Why do many people think that they prefer pop music to jazz or classic? How do different music styles interact one with another today? How does music as a whole affect your personality? You can find the answers to these questions given by real experts and World class professionals - the Boston Brass band, who gave a concert at Champittet in September 2019.
The first part of our unordinary interview includes questions about the musicians' opinions about music and its effect on us, human beings.
Misha: You have visited numerous countries around the world. Do you think that the musical tastes of people and nations vary considerably? If yes, why?
William: In a lot of ways... The world seems so small today when it comes to musical tastes! Of course, with the internet and radio broadcasted through it, people tend to share similar tastes in music just because of the broad access. As an example: when we go to Asia, the audience is clambering for Bach and generally classical music, or even jazz. We think, even if it is something we are not familiar with, it is simply right: you can bring anyone around to enjoy it.
Jeff Conner: We are really privileged to have the opportunity to play all around the world. And, wherever we are, we play the same music. On every continent, we play the music we love. Everything depends on how we present it to the public. People love great music, they want to see live music, they want to be entertained, they want to go out and enjoy the evening together with this music...
Misha: How does music shape the personality of your audience? Was your personality shaped by music and, if yes, to what extent?
José: Yes and no! People have personalities which consist of the experiences they have had in their lives (for example, the way they have been brought up by their parents). It also depends on the part of the world and the culture. What music does in my case, is that it opens my horizon in terms of culture, vision, feelings towards others! So, in a way, they correlate and coexist on the same level.
Misha: What do you find inspiring about the genres of music you play? What inspiration do you get from different genres (classical/jazz/pop)?
José: I think that music is just music. It can be good or bad. Personally, I love good music!
*Musicians laugh*
I equally hate to title music. I think all music is the same. Classical music was just a movement popular during a certain era, especially here in Europe. Jazz is the music that came to America from Africa and evolved into what we know. It’s all music, communication, and a message from an era and a group of people that turn it into something beautiful. To me, it doesn’t matter which genre we are playing: everything is simply inspiring.
Personally, I love good music!
Misha: Do you think there is a competition between classical music & jazz against more modern types of music, such as rock or hip-hop? Do different genres coexist or are they in concurrence?
José: They coexist, this is what I think!
Chris: You get inspiration from different kinds of music, in modern music too. In hip-hop, you constantly hear artists pulling loops that you already know, from jazz and classical music. People like to say that things are being simplified nowadays, and listening to classic is more complicated in ways, but, referring to what José said, music is just what it is and it is something people get to enjoy. It brings something to each person. Somebody might hear something in one song that doesn’t do anything to somebody else.
Music is just what it is and it is something people get to enjoy. It brings something to each person.
Domingo: Actually, music keeps evolving. We evolve every day, searching to become better musicians and better artists. You want to be better and keep on going.
Chris: As well, the more you listen to different styles of music, the bigger your ears get. You can appreciate different kinds of music at the same time. When I was younger (12-13 y.o.), I used to listen to specific styles of music which were popular. When I listened to classical music it didn’t give much for me, I wasn't getting it. Neither did I understand all the effort and work that went into playing each instrument, into composing something like that... Now, when I’m older and I have gone through more in life, I can understand what it is to be listening to more complex music. Thanks to José!
*Laughs*
William: One really important thing to say in addition to what Chris just said: the level of familiarity that people have with contemporary music, especially pop, is very high since you hear the same song on the radio 2-3 times a day. So it’s not that people necessarily love the music they hear, but they just become really familiar with it. Familiarity is an extreme motivator when it comes to whether you like something or not. Because the more familiar you are with it, the more you understand it, the more comfortable you are with it... People say: "I can never like, get into classical music, just never get into it". However, if you weigh all the things you listen or don't listen to, all the things that get repeated to your ears versus what is not, this familiarity is so important.
It’s not that people necessarily love the music they hear, but they just become really familiar with it. (...) The more familiar you are with it, the more you understand it, the more comfortable you are with it.
Jeff: You have asked about whether there is competition. I don’t necessarily think there is competition, but there is a lot of collaboration, which is very exciting. We see this particularly in the US, with symphony orchestras collaborating not only with classical musicians, but jazz, country and rock bands. They are attempting to return on that, especially because everybody is trying to build an audience, so they see a value in doing this. We also collaborate with other ensembles, we feel that this is very important.
I don’t necessarily think there is competition, but there is a lot of collaboration, which is very exciting.
Misha: In our school, there is an option to do art or music, but what would you recommend and why?
José: Whatever picks their interest... There is no sense in forcing somebody who really wants to do art in choosing one of the two options. Students have to do what they like!
Misha: Do you think there is a perfect age to start doing music?
José: No, I think music is such an amazing exercise to your brain, that any age to start is going to be positive for you as a human and a person who wants to understand something: culturally and socially, it can be an including social activity: you make friends with music!
You make friends with music!
Victor: Do you think it is more important in some ways than visual arts, for example?
José: I don’t think so, everything is important! Any activity that gets you in touch with your inner self and gets you to be curious about learning is a good activity (in an educational context). In a regular context, a country, a town, or a group of people without culture would not exist. Without art or music, your feelings hurt, suffer and harden.
Without art or music, your feelings hurt, suffer and harden.
Chris: I think it is important to introduce art and music at a young age. When you’re young, you are so malleable!
Victor: It forms your soul!
Chris: Yes! I have a 5 y.o. son and a 13 y.o. daughter. Both of them were introduced to art, music and dance at an early age. They catch on so fast! It is much easier for a young brain to absorb, rather than an old brain which becomes rigid and stuck on its way after a while. So, I think it can be an important thing to introduce to younger people! I am not saying that it cannot be introduced later, but it’s just easier.
Victor: Introduced by the school or by...?
Chris: Well, everything starts with the family. It’s up to the parents to maximally open up the world to their children. Then, as they go through schooling, it’s great for them to have this in their curriculum. But children learn the most about who they are with their parents.
Jeff: I think that the more students get involved in the arts, the better our world becomes.
Misha: Last question for the first part: do you have a favourite piece of music?
*Everyone: Absolutely!*
José: I have many favourites...
Victor: Which ones?
José: I love music by Piazzolla, Bach, Shostakovich, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, I like Beethoven as well. Is this too much?
Victor: Already enough!
José: There are a lot of songs that I like in American music: "Georgia On My Mind", "Summertime" and many more! So, it’s hard to point out something like that.
Domingo: It’s hard because it goes with what you are feeling at the moment. We were on the train today and I was listening to pop and Latin music. It just depends on how you feel!
It just depends on how you feel!
William: There is a popular opinion that classical music is only for going to sleep. People think this makes you fall asleep. But just like a few things Domingo and José described - the range is much wider, and depending on your mood there is always something different and nuanced that you can listen to or enjoy.
Jeff: As Domingo said, I think it certainly depends on the time of the day, the mood you have. I certainly have my favourite classical composers. I love Strauss, Muller, Shostakovich, but there’s a lot of jazz I listen to, a lot of singers... I love Sinatra! It all depends on your emotions and they change every single day.
Musicians: What is your favourite?
Victor & Misha: Many, too!
