Hail, hail baroque and roll: Hot Press meets San Fermin

Ellis Ludwig-Leone, of baroque pop group San Fermin, boasts an extravagant name. It comes as little surprise the singer has a background in classical composition.

“In college I studied classical while writing chamber music,” Ludwig-Leone says. “However, in high school, I listened to Ben Folds Five, R.E.M. and Radiohead. It’s the synthesis of the two that makes this band.”While attending Yale , Ellis assisted Nico Muhly, known for his work with Antony and the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens and Grizzly Bear. Ludwig-Leone wrote some pieces for female singers and discovered he could combine pop and classical sensibilities to create San Fermin’s distinctive sound.

“I took as many approaches and styles as possible and tried to get them all on one record,” Ludwig-Leone continues. “For example, there was a midnight choir in the subway station. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, female voices singing choruses can be so powerful.’ It affected how I wrote the record. There are a lot of vocal parts all the way through.”

The contrast of a beautiful choir singing amidst the hustle of a subway station had a profound effect on the young composer.

“I was hoping to make a record that people had to stop and listen to,” Ellis says “I didn’t really want to make something that people put on the background and hear in a very passive way. I didn’t want the same thing over the duration of 40 or 50 minutes. I wanted it to be an up and down ride that really engages with people.”

“You have to command the listener’s attention early and keep changing. If you do that, you can get to that place where you can have beauty and chaos playing against each other. I like the idea of people turning the radio up if one of our songs comes on."

The success of San Fermin’s eponymous debut album sees the Brooklynites embark on their first European tour – including a maiden voyage to Ireland.

“When Dublin was added everyone was delighted,” Ludwig-Leone reveals. “It was on everyone’s list of places to play. We’re lucky enough to start there. This will be everyone in the band’s first visit in Ireland.”

“I’m really happy with our live show now. It feels like rock music and is very different to the album. Everyone gets very energetic and creative with their parts.”

San Fermin may lift their name from the running of the bulls festival in Pamplona. However, they call the vibrant borough of Brooklyn home.

“I live south of Wiliamsburg, so it’s not quite as trendy and slightly different,” he says. “You get the good and the bad. The fact that so many young people move here and you have a lot of creativity concentrated in a fairly small area is great. Then you have lots of people coming because it’s the place to go.

“You have to celebrate the fact that so many bands, artists and composers have flocked from all over to be based here, which is wonderful. I’m at point in my life now where I’m young. I’m interested in being in a place where there are a lot of other people making music.”