Frankly Music event banner
Before each Frankly Music concert begins, Frank Almond does a superb job succinctly talking about the compositions on the program. So this time, by way of a preview, I thought it would be interesting to talk about music, the life of a musician and all things in between and outside the coloring lines.
Let’s start at the beginning. Are musicians born or do they have to work at it? And when did you know you wanted to be a musician? Did you ever want to give up, do something else?
I was late, maybe 15 or so when I figured out I didn’t want to surf or work at McDonalds like some of my high school friends. I happened to get into Juilliard. Later on I almost went to law school but was playing more by then.
To be admitted to Julliard is not easy. You must have worked hard in your earlier years and even harder when you were only 17 to be a prizewinner at the Nicolo Paganini Competition in Genoa, Italy, and then only five years later to be one of two American prizewinners at the Eighth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Care to comment?
I worked hard. Really hard.
Were there critical points in your career?
Of course. Schools like Julliard show you what’s really happening on the ground, you meet a lot of famous people. Plus you’re in NYC soaking it up. Or I did anyway. With any luck, you wind up with a few mentors that can change your life.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
You’ve performed all over the world but have been in Milwaukee for more than 25 years. I’m cheering, but why Milwaukee?
Ha. Well, that’s a long story. Maybe for the book …
Musically, Milwaukee is indeed blessed with superb chamber music and world class musicians. But I wonder how you or they may feel when pop musicians have billion-dollar tours and millions of followers on social media? Comments in general on the life of a classical musician?
You never become a classical musician to make a lot of money, especially now. I would say that if you got a salaried job now as a musician in any genre you’d be quite fortunate. It’s probably the worst it’s ever been for the arts biz. Sorry, but that’s the truth. Ironic, given the multitude of great players out there, and hundreds coming from music schools every year. But the pandemic and culture wars have (to my mind) changed things permanently.
You now devote a lot of time to the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and expanding the reach and appreciation of classical music to a wider audience. Has this been successful and are others picking up the baton?
The involvement with MYSO was sort of organic, evolving from my position as Artist-in Residence and eventually including connections with Frankly Music, the visiting artists, master classes, etc. The idea is to use the arts to develop a skillset from an early age that they MYSO students will use no matter what field they end up in. I’d say it’s tremendously successful so far, and a wonderfully run organization that’s really important in the community.
Almond has often told me that one of the best things about Frankly Music is his ability to bring world class musicians to Milwaukee as with this program featuring the violist Toby Appel who is on the music faculty of New York’s Juilliard School and Tamás Varga, principal cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic for 25 years. They will join Frank for Max Reger’s String Trio No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77b. After intermission they along with Filipino-American pianist Victor Santiago Asunción will play Brahms’ C minor Piano Quartet, Op. 60. Frankly Music will perform at 7 p.m., March 16, at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center.
For more information, visit franklymusic.org.
