and enjoy it. I got an allotment recently and I mainly want to have lots more free time to spend there.
What do you love about London?
I love how much open space there is in London. I used to live in Walthamstow and get everywhere by cycling along the river Lee. Cycling along the river is still my favourite thing about London, especially around Hackney and Tottenham, and I love all the wild open space around there.
Could you describe your perfect day out in London?
A whole day on the allotment and then a pub trip after to one of the riverside one- like the Angel or Mayflower in Rotherhithe! And probably dinner round there actually, to my favourite Chinese or Vietnamese which are both in Surrey Quays.
