KSO This Week — A Perfect Pairing: Gluzman and Brahms

 

One of the most important jobs a Music Director has is selecting soloists for its symphonic season. Maestro Aram Demirjian never disappoints in the violin category. In fact, he may have outdone himself this season with the highly anticipated debut of Vadim Gluzman on January 15/16 and the triumphant return of Midori on April 16/17. Simply put, these performances with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra are not to be missed.

I had the opportunity to speak with Gluzman over the phone recently, where he was preparing for an appearance with the Seattle Symphony. I’ll admit – it was not my finest half-hour. I was one very small step above a starstruck middle-schooler. My heart was pounding and my palms were sweaty. You see, in the world of classical music, Gluzman is a shining star. In the violin universe, he is a legend.

During our chat, it took all of two minutes to realize this is a man whose life is much more expansive than your average concert violinist. Not only does he perform with the world’s leading orchestras. He directs two festivals: North Shore Chamber Music Festival (Northbrook, IL) and Music in the Mountains Festival (Durango, CO). He is Distinguished Artist in Residence at Peabody University. And, in his spare time, he’s a champion of new music and a highly sought-after chamber musician.

Here are a few moments from our conversation that show who Gluzman is as both an artist and a human being.

 That said, he uses phrases like “deservingly perfect” and “absolute masterwork” to describe the Brahms Violin Concerto, which he will perform with the KSO. He compares playing it over the past 30 years to returning to an art museum to view a special piece of art. “Every time is a new visit, not a re-visit. You see something different each time depending on where you are in your life at the moment.” The same is true with a piece of music.

Gluzman has been the proud caretaker of the 1690 ‘ex-Leopold Auer’ Stradivarius for almost three decades. The violin is on extended loan through the Stradivari Society of Chicago. “What I love about this instrument is its incredibly broad color palette and an evenness across all the ranges.” He describes the lower register as “sounding like a viola… dark, in a very satisfying way.” The top register he says “shimmers… almost emanating light.” Fellow concertgoers, we have a chance to hear a violin that is historic. Auer, a renowned violinist, was the teacher of famed violinists Jascha Heifetz and Nathan Milstein, among others.

Gluzman says he was incredibly fortunate throughout his youth to be supported by people who guided and helped him. While both festivals he runs feature veteran artists, you will also hear a healthy mix of up-and-coming stars. Gluzman goes so far as to say he feels providing performance opportunities is a “duty” – one he takes as seriously as his own performing.

That’s Gluzman’s response to being offered the Artistic Director role with the Music in the Mountains Festival in Durango. He felt it was a natural progression, after having performed in Durango numerous times as a young artist. He is carrying on that tradition with his own young artistic program and a violin academy that will be launched this summer.

This statement is backed up by his willingness to conduct a Masterclass at the University of Tennessee on January 14, 2:00 – 4:00, in Sandra G. Powell Hall. Four UT students will perform for Gluzman. This event is free and open to the public. Public parking is available in any designated UT campus lot.

Okay, so I didn’t have the courage to ask exactly what he would play as an encore. I know as an online stalker, I mean interested follower, that he has performed a wide range of fascinating repertoire. I guess we’ll just have to be patient. Personally, I cannot wait to hear what he chooses. Because I, for one, am not letting him out of the Tennessee Theatre without one.