Interview with Adam Levin
Some very insightful answers and brilliant hints about practicing. Thanks Adam!
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1. Can you tell us about what guitar(s) do you own? Which one will you be using on Sunday night and why? I have been very fortunate to come across some excellent builders throughout my lifetime. However, it’s always difficult deciding which guitar to play. My favorite builders include Richard and Marshall Brune, Stephan Connor and Paco Santiago Marin. I will be performing on a 2013 Stephan Connor made out of spruce and Brazilian rosewood. This guitar really packs the punch! Anyone who wants to try it is welcome to have a go! 2. Regarding your repertoire for this concert – how have your interpretations evolved over the years? Are they the same or have they developed in some ways? I’ll use my experience living abroad in Madrid, Spain as a Fulbright Scholar as a pivotal moment in my artistic development. The composer, Eduardo Morales-Caso, completely changed the way in which I conceive musical interpretation. First, he told me you have to express and communicate each and every note. Second, he told me you have to always control your sound. Third, “Tienes que tocar como tienes sangre en las venas.” “You have to play like you have blood in your veins”; that is to say, you have to play like you are living and expressing and bringing the music to life.
3. Any recordings or classical guitarists that have been inspirations for you? My long-term mentor and teacher, Eliot Fisk, was a huge influence on my musical and personal life. He has been a sort of second father to me. His monumental recording of the 24 Paganini Caprices is absolutely incredible. For those who don’t know it, I recommend it highly. 4. Can you give us some insights to your daily life of practicing? Anything you have learned over the years that would help young aspiring classical guitarists?
Practice smart. Hours are meaningless unless they are purposeful. I’ve learned that you can tire yourself out hour after hour if you don’t have a plan. Make a concise daily plan and determine how much time you want to alot for each goal. My other question to young students is, what is it about music that compels you to play the guitar? Also, what are are your goals in music and with the guitar 5 and 10 years down the road? It’s important to determine why you are doing what you are doing and say it out loud or write it down. Second, it is critical to examine what you want to be when you grow up, so to speak, and how you will get there. These are questions that our global music students need to ask themselves as they think about pursuing a career in music. We don’t have a traditional job structure, so it becomes even more important to build a framework in which we as artists will thrive.
5. What can the audience look forward to this Sunday night?
The recital will include an eclectic mixture of repertoire from the last five centuries, including works by Frescobaldi, Bach, Ysaye, Llorca, Morales-Caso, Tedesco and Turina. I’m especially excited to share the music that I have personally commissioned. I spent three years living abroad in Madrid, Spain investigating new Spanish music (2008-2011). I thought it was high time to contribute to the guitar world and the repertoire, so I embarked on a huge mission to find and commission the 30 best living composers form 1930 to present day. The pieces by Ricardo Llorca and Eduardo Morales-Caso are very distinct works; one work harkens back to the days of Handel in the form of theme and variation and the other work is a beautiful four part suite that tells the beguiling story of a witch, Il Sogno delle Streghe (The Witches Dream). I can’t wait to share these gems!
Stephen Zurakowsky
Artistic Director
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Posted in: THE K/W GUITAR SOCIETY
Stephen Zurakowsky Classical Guitarist 