Interviews with musicians, composers and conductors
Who or what inspired you to take up the violin and pursue a career in music? It was my parents and their love for classical
I would certainly say that a rhythmic drive features heavily in most of my work. Being almost post-minimalistic with a constantly shifting harmonic centre, I think a lot about ‘implied melodies’ where I take the function of a melody, but rather than a ‘melody’ as we think of it in old fashioned terms – I enjoy creating these ‘implied melodies’ out of harmonic ideas.
Certain works move me most deeply when I have the privilege to play them; Any of the Bach solo Sonatas and Partitas, Faure’s 2nd Violin Sonata, Bruckner’s Viola Quintet, Schubert’s G Major Quartet, Mozart’s G Minor Viola Quintet, Stravinsky’s Dithyrambe, and Bach’s Art of Fugue are particularly meaningful to me.
It’s important to choose pieces that you love. I try to put pieces together that contrast in emotion and get different responses from the audience.
I think success for a composer can be measured when he/she no longer has to take a direct hand in arranging a performance. When a piece is “out there” and getting performed, I think that’s a success, and it’s certainly gratifying for a composer when that happens.
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