The Sound of Identity: Brooklyn Wood on "Head on the Hill" and Artistic Expression
- WOMCO
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
Brooklyn Wood was awarded the First Prize and the Vivaldi Visionary Creativity Special Prize in the Original Composition Category, at the 2025 Season 1 Vivaldi International Music Competition
Biography
Quoted as being an “experienced violinist and composer” (Vancouver Sun) with the “innate musicality to that of singer, violinist, composer Caroline Shaw” (Stir Magazine), Brooklyn Wood is a 21 year-old violinist and composer from Langley, British Columbia, currently living in Montreal, Quebec. She has been featured in CBC’s “30 Hot Canadian classical musicians under the age of 30” when she was only 18 years old.
Brooklyn has been commissioned and performed by several artists across Canada, including the Victoria Symphony, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Rose Gellert String Quartet, Kessler Academy Orchestra in Vancouver and several students at McGill University. As a performer, Brooklyn is a frequent substitute violinist in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and she performs classical, fiddle and jazz and enjoys exploring a large range of genres. Recently she won First Prize in the Concert Artists International Competition and performed at Carnegie Hall in April of this year. Brooklyn is currently studying at McGill University completing her undergraduate degree in Violin Performance and Composition.
Can you introduce yourself and share how you got into music?
My name is Brooklyn Wood, I am a violinist and composer from Fort Langley, BC, Canada. I got into composing music when I was very young, just by experimenting and improvising on my violin. I grew up playing around in my grandparents’s classic rock band as well, and was in the Suzuki method for violin when I was only 4 years old. I think music has always been in my blood!
Could you tell us more about your award-winning work? For instance, how did you prepare it, bring it to life, or any interesting stories behind the scenes?
I am so honoured to have Head on the Hill recognized by the Vivaldi International Music Competition. It was written for string quartet and narration, and I wanted to explore the concept of a live “film soundtrack” experience in this piece. The narration provides the story while the music is accompanying the speaker and the context of the poem. The text is from Neil Gaiman’s poem “House” and I was inspired by the idea that the outer version of ourselves is often judged purely by looks.
