Formed in early 2020 prior to the pandemic, Blue Stockings was born out of a combination of genuine love for classical and art music, and frustration with the limitations of the genre. Soprano Alison Paris and classical guitarist Chloe Hasson were both recent graduates from their selected universities, looking for a way to share this technical and unique music with the world, without the confines of the concert hall they were so constricted to. With influences ranging from traditional art and classical music to modern folk rock, Blue Stockings is a project with an original style; easy-going, vibrant, and upbeat.
Before delving into performance-making projects, they performed across Brisbane at markets, cafes, and bars, always keeping things fresh and unexpected with their mix of modern takes on classics and creative interpretations of contemporary works. With a shared goal in mind, they have always aimed to make art music accessible to mainstream audiences.
In April to June of 2021, Blue Stockings launched the Backyard Salon Sessions; an ambitious project intended to showcase local chamber music in intimate concerts across the three-month period. With works from the likes of David Leisner, Joachin Rodrigo, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Kate-Miller Heidke, the duo took their audience on a journey through traditional art song, Spanish classical repertoire, and contemporary takes on folk classics. Guest artists included vocal quartet Seren8, Jacaranda Guitar Quartet, and soprano Gabrielle Diaz, all performing alongside Blue Stockings in three sold-out shows.
In May 2022, Blue Stockings launched Colourless: A Collection of Poetry in collaboration with Anywhere Festival. The project brought together poetry and music in an original song cycle composed for voice, guitar, and piano. The collection of poems derives from the words of Gordon Hasson, Chloe’s Grandfather. In 2011, Gordon published A Collection of Poems, Literary Inspirations, and Inanity, and gifted a copy to each family member. Inside the pages: A chaotic and wondrous style of writing. Premiering the song-cycle to a sold-out audience in Mappin’s Nursery and Aquarium, the music and poetry were quirky and off-beat, matching the pottery and plant scenery.
Chloe explains the motivation behind Blue Stockings’ need to always push the boundaries and think up something new in their 2022 feature in CutCommon Magazine:
“I think as a musician, it is easy to get comfortable in the scene you are good at. No one really wants to be that person who asks too many questions, or doesn’t know how to do something,” she states. “…This is when we started to get creative; we began to think outside of the box. How can we be different? How can we express our love for art music, among many other genres?”
In July 2023, Blue Stockings brought the song-cycle back to its place of origin in Townsville, touring the work across three shows, as well as running several choral and guitar masterclasses and workshops for school students.
Recently collaborating with percussive guitarist and vocalist Ella Belfanti as well as upcoming engagements with Brisbane based string quartet Luminescence, the remainder of 2023 will see Blue Stockings explore more extended techniques, as well as exploring the combination of technology with traditional repertoire to create dissonant harmonies and ghostly melodies.