Samuel James Dewese (he/him)

Get To Know Performer Samuel James Dewese

1. What has been your favorite part of working on the Amplify Series thus far?

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the poet whose words I'll be singing, John-Carlos Schaut. Meeting Carlos at the LYNX Project fundraiser in October added to my eagerness to sing his words this year, and we've had the opportunity to correspond via email as LYNX Pen Pals. Experiencing Carlos's generosity of spirit and his insights into the world around us has been wonderful. Every email from Carlos has made me more excited to have the chance to share his words in Matthew Recio's music. Carlos, LYNX, and Amplify have expanded my understanding of what it means to make music.

2. How did you discover your passion for singing and what is the most exciting part about it?

I've been a performer forever! My voice was the first instrument at my behest. I always loved singing, and am lucky to have parents who sought places I could explore: local choirs, Saturday community classes, and eventually voice lessons. As I continue to grow, the thing I find most exciting about performing is the freedom onstage to be both wholly myself and also to be someone completely new in every song or role. Performing offers a chance to deeply interrogate and then share infinite feelings that might otherwise go unsaid, and their meanings unfold anew with every outing.

3. How has this music differed from the music you perform more regularly, if at all?

I feel a kinship with Matthew Recio's music that I don't often experience. These songs are intensely intimate and the music is also very prescriptive, but not in a way that feels binding. I feel the relationship between words and music very acutely. The Amplify compositions also afford me the chance to collaborate with multiple instrumentalists, which I always find motivating and fun. Lastly, having the chance to collaborate in real time with the composer is a luxury that is not lost on me! Knowing I truly had a hand in bringing this music to life is exhilarating.