On Feb. 7, the faculty trio consisting of Senior Artist-in-Residence, Jan Vinci, and private music instructors, William Hakim and Elizabeth Huntley will be holding a concert as a trio to feature music from composers like Hilary Tann, Claude Debussy, Zhou Long, Hakim, and Salzedo. I got to interview Jan Vinci to talk about the music they’ll be playing for the concert.
Can you tell me a bit about the concert in general and where the idea for it came from? How did you choose the music for the concert?
JV: The concert was inspired by the recent location of the original manuscript of Debussy's Sonate for flute, viola and harp. Being one of the most sophisticated chamber works, the original manuscript answers a lot of questions and brings the performers closer to the intentions of Debussy.
The other pieces on the program reflect the benefits of working as close as possible to the composer. From the Song of Amergin for flute, Hilary Tann composes viola and harp. She will speak with the audience about this work. The harpist and I have worked with Tann closely in the past to get her personal intentions clear.
The solo pieces on the program also reflect a close connection to each composer in that they were either commissioned by the performer, arranged by the performer, or like the harp solo, the piece is written by a harpist who established a specific approach to playing the harp that the performer embraces.
What are some of the challenges of performing in a trio like this?
JV: The challenges and the benefits are the same; there are many textural possibilities, especially with Debussy's ability to create a wide array of sounds.
What is your favorite part of performing in a trio?
JV: Chamber music is my passion. I love playing in intimate ensemble settings. I learn more about the music each time I play the music with others. The idiosyncrasies of each instrument must be brought forth in a collaborative way to achieve the best ensemble and most successful performance.
What would you say to people to make them come and watch?
JV: Well, usually I just tell them I am playing with harp, and people come! The addition of viola and the fact we are playing Debussy, is another draw. We will be playing some unusual techniques on our instruments, too. That is always intriguing.