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Violinist Mark O’Connor is renowned as a crossover artist whose approach and compositions straddle the fuzzy lines between different musical styles, especially jazz, Americana and classical music. Classical guitarist Sharon Isbin has been called one of the greatest guitarists in the world today, and she’s played with everyone from rock shredder Steve Vai to folk superstar Joan Baez. Both artists are multiple Grammy Award winners. And both will perform as special guests of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra during its upcoming Vancouver Arts and Music Festival.
The Columbian exchanged emails with both artists recently. Here are condensed versions of our conversations.
What inspired you to take up your instrument?
Isbin: I started guitar at age 9 in Italy when my family lived there for a year. My older brother was inspired by Elvis and asked for guitar lessons but bowed out when he realized it would be classical. So I volunteered to take his place!
O’Connor: I was inspired to take up the violin as a child from watching the Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw on the first season of the Johnny Cash television show in 1969. I’ve challenged myself to explore all kinds of American folk music, jazz and American classical music as both a player and composer.
Give us a sneak peak at the piece you’ll feature at the Vancouver Arts and Music Festival. What’s it like?
Isbin: I’m thrilled to bring the new Latin dance-inspired “Miami Concerto” by Karen LeFrak to Vancouver! Tango, rumba and Afro-Cuban rhythms abound in this joyous Latin pop-infused work for guitar and orchestra — a revelry of music and romance that’s ideal for a summer evening.
O’Connor: “The Improvised Violin Concerto” … is a new idea where the orchestra carries the themes and development of my composition, while I improvise and literally invent the solo line. No measure of music … is alike on any performance of the piece. I based my composition on the essential elements, and we’ll perform “Fire, Earth and Faith.” I use both acoustic and electric violin.
What’s it like, special-guesting for this and that orchestra? Are there joys — and challenges?
If you go
What: Vancouver Arts & Music Festival
When: Thursday evening through Sunday
Where: Esther Short Park and Hilton Vancouver Washington, downtown Vancouver
Details: vancouverartsandmusicfestival.com
Admission: Free
Isbin: Each performance offers a unique opportunity to share music in a way that is alive and ever changing. I look forward to performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and enjoying a musical reunion with one of the world’s great conductors, Gerard Schwarz.
O’Connor: It is always a challenge to bring newly composed music to the orchestra because I am introducing it to so many musicians who have not played the piece. But across nearly 800 performances with orchestra during my career, it has gotten easier! One of the joys I have these days is sharing the stage with my wife, Maggie O’Connor, who will guest with me on my “Double Violin Concerto.”
Any favorite places or memories in the Pacific Northwest?
O’Connor: I was born and raised in Seattle. I grew up going to small fiddle contests in Southwest Washington too, back in the early ’70s. One of the first ones I ever attended, when I was 11, was in Longview. I also took fiddle lessons from legendary Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson, who had retired to Kalama. My mother made the three-hour drive every other week for three years for my lessons, which would often last all day. I’ve written a memoir, “Crossing Bridges,” about my childhood in Washington and how I became a traveling child musician crisscrossing the country by age 12.
Isbin: I’ve enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing in gorgeous terrain near Mount Hood and along the Columbia River.
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