Maren Selvaag is a Norwegian pianist and composer. She has collaborated with musicians including bassist Eivind Opsvick and drummer Eric McPherson. After completing her bachelors degree at the University of Trondheim, Maren continued to study, first a degree in composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music followed by a Masters Degree in performing jazz piano, graduating as the first woman ever to have this degree in Norway. Maren is the co-leader of the International Network of Female Instrumentalists (INFI), an organization that strives to inspire, recruit and support more women becoming professional instrumentalists. INFI has started a school in Mamelodi, South-Africa, organized summer camps in Norway and Sweden, and been on tour promoting women’s freedom in north east India. Maren lives in Norway with her husband and one year-old child.
UK Jazz News: What is the best advice you received about balancing/juggling motherhood and career?
Maren Selvaag: To do everything in my own time, slow down and don’t give in to fearful thinking and “what if’s”.
UKJN: What information or advice do you wish you’d received but didn’t (and had to learn through trial and error or on the go)?
MS: I was feeling a bit isolated and I realized a lot of the social refill and community feeling in our jobs comes from going to shows and hanging out in the evenings. As this is not so easy to combine with a baby, it was important for me to still participate in the community and reach out more for collaborations and daytime hangouts – luckily many other musicians in my network are also in the same situation now.
UKJN: Your top tip(s) for other mothers in jazz:
MS: Enjoy this time! Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do. Plan well and ask for help!
UKJN: Baby/child gear tips for travel/touring/gigging:
MS: Bring the grandparents! Though that’s maybe not gear… I generally think there is too much focus on stuff you need to buy. The first few months I could have our baby in a baby carrier whilst playing at sound checks etc. and a small travel stroller we could bring on the airplane has been a lifesaver
UKJN: Best general travel/gigging/tour-with-child advice:
MS: Just do it! Better to try than to just sit at home and do nothing. We have focused a lot on routines for meals and sleep even though we are traveling. Everyone has to find out what works for them, for us it has been fantastic to track sleep with the app Napper. We plan our days based on when his naps will be and that way we have almost never had an overtired child. We also realized that it can be hard to find baby friendly healthy meals on tour, so I batch make meals and freeze them. Of course unexpected things happen and the plan goes out the window, but he quickly gets back into them.
UKJN: What has surprised you about becoming a parent and remaining engaged with your professional activities and ambitions?
MS: I usually have a lot of drive and ambition, but the first few months after having my baby I was completely uninterested in working. I was a bit unsure if that meant I wanted to work in something else. But gradually the drive came back, and now I am more motivated than ever to make the most of the time I have to pursue my passion.
UKJN: What boundaries have you set for yourself as a mother in jazz (could be related to travel/touring, riders, personal parameters, child care decisions, etc.)?
MS: Becoming a mother has made me much more confident and I am more selective about what type of projects I say yes to. It is easier to negotiate contracts because I have a much greater responsibility now and can no longer say yes to things that do not pay properly for my time. I have made a personal choice to compose and produce more music so I don’t have to travel that much. I also created my company Meadow Art & Music where I do curation of artistic experiences for events and partners in Oslo where I live, but I actually started all of this before becoming a parent – it was out of an ambition to create a job as a musician that was more sustainable and eco-friendly.
(*) Mothers in Jazz was started by vocalist Nicky Schrire. The initiative aims to create an online resource for working jazz musicians with children, those contemplating parenthood, and jazz industry figures who work with and hire musicians who are parents. The insight of the musicians interviewed for this series provides valuable emotional, philosophical and logistical information and support that is easily accessible to all. “Mothers In Jazz” shines a light on the very specific role of being both a mother and a performing jazz musician.
