Check Out Eli Klausner and Melissa Achten’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Klausner and Melissa Achten

Hi Melissa & Eli, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We both met during undergrad while studying music at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle—Eli was studying classical piano, and Melissa, classical harp. Our relationship has always been defined by bold, adventurous decisions. At one point, we moved across the country to study in Montreal, packing all of our belongings into a U-Haul truck. There’s something about that decision, to literally drive into the unknown, that came to define our partnership and has led us to the path we’re on today. We loved Montreal but eventually our visas expired and we had to move back to the United States. It’s not quite like we threw a dart at a map on the wall, but Los Angeles was a huge departure from anywhere we had lived before. Like most people who move to LA, our first few years here were a string of odd jobs – nannying, fabrication, furniture moving. We even started a pool cleaning business. There’s a pattern in our relationship where one of us has a wild idea, and the other responds with, “Hell yeah, why not?”

In 2020, both of us were laid off from our jobs and it significantly altered our lives, as it did for many others. We were at the point of feeling like we had tried the LA experiment, and it was time to move on. With so much uncertainty however, we didn’t want to make any quick decisions, and leaving LA felt like something we could probably never undo. Live performances were no longer an option due to the pandemic, so we took the time to focus on developing and recording new work. As two musicians who play large acoustic instruments and share an apartment (with two cats!), we began to reach limits of logistics and patience, and started to dream of having a dedicated space we could go to. We stumbled on the loft that was to be Oracle Egg while browsing listings. Initially, our only goal was to find a place to record, and this particular loft was much larger than we needed. But we felt so captivated by the space and sensed a latent potential beyond our initial needs. There is a lack of space and opportunity in LA for large-scale, experimental music and performance. As musicians ourselves, we experienced this personally and with this space, found ourselves in a position to be a part of the solution. We gradually started hosting performances on days when the space wasn’t in use for recording. Over the past year, this has evolved into what Oracle Egg has become today – an artist run incubator for experimental music and performance. It’s fitting that the same year we celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary was the year we launched Oracle Egg. The space feels like something we’ve birthed together, making it incredibly special to both of us.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t been entirely smooth. One challenge is working together as a couple. It is easy for studio talk to enter every date and conversation so we are constantly navigating the best way to set a good work/life balance. Another struggle is the workload balance. It is unlikely that Oracle Egg will ever be profitable, since the various changes we would need to make would compromise the integrity of the original vision. There are days when we go straight from our 9-to-5, to soundcheck, followed by performances that run until late at night. In the time between shows we are editing footage, making social media posts, keeping up with the newsletter, and coordinating with incoming artists. We’re so passionate about Oracle Egg and the community that we sometimes forget to carve out time for our own projects. Blocking out time in the calendar for ourselves can be difficult to prioritize but it’s something we constantly work on. We feel lucky to have the support of our friends and family who have encouraged us along the way.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
One of the things we’re most proud of is our commitment to documentation. Every show is captured in high-quality video and audio. One of our goals for this season is to launch a YouTube channel where we can share videos from past and future shows. As artists, we understand how important documentation is—it’s invaluable when applying for grants or promoting one’s work. Another unique aspect of Oracle Egg is our residency series, BROILER, which gives artists access to the space for multiple days. This allows them to really dive deep into their work, ruminate, and expand on ideas. The space itself adds to the experience—the size, the acoustics, and the history embedded in the bones of this 100-year-old structure. It’s a space defined by our creative practice and the work of those who come to share it with us. One of the greatest values of Oracle Egg, and in particular the residency series (and hopefully the artists as well) is the time and space it grants us to exchange ideas and refine our thinking around our work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oracleegg.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oracle_egg/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OracleEgg

Image Credits
Christopher Wormald