BLOG PART TWO
This past week has been exciting with the Arabesque Recordings release of my new recording, ‘Sweet Thunder’, an album I’ve wanted to release for sometime. Here’s the link:
I guess it’s also amazing when a record label is interested in a violist, largely because we’ve often been treated like the ‘snoozer’ instrument although there are plenty of admirable colleagues who’ve helped to undo that image, along with my own contributions. Certainly being relevant if not interesting and ‘marketable’ are valuable assets and considering the history of our instrument, may require some pioneering efforts.
That’s not to see that some of my very favorite music from Walton and Hindemith, Bach and many other composers, shouldn’t continue to find their way into the hearts of more and more people. But the reality is that most people speak a certain language and relate in a certain way. In many cases, these great classical composers may be an acquired taste and at the very least, requiring more than one listening to appreciate more fully.
But I think the challenge facing many classically trained musicians is a gift in disguise because if forces us to challenge the well-worn paths and forge new ones. While doing so invites the risk of gimmickry or attention getting ploys at any artistic expense, I think the real path merges an understanding of the world we live in, together with the wisdom to do some good through our lives and art.
For much of my career I concerned myself with how I could be a certain ‘ideal’ of what a concert violist was but somewhere in my heart I knew my path would inevitably be forged with my unique gifts and those included, not just playing the music, but experiencing it on a nos. of levels. Being approached by Arabesque to record for them was a great sign of confidence for me from the environment, after years of struggling to find my voice and footing as an artist, given my unique path and musical interests in crossover/pop/world/dance and Jazz music. Amazingly enough, while there will probably always be some market for more typical kinds of classical artists, it’s interesting to note that the artists who are forging paths, creating unique sounds, and in particular going beyond traditional boundaries, are the ones creating real traction and interest in the industry these days.
Daniel Bernard Roumain is one of my favorite examples as is Elan Vytal, DJ Spooky and many others.
While being marketable has always seemed abit unsavory to me as a goal per se, since it seemed to imply trying too hard to be liked or to get over on the public, the idea that my music could find relevancy in the world and inspire and touch hearts, has always seemed like a real goal.
I discovered that the world opens up when we make up our minds that we will be the creators of our own unique path rather than waiting for our freedom to be handed to us on a silver platter. And it has certainly become clear that it’s important to understand the times we live in and evolve so that we can survive. Case in point is learning how to record myself and collaborate with artists around the globe via the internet. Years ago I never would have thought this is possible but over time it became obvious it’s a necessity.
It’s simply unrealistic to expect labels to front all kinds of money on an artist that may or may not pay off in the end.
Learning to record my own music and collaborate on the internet as well as the music and projects I’ve worked on, is Darwinism in action, I suppose and survival of those willing to evolve. If the trying economy and uncertain landscape of the classical music world has taught me anything, perhaps it’s this: ‘Popular music’ means it appeals to many, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It might just mean I’m on the right track!
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