The Emerald Ruby

Hello! For those who don't know me, my name's Jen and my music based multidisciplinary project is The Emerald Ruby. I'm a disabled creative working out of Newcastle NSW on Awabakal land. I write glittery music based out of my training as a classical musician incoporating my love of Irish folk music and Early Jazz. 

In June of 2021, as NSW was plunged fully into winter and a second major lockdown, I awoke in the middle of the night with a small melodic idea in my head. Over the next month or so, this sleepdeprived night scribble turned into a fully fledged duet for Flute and Cello called The End of Torpor.

As of writing this description, The sheet music book is fully complete, I've secured my cellist (the every lovely Naomi Dart) and I've hired a videographer (Midnight Crush Films). On the 22nd of January we will be filming a video and recording the duet, which will then be published on streaming services, bandcamp and Youtube. 

I would very much like to pay everyone (including me) for this project, which is difficult as a self identified starving artist. That's where your support for this project comes in! Career wise, this project will help to legitimise myself past the descriptor "emerging artist" prooving that I can manage a professional project with proper money and showcasing the quality of my work.

About the piece: Torpor is defined as the physiological changes an animal undergoes as they enter a state of hibernation.

Although I am human, every year as the sun sets earlier and the temperature cools, I to experience torpor. This mental and physical shift marks my yearly unavoidable transition into a state of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

As Winter turns to Spring, I exit this state of depression, emerging from a type of hibernation.

This piece was composed in the July/August period of 2021, Winter into Spring, musically capturing the end of Torpor.

About me: 

Soulful vocals caress gentle ukulele, stitched together with lilting flute, creating the sonic pallet of multidisciplinary artist The Emerald Ruby. The brainchild of Newcastle based creative Jen Hankin, The Emerald Ruby is the home of her many artistic pursuits. Her artistic practice includes performance, composition, fine arts (digital and watercolour), photography, videography, fashion design and writing. 

A rich musical history accompanies The Emerald Ruby through every performance. Her first musical home was the Orchestra, where Shostakovich and Stravinsky informed her understanding of structure and texture. In her teens, she fell for alt metal band System of Down, which combined with her study at University of Newcastle, saw her make the transition from pure classical musician to multi-genre powerhouse. She has toured and recorded extensively with The Button Collective and experimental folk/jazz band Vanishing Shapes. She regularly performs with jazz-rock band Othrship, and Psyc rock band Lachlan X Morris. 

The Emerald Ruby has graced the stages of the Melbourne Ukulele Festival (2019, 2020, 2022), Bulga Beats festival (2019), The Rhythm Hut and Lazybones Lounge. 

She has had a prolific year of releases in 2021, beginning with her debut solo flute EP/Video series/Sheet music collection “5 short thoughts for solo flute”. Since it’s release in March, The Emerald Ruby has toured the collection across NSW. It’s also been performed by flautist/composer Keyna Wilkins (Australia) and Sarah Jeffery (Amsterdam). She has also released a new work for flute choir, Cordelia’s Jig based on the book Anne of Green Gables, and a small EP of instrumental music “Folksy Dreams Volume 1”. 

Quotes/Testimonials

Bulga Beats Festival “Quirky, smooth, multi-layered goodness. A talent fitting any venue, time or location, a show for your soul.”

Paddock Sessions (Peter C Ross) "Not Jazz, not Folk, not pop and yet all those things. Multi-instrumentalist “The Emerald Ruby” live experience is amazing, quirky and fun, don't miss it.”

Josh Shipton and the Blue Eyed Ravens (Josh Shipton) “I mean when I say she’s great, I mean it. And when I say she’s better than the chicken eating the lizard, which is one of the landmark moments of my life, I mean it.”

Crimes Against Fashion (Troy) “Music flows through Jen when she plays and it makes you feel like you are part of it. Many people can play music to you and you hear it. Jen makes you feel it and you become part of it.” 

Kerri Ellis, Former Creative Director at Bucket Lounge - “A starry, starry night was travelled listening to Jen Hankin as The Emerald Ruby at the Bucket Lounge a couple of years back. But the soft velvety sounds were never forgotten.”

Keyna Wilkins, Composer/Performer. Referring to The Emerald Ruby’s rendition of her composition “Full Moon” “This is one of the most beautiful renditions of this piece!”

About Naomi: 

The budget for this project is as follows: 

Videographer: $340 half day of filming

Cellist: $900 - This includes 5 two hour rehearsals and half day of recording. 

My fee as flautist, composer, project manager, social media guru, graphic designer, video editor, audio engineer and jack of all trades: $500

Creation of Merch (enamel pins): $325

PR: $2000

Total cost of project: $4060

You'll notice the above numbers don't add up to the total of my base target of $1095. This is because pozible is an all or campaign, meaning if I don't get the "minimum" financial support I need, I won't recieve any $.  If I only receive 1/4 of the money I need, I can still see this project to fruition (although, this will be without the support of PR, which is very costly). It won't be comfortable financially, but I can do it!

$1095 will cover half of Midnight Crush films, the cost of 5 rehearsals with Naomi, and the creation of enamel pins to celebrate the release. 

It would mean the world to me if I get the whole amount, so my stretch goals are as follows: 

Stretch 1: $1565. This covers all of Midnight Crush Films fee and 5 rehearsals plus recording with Naomi. 

Stretch 2: $2060. This covers Midnight Crush Films Fee, Naomi's fee and means I get paid for some of my time! 

Stretch 3: $4060. Covers all of the above plus means I can hire an external PR company. Having the support of external PR with their own contacts means I can focus on my art, and not burn out from releasing this duet due to my disability.