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What would you ask Hilary Hahn?

Violinists: She's just joined V.com, and I'm going to be interviewing her when she comes to southern California this week.

From Laurie Niles
Posted October 18, 2007 at 04:08 AM

I'm going to be interviewing her in the next few days, since she is giving a recital here in southern California this Friday. I'll be chatting with her about her upcoming album (Schoenberg/Sibelius) with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting in Stockholm.

Of course, this is all for you guys. So tell me, what are your questions for her?

Please send me an autographed picture. I saw you and Josh in Greensboro, and having driven 5 hours was way too exhausted to wait and get your autograph. The Partita CD rocks!

I wrote to your label, but I guess the mail is backlogged.

General Delivery,
War WV 24892

p.s. Your practice advice is my mantra.

p.s.s. Please forgive Buri in advance--he will say something about prunes shortly.

p.s.s.s: the question:
I think I remember you saying somewhere that had it not been violin, it might of been any of a number of instruments. If this is so, what are your thoughts on musicality and how it evolves?

Sorry -Question
What would you advise a violnist who wanted a larger tone to do?
What scales do you practice and how?
Which violnist has influenced you the most?

Who is your favorite musician (classical or otherwise) living today?
Who is your favorite living composer?
What career (other than music) would you like to try?
Would you like to be on faculty at a music school/conservatory some day?

and the most important one:
Want to play a duet with me on my Master's recital next year?

I'm always interested in this question, because I've asked many violinists and the answers have always surprised me (Josh Bell and 50 Cent, Sarah Chang loves Beyonce, and Rachel Bartine_Pine loves heavy metal...etc)

For what reasons have you kept your Vuillaume throughout all these years? Have you performed and played with any other violin (maker?) besides your current Vuillaume? and could you describe the characteristics of your violin that constantly win you over time and time again?

Soloists used to be stigmatised, sometimes in a very personal way. These are like urban legends, which are repeated over and over again (player X plays with german efficiency, player Y has technical problems, player Z has nothing but a pretty face and plays Bach sometimes etc.) - how annoying is that for an artist like you, and does it affect your art (e. g. choice of repertoire)?

What was your biggest artistic nightmare on stage yet (memory slip, conductors etc.)?

Is chamber music important for you?

Do you have must-exercises per day (let's say 15 minutes) and which are they?

What was the dumbest question you'd ever been asked in an interview?

You recorded a CD for kids (some snippets and a video here) - what are your suggestions to introduce kids into classical music?

You're playing on the highest niveau - which technical detail troubles first, if you don't work on it constantly?

Also I'd me interested to know of any daily etudes/scale routines she does.

What pieces do you most love to perform, and why?
What pieces did you hate learning, and why?
If you had to give up the violin for another instrument (which you would play equally magnificently), which would it be?
What chamber music do you enjoy playing?

Does she think to use a different one in the future or however does she use different violins in some circumstances?

One more question:

Do you think to bring to this site just ads of your concerts or also (hopefully) a technical and interpretative contribution partecipating at the discussions?

Hi Hilary welcome to this crazy community ;)

Why did you play for Pope Ratzinger, just for work or do you agree (hopefully not) with the stupid things that man says?

Considering her integrity as a musician and violinist, I would be interested in asking two questions...

First, how does Ms. Hahn evolve towards her conception of a work of music as she prepares it for a performance, or for a recording (which is different)?

Secondly, since she to be able to sustain such wonderful consistency in performance both technically and musically, does she have suggestions or ideas on things she finds important for being able to do so?

The last thing for me would be to thank her for all that she has brought to us as an artist!!!

Cheers to Ms. Hahn!

P.S. On a personal note, I hope that an event like this will finally convince those who make comments that are less than commendable about world-class performers on this site to reconsider their attitudes...

I'd like to know how she approaches practice for a performance piece she hasn't played before vs something she has performed before. And her strategy for general practice, and how she divides her focus in practice sessions.

2. Having been interviewed often, she's probably been asked certain questions time and again. Is there anything not previous covered that SHE would like to discuss?

Dave

What advice would you give to young students who want to become violin performers? Schools? teachers?

Looking back at your career, knowing what you know now, what would you change or do different?

One thing I would be interested to hear your take on is, as Christian mentioned, the frequent disagreements about top violinists on this site! Or maybe just in general, what is your reaction to negative criticism? How do you handle it; do you see negative criticism as coming in useful varieties and useless ones; etc.?

I love that she plays a Vuillaume, and would love to hear anything she has to say about it (ie - what she likes most about it, what she feels it offers over a Strad, etc...)

2) Which Harry Potter book is your favorite?

By the way, you are an inspiration to many, including my daughter who plays in chamber orchestra in middle school.

Will I be seeing anyone at her recital tomorrow night?

I wish!!!! Watching her bow arm, has helped me immeasurably. Every time I start getting wild with the notes, that image brings my bow back into focus.

Re: wedding proposal: I thought we were welcoming Hilary not scaring her!!!!

Will you record it in the near future?

Will the diary on your official site be updated soon?

I would love to hear you perform more contemporary music, Like the Ginastera concerto and Offertorium perhaps.

Please ask her about her violin(s). I saw her with Valentina Lisitsa Tuesday night at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley. Her tone was exquisite. My favorite pieces of the evening were the Franck A Major Sonata and the Ysaÿe 5th Sonata for Unaccompanied Violin.

Thanks, Marty

What does she mean when she says mathematical equations can help interpretation?

Be sure to tell us the results of the interview! :) Thanks

Maybe it's not scary the 500th time. Welcome! I don't have any questions...yet.

One of the things I truly love about this site is the opportunity to rub shoulders with some real top level performers and players, to trade thoughts and interact.

I have no questions for Hillary, I just want to welcome her to this fabuluous network of people.

Thanks,
Chris

My question is:
What is your favorite way to warm up before a performance?

Please ask her if she is going to record Vivaldi's Four Seasons anytime in the future and being a great genius and technician of the violin if she would ever compose much like other violinists like Ysaye. Thank you!

When are you coming down-under (to Australia) ?

God! I wish I could go!.

I just talked with her, what a lovely person. I wasn't able to ask ALL of your questions, even though she was very generous with her time! You can look for the interview in the next day or so.

:)

I can't wait to read the interview. Thanks for doing this, Laurie.

But alas, I'm too late...

Thank you.

Hilary, you are a true inspiration to me, both as a violinist and a person.

Well, it turns out that this middle school that Hilary visited, "Chenery Middle School near Boston," is a 10-minute walk from my house, and is where my daughter will be attending two years from now! In 2004, I had no idea Hilary was in the area, let alone visiting the middle school. So, my question is, Hilary, would you be willing to come back to Chenery in 2009?

"What career (other than music) would you like to try?"

To:

"What career (other than music) would you choose if you had the talent and opportunity?"

In an interview for my 2nd full-time job as a computer programmer (w/ a traditional computer science background) back in the early/mid-90's, one interesting interviewer asked me that question. And my reply was either a top concert violinist or a top professional baseball pitcher. ;-) At the time, I had almost zero music training, but started toying w/ the idea of taking up the violin (some day) after delving into western classical music for a few years as an admirer/listener -- well, I did love the sound of bowed stringed instruments since childhood, but did not become an avid listener of western classical until the end of my college days.

Was very interesting to learn that Bach and mathematics aren't all that far apart -- and my sense of intuition for both music and math/science really agrees w/ such notions at various levels even though I'm far from being an expert at either. :-p And then, there's baseball too. Who was it that talked about baseball "as a metaphor for life"? :-p

Anyway, would've been fascinating to get such insights into such a great violinist as Ms. Hahn.

And yes, a very warm welcome to v.com, Ms. Hahn!

_Man_

She had so very much to say that I want to share; she was really generous with her time. It's taking me a while to transcribe the 50-min interview and get it in shape for you guys. I've put up a review of her concert and will give you guys the interview ASAP, probably tomorrow or Monday!

Music Giveaway

Mark O'Connor's method books -- released this week -- teach students using many styles of American music. Enter to win a set of the books this week, on Violinist.com. Photo: Deanna Rose

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