2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
0 Ms Siguienteblog [email protected] Escritorio Cerrarsesin
PAMELAHICKMAN'SMUSIC
INTERVIEWSBLOG
S A T U R D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 6 VISITS
TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoabout
performance,repertoireandteaching FO LLO W ER S
Seguidores(11)
th
OnDecember8 2016,I
talkedtoviolinistand
violistShunskeSatoathis
homeinTheHague.Born
inTokyoin1984,he
movedtotheUSAatage
4,thenwinningthe
Seguir
YoungArstsPrizein
1997andmakinghisNew
Yorkrecitaldebutin
BLOG ARCHIVE
2000.Recentlyreturned
fromperformingwiththe 2017(4)
AustralianBrandenburg 2016(7)
Orchestra,Shunske December(1)
appearswidelyinEurope TalkingtoviolinistShunske
andtheUSAassoloistor Satoaboutperformanc...
Photo:YatHoTsang
concertmaster,also
performingchambermusic.HecurrentlyservesasconcertmasterofConcerto October(2)
KlnandtheNetherlandsBachSociety.In2013,hewasinvitedtojointhe May(1)
facultyoftheAmsterdamConservatory,whereheteachesviolininthe
March(2)
contextofhistoricalperformancepracce.Hismostrecentrecording
(October,2016)isofVivaldisFourSeasonswithConcertoKlnforthe January(1)
BerlinClassicslabel. 2015(6)
2014(10)
PH:ShunskeSato,havinglivedindierentcountries,youseemtobeacizen 2013(8)
oftheworld.
2012(7)
2011(12)
ShunskeSato:Somethinglikethat.ThisisthehcountryIhavelivedin.A
2010(12)
lotofmovingaroundandnewlanguages.FromquiteayoungageIhave
reallylovedlinguiscsandlanguage.Andnow,livingintheNetherlands,the 2009(17)
countrywiththehighestEnglishlanguageprociencyrate,Idovestraightinto
learningDutch.KnowingGermanhashelped.
ABOU T ME
PAM E L A H I CKM AN
PH:Areyoufromamusicalfamily?
BorninAustraliainIsraelsince
1968.StudiedatMelbourne
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
SS:IguessIcouldsaythat.Mymotherisapianist.Sheteachespiano.Her University(BA
mother,mygrandmother,neverreallyplayedaninstrument,butshelistens Languages,Music,Educat
toquitealotofmusic,enjoysitandwasplunkingattheuprightpianoat ion),theJerusalem
homeattheyoungoldageof80something!So,thereisdenitelyamusical Academyof
straininthefamily,butnoperformers,apartfrommyself. Music(Theory,Compositi
on),NewYorkUniversity(Music
education.)
PH:Wouldyouliketotalkabouthowitallbeganandyourearlymusical
training? V I EW MY CO MP LET E P R O FI LE
SS:Yes.Becausemymotherwasamusician,therewasmusicregularlyinthe
househerownplayingandrecords.Itwasamusicalenvironment.Itseems
Iwasdrawntothembreoftheviolinandmymothernocedthis.Shealso
nocedthattherewerealotofchildrenaroundourTokyoneighbourhoodat
thatmewalkingaroundwiththeirmothersandviolincasesandsheasked
oneofthemothersaboutthis,thinkingtheremustbeamusicschoolnearby.
TherewasanditwasaSuzukimethodschool.So,mymothertookmethere
and,apparently,forasolid45minutes(Isllrememberthis;itmusthave
madeanincrediblypowerfulimpressiononme.Iwastwoattheme!)Iwas
observingaroomfullofyoungchildrenplayingSuzukistyleandcompletely
enraptured.Theteachernocedthistwoyearoldsinginthecornerand
founditunusualforsuchasmallchildtobesoincrediblyfocusedlikethisand
suggestedItrythelessons.AndthenIhadsomeverygoodteachers,
includingthersttwoinJapan.Yearslater,Icameacrossabookofexercises
ofoneofthemandtheyareverygoodverygoodmaterial.Altogether,Ihave
beenluckywithalltheteachersIhavehadandsllrememberthemany,
manygoodthingsIlearnedfromeachoneofthem.Ihavebeenverylucky.
PH:Whenwasyourrstperformance?
SS:OhgoshIbelieveitwasattheageofthreeataSuzukiconcert,andthere
isevenavideotoproveit.Ihadkneehighsockswithliledogsimprintedon
thetop.Beingmuchencouraged,lileclassconcertswereaveryregularpart
ofmymusicalupbringing.
PH:IntheUSA,didyougotoamusicschool?
SS:Yes,Idid,butitwasasasupplementtomyregularschoolinPhiladelphia,
whereIgrewup.ItwascalledTemplePrepSchool.Childrenwentthereonce
ortwiceaweekaerregularschool.Aerschoolthekidscameandhad
orchestra,whereweplayedourGriegHolbergSuitesetc.AndwhatIthink
isincrediblygood,Ihadchambermusiclessons.So,IwasplayingmyHaydn
TriosandBeethovenTriosattheageofsixorseven.Eveninachildlike
manner,Ithinkthatopensoneuptotheworldofplayingtogetherwithother
peopleandtoworkingtowardslisteningtoothers.Thatwasveryimportant.I
hadsomeverygoodteachers,withwhomIkeptintouchforaverylongme.
InPhiladelphiaaboutthreeyearsago,Ivisitedoneofthem,nowinher90s
andsllcheerful.
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
PH:AndaerTemplePrep?
SS:Attheageof11,IstartedgoingtoJuilliardPreCollegeonSaturdaysand
connuedtherellage18;itwasveryinformaveandsignicant.There,I
studiedwithDorothyDeLay.OncomplengJuilliardPreCollege,studentscan
proceedtotheJuilliardSchool(collegelevel),butIdidnotdothat.
PH:Sowheredidyoutakehigherstudies?
SS:IwaslivinginPhiladelphiaandapplyingtodierentschools.Isentan
applicaontoJuilliard;oh,anddownthestreetfrommetherewastheCurs
InstuteofMusic,soIappliedthere,too.Wasacceptedtoboth,Ibelieve,
but,aersevenyearsatJuilliard,optedforCurs.IdidoneyearatCurs,
but,alreadybeforethat,Iwasstarngtobecomeinterestedinthegoingson
inEurope,inalotoftheEuropeanmusicians,havingheardtheirconcertsand
CDs.(MyoutstandingJuilliardteacherMs.DeLay,musicallythinkingand
analycal,alwaysstrongatllinginbackgroundinformaon,hadafunny
lilethingaboutClassicalandBaroquemusicinEurope.Shewouldsay:
Sugarplum,whenyougoandgivearecitalinEurope,avoidtheclassics
becausetheyplaythemdierentlyoverthereandyouwontbemetwith
goodfeedbackifyouplaythemthere.Well,ofcourse,whensomebodytells
younottodosomething,youwanttodoit,tondout.)
TherewasoneteacherGrardPouletwithwhomIhaddonesummer
coursestwoyearspriortothat,whoinvitedmetocomeandstudyinParis
withhim.IwenttoParis,planningayearthereandtoreturntowhereIhad
leointheStates,butthatdidnothappen.IstayedinEurope;aerthe
twoyearsstudywithPouletIstayedoninParisforacouplemoreyears.
PH:WhendidyoudevelopyourtasteforBaroquemusic?
SS:Itishardtosay.IntheUSA,IdidhavetheoddChristopherHogwood
recordingslyingaroundinthehouse.Ididtakenoceandquitelikedthem,
too,butdidntthinkofpursuingBaroquemusic.However,Ithinkthesound
andideathatthatallofthismusiccouldbedonedierentlywasplantedthen
andthere.
PH:So,whendidyoustartgenginvolvedinBaroquemusic?
SS:ItwasduringthoseyearsinParis.ParisandEurope,asawhole,oered
theenvironment.ThereIdiscoveredBaroquemusicandBaroque
performancepracce,whichhadbeencompletelyabsent,atleast,tomy
immediateenvironmentintheUSbeforethen.Itaddedfascinaontobeable
toexploretheviolininacompletelydierentandnewway.Anditwasso
commoninEurope.YoucouldgotoaconcertofRameauandTelemannand
BachandBeethovenonperiodinstruments,whichissllhardtodointhe
US.ThenIdried,dried,driedanddecidedtodosomeproperstudy,asit
were,atamusicschooltoreallyimmersemyselfinthatandfoundalovely
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
teacher,anAmericanteacherMaryUgerinMunich.Thefunnythingwas
that,30yearsbeforeIdid,shehadalsostudiedwithDorothyDeLayat
Juilliard.Bythatme,Ihaddecidedthat,asfarasmystudieswere
concerned,IreallywantedtofocusonBaroqueviolin.
PH:So,nomoremodernviolin?
SS:Iwasalsoplayingmodernviolinatthatmeandslldo.Everynowand
then,IgetaskedtodoaBrahmsconcertoorwhateverandslllovedoingall
ofthatrepertoire.Ihaventbidfarewelltoanyofit.Infact,Ihavebeenable
torevisitalotofitBrahms,forexampleviewingitfromahistoric
perspecve,likediscoveringwhatkindofpianosorstringtechniqueswere
used.19thcenturyBrahmswasprobablyverydierent:youveryquicklynd
outthatitsquitedierenttothemodern21stcentury,asamaeroffact.It
hasbeenveryinteresngtobeabletoseeallofthisrepertoirefroma
completelydierentperspecve.
PH:Whendidyoustartplayingtheviola?
SS:ImsurprisedyoumenoneditIloveplayingviolabutdontdoitsomuch.
Istartedplayingtheviolaat14or15itwasoutofcuriosity.Iboughtoneof
thoseverycheapinstruments,probablywithwaterandbulletproofvarnish,I
scrapedawayandsawmywaythroughit.IslldonotplayitasoenasI
wouldlike.
PH:DoyouhaveaBaroqueviola?
SS:No,Isllhavethecheap,veryredviolaIboughtthen.Idonthavethe
incenvetoacquireoneasamknownmuchmoreasaviolinist.
PH:DoyouseeyourselfmostlyasaBaroquemusicianatpresent?
SS:Well,Imnotsureaboutme.Certainly,aforlotofpeople,yes.Ithink
peoplewouldassociatemewiththeBaroqueviolin,justfromthesheer
amountofworkIhaveinthatdirecon.Formeitisactuallyquiteremarkable
toseehowliletheviolinpersehaschangedincomparisonto,say,the
harpsichordversusthemodernSteinway.Movingfromtheharpsichordtothe
modernpianoisamuchmoredicultadapon,evenfromthefortepianoto
anrardpiano.Inthatway,Ithink,asastringplayer,youactuallyhavethe
advantageoftakingmoreorlessthesameinstrumentandplayingitinso
manydierentways.AsIsaidbefore,IlovedoingBrahmsandSchumannand
muchlaterrepertoire.Infact,inFebruaryIamdoinga20thcenturyprogram
Stravinsky,KhachaturianandMilhaudandonhistoricalinstruments!We
foundaniceSteinwayfromthebeginningofthe20thcenturyinanincredible
workshopwheretheyhavethreeorfouroftheseearlySteinways.Oneof
them,apparently,isapianoonwhichVladimirHorowitzgaveaconcert.
Quitearemarkablecollecon.Anyway,therewillbetheSteinway,myviolin
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
withgutstringsandsteelandtheclarinesthasalsofoundaclarinetfrom
thisme.Ithinkyoucanjustextendthisinsomanyways.Ienjoyalotof
kindsofmusicandliketohaveabroadrepertoire.
PH:IreadyouplayedPaganiniongutstrings.Isthatauthenc?
SS:Yes,yes.IdidthatinAustralia,asamaeroffact.Authenc?Yes,
absolutely.Gutstringswereinuseontheviolinll1930or40,buteven
longerforcellistsanddoublebassplayers.Violinistswerethersttouse
steelstrings.So,basicallyalltherepertoirewenowassociatewithClassical
music,rightuptoDebussyandRavelandBartokwasintendedtobeplayed
ongutstrings.
PH:Wouldyouliketotalkaboutyourteaching?
SS:Yesmyteaching.Iloveit.Imlearningjustasmuchasthestudents
evenmore.IknewthatIlikeditverymuch,evenbeforeIstartedteachingat
theAmsterdamConservatory.Ifanything,IthinkIhavealwaysbeenavery
selfreecngmusician.Ihaveneverbeenapersontojustdosomething
adicultpassageandnotknowwhyorhow.Andthenthereisrealizing
thatallofthosestudentscomingthroughthedoorbringwiththemtheirlife.
Youseethemforanhourandahalfeveryweekortwoweeksandyougive
themthishomeworkorthatatasktocompletefornextmebutalotof
themworkatashopvedaysaweek,forexample,inordertomakeends
meetortoteach,andthislilesnippetofmeis,inaway,sosupercial!I
realizethatyoucanteachthemabouttheviolinandwhattodowhenyou
encounteradiminishedchord,howtoornament,andallofthesethings,but,
intheend,whatItrytodoistogetthatpersontogivehismaximum,and
whatthatmeansforeverypersonisdierent.Somepeoplehonestlyare
notsoloistmaterialortheyaremoresuitedtogroupplayingorevenIwould
say,somepeoplearemuchbeergearedtowardsteachingorresearch.I
haveonestudentwhoisincrediblygoodatresearch,bringsalongpiecesI
haveneverseenorheardofandknowssomuchaboutthings.Heisnotthe
strongestplayer,buthereallyhasaheadandheartformusicinacompletely
dierentway;IamnotgoingtoexpecthimtoplayaBachfugue,butIcan
develophiminsomanyotherways.IreallyhavetosayIhaveaverygood
classofmovatedstudents(youngadults),andIthinkIamgengbeer.
OneofthethingsmyteacherDorothyDeLaysaidwaswhenaskedwhyshe
wassuchagoodteacherwas:Idoalotofiteveryday.
PH:Shunske,whatisyourcurrentproject?Whatisonyourmindmusicallyat
themoment?
SS:Oh,gosh.Whateverisnext!Actually,ithasbeeninteresng.Speakingof
laterRomancmusic,19thcenturyrepertoirepostBeethovenonhistorical
instruments,youhavealotofBaroqueensembles,butthosewhofocuson
laterrepertoiretherearentsomany.Actually,Ihavefoundafewpartners
incrimewhoknowalotaboutthisperiod.Wearetryingtogetagroupo
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
theground.Itwillbeveryinteresngtoseehowthatgoes.Wehavesentout
ourrstroundofconcertoerstoconcerthallsthroughoutHolland.
Reaconshavebeenveryposive,sayingtheylikewhatweareontoand
wouldliketohaveusforthenextseason.Thisisincredible:itmustbea
combinaonofalotoffactorsasthisissomethingthatisnotdonemuchas
yet.ThatissomethingIwouldlovetoexpand.Justasthewaywe
revoluonizethewaywedoBaroquemusic,wecangomuch,muchfurther
withothergenres.
PH:Areyoureferringheretochambermusic?
SS:Yes,yes.Absolutely.
PH:Whatdoyoundaudienceswanttohearatthemoment?
SS:Whatdotheywanttohear?Ithinkthatdepends.Icantbeajudgeof
that.Itissuchasynergyofdierentthings,thesynergybeingbetween
performer,listenerandcomposerorwhateverpieceofmusicisbeingplayed.
AndwiththesamethreepeopleinthesamerolesonMondayandthenon
Saturday,itisgoingtobedierent,evenwithpiecesverywellknowntous.I
thinkitisexactlythatwhichItrytoreallybringtolife.Thefactofthemaer
isthatmusicisbornanddiesatthesamemoment,ifyouwill.Themoment
thesoundnishesitisgoneandwillnevercomebackagain.ThatishowIsee
itand,Ithinkifyoumustgoonthat,unlessyouhaveaveryjaded,skewed
andstrangeaudience(whichyoudohave.Someaudiencesareinforamuch
morecanonicalapproach,sckingtothestatusquoofthemusic.Youhave
dierentaudiencesandcantpredictthatsortofthing.)Ithinkwhatdoes
usuallysucceedisbeinggenuine,beingyourselfforbeerorworse.Itsjust
likewhenyoutalktopeople,youknowiftheyarebeinghonestandgenuine
withyou.Ithinkifyouarethere100percenttheaudiencewillbethere100
percenttoo.
PH:Areyouintonewmusic?
SS:Ihavenotbeenassuch.TherewasamethatIdiddomoreofthat.New
musicisabitinitsowncategory.Therearemusicianswhospecically
dedicatethemselvestoit.ItsabitlikewhatishappeningwithBaroque
music:thereisacertaincirclethathasbeenestablishedtoperformthiskind
ofmusic.Astonewmusic,IthinkIamnotreallyexposedtoitverymuchand
soitishardformetosaywhetherIwouldlikeit,asIhaventyetdonemuch
ofit.Mypersonalexperienceofithasbeenmixed.Ihavesomemescome
acrossnewworksthatarebrilliant,thatIreallylike,andothersnot.Thesame
thinggoesforearliermusic.TherearesomepiecesofBeethovenorMozart
thatarenice,butIdontcaretoplaythemsomuch.Ithappens.So,Ithinkit
ismainlyaquesonofexposureandsimplyofme,because,withwhatI
havealreadynowitsincredible;Imalreadycoveringthreecenturiesof
music.
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
PH:DoyoudoanyJapanesemusic?
SS:No.Asawhole,anditisnotjustmeitisaveryspecializedareaofmusic,
evenwithinJapan,actually.Thereyouwillmuch,muchmoreeasilynda
classicalornonJapanesemusicconcertthantradionalmusic.Maybethat
hasalottodowiththehistoryofthecountryitselfinthe19thcentury,when
AmericaandEuropecameknockingonthedoorwithcannons,gunsand
ships.TheJapanesewere,ontheonehandveryfrightenedand,ontheother,
fascinatedbythisnewcultureand,withinaspanof20to30years,theyhad
completelyturnedtheircultureupsidedownandwesternizedit.Andwith
thatcamealsotheascentofwesternclassicalmusicand,atthesameme,
thedeclineoftradionalthings.Sincethen,ithasbecomeabitmarginalized.
IdontunderstandJapanesemusicatall:itfollowsrulesthatarecompletely
dierenttowhatIknow.
PH:IsthisvisitendofDecember16goingtobeyourrsttoIsrael?
SS:Yes.Myveryrst.IwillbeplayingwithtwofriendswholiveinTheHague
(wequiteoenplayheretogether)BennyAghassi(bassoon)andHen
Goldsobel(doublebass)andIsraeliswhomIhavenotyetmet:Doret
Florenn(recorder),TaliGoldberg(violin)andYizharKarshon(harpsichord).
TheconcertswilltakeplaceinJerusalem,Raanana,HaifaandHerzliya.
PH:Shunske,whenitsnotmusic,whatinterestsyou?
SS:ForsureIcouldsay:cookingandarchitecture.WhatIlikeaboutbothis
thecombinaonofscienceandcreavity,andbalance,too.Well,cooking
simplybecauseIlikefoodIjustlovefoodandamfascinatedbyhowfoodis
preparedandwhereitissourced.However,bynomeansdoIknow
terminologyandthingslikethat,forexample,whatpartofthecowiscalled
what,butthatdoesntdetermefromenjoyingitalot.Youcancombine
moreorlessthesameingredientsinsomanyways.Inarchitecture,thereis
theconstruconthesciencepartofitandthenthereiswhatyoudowith
that.Myfascinaonwitharchitecturestartedearly.Inparcular,Iremember
inPhiladelphia,whereIlivedinabigapartmentcomplex,theywouldsenda
monthlynewsleertoalltheresidentsandontheverybackpagetherewere
adversementsforapartmentsforrentorforsale,includingoorplans.I
wouldtakethoseoorplansandcopythemtomakevariaonsonthem
addanewroomormakeathreebedroomapartmentfromatwobedroom
apartment.Wherearchitectureisdierentisthatinmusicorfood,onceitis
goneitisgone,ofcourse,remaininginthepersonsmemoryandsoul,butits
notthere.Thecrucialdierenceisthatinarchitecturewhenyoubuild
somethingitservespeopleeverydayinaverytangibleway;smallthings
impact,forexample,thewayyoufeelcomfortathome,ordiscomfort.The
wrongplacementofawallcanreallyhaveanegaveeect.Thearchitecthas
tondsoluonstoproblemsthatareopmal.Well,livinginacountrylike
Holland,youhaveoldbuildingsallovertheplaceanditissomemesexcing,
somemesdepressing,togointoa17thcenturybuilding.Somemes
whoeverrenovateditdidaterriblejob,withuglylesandlaminateallover.
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2017519 PamelaHickman'sMusicInterviewsBlog:TalkingtoviolinistShunskeSatoaboutperformance,repertoireandteaching
Ornot:somebodyhasreallytakencareandbroughtoutthecharacteriscsof
thehouse,alsomakingitverymodernandcomfortable.Ithinkthatfoodand
architecturewouldhavebeenverynicealternaveprofessionsforme.
PH:ShunskeSato,manythanksforyourme.Ithasbeenmostinteresng
talkingtoyouandhearingaboutyourcareerandthoughtsonmusic.
P O S T ED B Y PA MELA H I CK MA N AT 8: 24 A M
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