Biography

Noted for her “restlessly inquisitive mind, both musical and poetic” and “her formidable creativity apparent at all times” (Critic’s Choice, Opera News), Lara Solnicki “continues to map new intersections for literature and improvised music” (Editor’s Pick, Jazz Times). Her third album The One and the Other (2021) has been called “a musical universe that is hers alone. To say the least bewitching.” (Culture Jazz, OUI). “Rarely is unpredictability so seamlessly juxtaposed with concrete, vivid imagery” (The Best Jazz on Bandcamp).

Produced by multi award winning musician, producer and composer Jonathan Goldsmith, the project has been called “an unexpected thrilling listen. It’s fascinating to hear Lara Solnicki develop the architecture of these songs with such wit and control and a prog musicians’ sense of narrative” (The Wire), where “narrative coherence is disrupted by her penchant for enigma, Joycean wordplay, and poetic abstraction. Elsewhere her material is likened to ‘word paintings,’ which might actually come closer to capturing the character of her sound; one might even label her approach a variant of performance art, with poetry and music in place of visual theatrics. Perhaps the best compliment one could pay is to note how much The One and the Other stands apart from other vocal-based releases. If all that makes [it] sound like an ambitious, original, and unusual recording, it closely reflects the artist responsible for it.” (Textura).

She has been called as “a master in her own modern and post-modern poetic mode which makes powerful use of the techniques of discontinuity, surprising imagery and juxtaposition of images, and sudden unexpected leaps of thought and mood. The originality and enigma of the language within an overall clarity is involving, and expresses itself first emotionally.” (A.F Moriz, Poet Laureate of the City of Toronto, 2019-2022).

Described as a “vocal purist” with a “spellbinding voice” (All About Jazz), “blessed with an exquisite vocalic articulation” (Jazz Trail),“an understanding of the most subtle nuances in lyrics and melody, freshness, intelligence and wit she invests in every interpretation” (Stanley Péan, Radio Canada), Solnicki has previously released two CDs; A Meadow in December (2010, Independent), and Whose Shadow? (2014, Inner Circle Music) with #1 songs on Canadian jazz radio and web charts (Radio Canada, CBC). She has been featured in CD compilations produced by JAZZIZ magazine (USA), and “For Jazz Vocal Fans Only vol. 1” (Japan) and was the vocalist for two Canadian feature films, Nighttalk (2022) and The Christmas Spirit (2022).

A classically trained singer with a four octave range, she holds a Bachelor of Music from The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory of Music where she studied in both Performance Diploma and Artist Diploma programs. In addition, she has been mentored by dozens of international artists in the fields of classical, jazz and creative music which include professional development grants and residencies to work with Greg Osby (2017), Frank Carlberg and David Berkman (2018), and Dominique Eade and Ran Blake (TBD). Projects in the works include a psychological thriller dramatic poem/ creative music project to be produced by Jonathan Goldsmith.

Lara Solnicki is the recipient of numerous CD recording, composition, international residency and professional development grants from The Canada Council for the Arts, The Foundation Supporting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), The Ontario Arts Council, The Toronto Arts Council and The Chalmers Foundation. She lives in Toronto/Tkaronto.