The Massachussets Cultural Council (MCC) is celebrating the 40 Years of Fellowships. In 1975, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded its first Artist Fellowships for excellence, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of those initial state-funded grants to artists.

ArtSake, the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s blog about making new art has just published Laura Andel: Vivid Composition, a nano-interview by Dan Blask, as a continued celebration of the 40 Years of Fellowships.

When we first envisioned the MCC’s 40 Years of Fellowships video project, we wanted a title sequence that captured the excellence and innovative spirit of Massachusetts artists. Once we heard Laura Andel‘s (MCC Music Composition Fellow ’99) song Sao Dao, we knew it was the song we wanted: vivid, textured, and brilliantly alive – perfect to accompany Basia Goszczynska‘s vibrant animation. Longer sections from Sao Dao are also featured in the videos of photographer Rania Matar and sculptor Niho Kozuru.

Since winning her MCC award, Laura has moved to New York, where she conducts the Laura Andel Orchestra and works in a wide array of projects. We asked Laura about creating Sao Dao, her memories of receiving her MCC award, and her current work as composer and interdisciplinary music artist.

Read the nano-interview Laura Andel: Vivid Composition

Listen to Sao Dao here: