Based in the midlands since June 2006 Victoria performs and records regularly a varied repertoire including experimental folk, electronic pieces, jazz, blues, and vocal improvisation, both as a solo artist and as a member of various ensembles.

A regular performer at the monthly free improvisation evening Quadelectronic (based at Quad studios, Leicester) since September 2008, Victoria has revelled in the freedom afforded at such an event and has used the opportunity to experiment with voice, flute, piano, and electronics, with a variety of co-improvisers. A collection of highlights is currently being organised for release.

This has resulted in many a spin off collaborations with regular 'Quaddies' Jim Tetlow, Ola Szmidt, and Chris Conway.

Victoria has built on these improvised experiences by composing her own music that involves improvisation within structural boundaries, using words, creating videos and artwork to be included in live performance, using the technology available to devise unique pieces for solo voice and for voice and electronics.

Last year saw the composition of the album ‘Inside the edges’. The title piece uses four haikus depicting winter, spring, summer and autumn, inspired by four very personal and contrasting visual events. A versatile work it can be performed in with a variety of line ups be it live video, with voice and electronics, and also with the additions of cajon, flute, and piano.

2009 saw the birth of two collaborations with guitarist Chris Harper. First the HarperBourne Duo, a combination of the mellifluous vocals and vibrant guitar playing into an exotic Spanish, Latin, Classical whole.

Secondly the choral, acoustic, experimental folk group Bluestave. With influences as varied as Olivier Messian, Tim Buckley and Milan Kundera and employing the unconventional line up of four female vocalists (each of whom also contribute percussion) and one acoustic guitarist Bluestave was founded on the principles of variety and the freedom to be traditional or otherwise.

Such diversity of interest can be explained by the various stages of Victorias musical upbringing. Introduced to music through her parents and their involvement in a local Baptist Church, Victoria was singing and playing piano and flute from the age of 4 and 8 respectively. And was soon performing regularly at the church and at school. As a teenager Victoria performed in the Birmingham Schools Chorale, the Birmingham Rep Youth Theatre and at 18 earned her equity card in her first professional role at The Birmingham Rep, with particular praise for her singing voice.

With money raised from her acting work she travelled for the second time to India. As a result of seeing at first hand such extreme poverty and the extremes to which people are forced just in order to survive Victoria felt compelled to change her immediate career direction and on her return to the UK she switched her planned degree of Theatre Arts to Health Studies. Whilst studying in Canterbury Victoria continued to be involved in music in her own time aswell as following the urge to help others.

India also had a huge impact on her musical influences it instilled a fascination with eastern music, with has developed toaday to include not just Indian but also Russian and Far Eastern. Vocalists, improvisers and composers such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sergey Kuryokhin, Sainkho Namchylak, Valentina Ponomareva, Michael Urbaniak, Urszula Dudziak, are as avidly listened to as Messiaen, Roedelius, Golijov, Goebbels, Dead Can Dance, and Hans Eisler. More recent visual and narrative influences include The Brothers Quay, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Jan Svankmajer.

Upon the completion of her degree Victoria moved to London and continued to combine music and science by studying at The City Lit University with Carol Grimes taking a 3 stage Jazz course and at Trinity College London the diploma in musical theatre (ATCL distinction). At the same time she completed a MSc (Health Studies) at Birmingham University, winning a national award in her specialised area of tissue viability and qualifying as a university lecturer at Kings College London (PGCAP).

During her final year as a lecturer she decided to go back to a full time career in music and was introduced by a student to Chris Harper who at the time was living in London and searching for a vocalist to collaborate with. This led to the forming of the band Vanity Press within which Victoria and Chris performing at venues and festivals across the UK including in London The Union Chapel, The Jazz café, The 12 bar club and The Luminaire and at the Buxton Fringe Festival and Leicester Oxjam Festivals. After three years and a relocation to the Midlands Vanity Press was completed and a new phase of musical diversity began.

Recent Reviews: Shortlisted for Best Musical Event at Buxton Fringe Festival 2007.

"Vanity Press are a collective from Leicestershire, Victoria Bourne, Chris Harper. Combining samples, woodwind instruments, piano, guitars, deep percussion and haunting vocals to fashion a fascinating, luscious soundscape.

Their music draws heavily from Jeff Buckley, Velvet Underground, Portishead and Sigur Ros. Dreamy and atmospheric melodies that would make perfect movie soundtracks run throughout the EP forming the mood of the song and providing the platform for Bourne’s unique vocals. Bjork, Patti Smith and PJ Harvey are the obvious comparisons. Like a female Nick Cave, her voice oozes beauty and pain in equal measure, grabbing the listener from the first note, it’s a voice that is impossible to ignore or forget.

Having already graced the stages of some very famous musical landmarks including The Luminaire, The Water Rats Theatre and the 12 bar club, their live shows are mesmerizing events. Using a mix of instruments and samples with Bourne’s sultry stage presence creates a memorable live experience.

The five songs on the EP are a roller coaster of emotion and sonic ambiance. From the tranquil and meditative to the aggressive, but done with poise passion and feeling. A band like few others, and one that must be experienced.

BY Martin Kendrick Reference and full interview on: http://www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk/2007/04/vanity-press-vanity-press-ep-album.html

Vanity PressVanity Press is a London based band and is on the face of it some mighty guitar twiddling and vocal finery, courtesy of Chris Harper and Victoria Bourne. Bourne's vocal is stunning in the Thom Yorke/ Matt Bellemy vein. Vanity Press makes you really understand how the voice can be used as an instrument. Bourne has previously been compared to Bjork and PJ Harvey (aren't all strong female vocalists!) but her stage presence is much more reminiscent of fellow blonde bombshell Wagner of The Raveonettes.

Lyrics are what you imagine Sigur Ros are singing, if only you could understand them! Vanity Press are heavy on the love songs and it would be interesting to see what happened if they dealt with something else. However, the romantic subject matter is approached in a suitably abstract way, with an excellent line in musical analogies! And actually, if they changed some of their song titles the exclusively romantic bent in the lyrics would be a lot less obvious.

Another interesting thing about Vanity Press is that they are accompanied by midi triggers of pre-recorded samples. The arrangements are amazing, but backing track percussion is never ideal! These guys have the musical ability to be brilliant. There is no reason why they shouldn't aim for that Radio 1/ Radio 2 crossover audience. All it needs now is someone to throw a load of money their way for them to hit the alternative mainstream.

Dale Copley Reference

http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk/reviews2007mus.html