We have incredible young musicians in our programs! From winning competitions to writing their own pieces, there is no end to the creativity of Elemental Music students.
This month, we are featuring Elemental Strings Chamber Orchestra violinist Grant, who recently had the chance to perform in a masterclass with international soloist Gil Shaham and Laurie Niles of violinist.com!
Elemental Music: When did you first start playing violin?
Grant: I started playing violin when I was four and a half.
EM: Why did you choose to play the violin instead of a different instrument?
Grant: Well, one day I was going to my music class, not for violin, just for music, and that day they had talked about the strings and about how the violin was one of the strings. [They said] it was one of the hardest instruments to play and I said, “I think I want to do that.” Mama said ok and I started taking with my first teacher, Leah, and started doing Suzuki. She left when I was nine. I’m ten now and doing lessons with Morgan Gerstmar.
EM: Can you tell us what it was like to talk and play with Gil Shaham and Laurie Niles?
Grant: It was a dream come true. I never expected it. And then even when I said I wanted to do it, I really didn’t think they would pick me.
No one probably knows this because it is not on the video, but Gil called me a few days before and we just talked for like an hour and it was amazing. He asked me what I liked to do and what I wanted to be when I grew up and what I liked to read.
When I played with them and talked to them on the show they were so nice but I was still so nervous. He taught me a lot of things like that Gavotte rhythm, the antecedent consequent phrases, and also how different our views are on baseball – the Dodgers rule! I love you New York, but not your baseball teams!
EM: Were you nervous or excited to play live on Zoom?
Grant: I was so insanely nervous…I got a stitch in my side when I saw the little recording thing pop up! The entire night before no one could sleep and during the show we had to put our new kitten, who is crazy, in my bedroom and close the door because she likes to paw at my bow and we thought that would be bad!
EM: If you could give advice to a younger violinist, what would it be?
Grant: If I had to give advice to a younger violinist (antecedent consequent lol) I would say, if you say to yourself, “I can do it, I can do it, I can do it” – you will do it. If you say to yourself, “I can’t do it - it is impossible” – it will never happen, you won’t do it. You have to make yourself believe it for it to be true.
EM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Grant: I have to say my favorite thing about being a violinist is that when you are playing music, it feels like time stops. One second I will start playing and the next, the piece has ended. I get so caught up in playing the piece that I don’t notice all the time passing. I also really like orchestra. It has made me a better violinist in the sense that now I can play things that I could only imagine playing a year ago. I will keep playing violin because in my opinion it is the best instrument there is.