A classical musician in the 21st century | Phoenix Avalon | TEDxABQ

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you [Music]

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[Applause] history happens philosophers name it

history happens philosophers name it

history happens philosophers name it artists reflected and people feel it I’m

artists reflected and people feel it I’m

artists reflected and people feel it I’m a 21st century classical musician I

a 21st century classical musician I

a 21st century classical musician I found the violin at a year and a half

found the violin at a year and a half

found the violin at a year and a half and I literally can’t remember a time

and I literally can’t remember a time

and I literally can’t remember a time when it wasn’t the most important thing

when it wasn’t the most important thing

when it wasn’t the most important thing in my life and now as I head towards

in my life and now as I head towards

in my life and now as I head towards college and hopefully a career I find

college and hopefully a career I find

college and hopefully a career I find myself wondering what will be my role as

myself wondering what will be my role as

myself wondering what will be my role as a classical musician in today’s

a classical musician in today’s

a classical musician in today’s hyper-connected ultra global society

hyper-connected ultra global society

hyper-connected ultra global society throughout history composers have sought

throughout history composers have sought

throughout history composers have sought to express the essential philosophical

to express the essential philosophical

to express the essential philosophical questions of the time they live in

questions of the time they live in

questions of the time they live in challenging the performer to reflect

challenging the performer to reflect

challenging the performer to reflect these questions to the audience offering

these questions to the audience offering

these questions to the audience offering an emotional way to experience and

an emotional way to experience and

an emotional way to experience and understand the human condition this is

understand the human condition this is

understand the human condition this is what I love about being a musician I get

what I love about being a musician I get

what I love about being a musician I get to create something that touches me as

to create something that touches me as

to create something that touches me as well as everyone else so what are the

well as everyone else so what are the

well as everyone else so what are the questions that classical music has

questions that classical music has

questions that classical music has offered us throughout time well in the

offered us throughout time well in the

offered us throughout time well in the Baroque period we asked the question

Baroque period we asked the question

Baroque period we asked the question what is the sacred what is God one of

what is the sacred what is God one of

what is the sacred what is God one of the composers who best explores this

the composers who best explores this

the composers who best explores this question is Bach which I just played for

question is Bach which I just played for

question is Bach which I just played for you for me playing Bach is very

you for me playing Bach is very

you for me playing Bach is very comforting and healing whenever I’m

comforting and healing whenever I’m

comforting and healing whenever I’m going through a hard time in my life I

going through a hard time in my life I

going through a hard time in my life I play Bach as a way to ground myself and

play Bach as a way to ground myself and

play Bach as a way to ground myself and really express what I’m feeling when a

really express what I’m feeling when a

really express what I’m feeling when a favorite school teacher of mine was

favorite school teacher of mine was

favorite school teacher of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer I played

diagnosed with breast cancer I played

diagnosed with breast cancer I played for her many times throughout her dying

for her many times throughout her dying

for her many times throughout her dying process I would always choose to play

process I would always choose to play

process I would always choose to play Bach for her and it was an amazing

Bach for her and it was an amazing

Bach for her and it was an amazing experience to share this sacred music

experience to share this sacred music

experience to share this sacred music with someone in that stage of their life

with someone in that stage of their life

with someone in that stage of their life we asked a different question in the

we asked a different question in the

we asked a different question in the Classical era we were really focused on

Classical era we were really focused on

Classical era we were really focused on intellectual clarity and we asked what

intellectual clarity and we asked what

intellectual clarity and we asked what is purity what is perfection this was

is purity what is perfection this was

is purity what is perfection this was most famously demonstrated by Mozart for

most famously demonstrated by Mozart for

most famously demonstrated by Mozart for example listen to the simplicity and

example listen to the simplicity and

example listen to the simplicity and purity in this excerpt from the Mozart

purity in this excerpt from the Mozart

purity in this excerpt from the Mozart Violin Concerto number 5

mozart was really able to express purity

mozart was really able to express purity and perfection in his music this can

and perfection in his music this can

and perfection in his music this can provide clarity in an otherwise chaotic

provide clarity in an otherwise chaotic

provide clarity in an otherwise chaotic world but it’s not my favorite music

world but it’s not my favorite music

world but it’s not my favorite music because everything seems almost too

because everything seems almost too

because everything seems almost too perfect music needs to have flaws just

perfect music needs to have flaws just

perfect music needs to have flaws just as we do for that’s what makes it

as we do for that’s what makes it

as we do for that’s what makes it perfect the Romantic movement asks what

perfect the Romantic movement asks what

perfect the Romantic movement asks what is possible how far can our emotions

is possible how far can our emotions

is possible how far can our emotions take us exemplified by the deeply moving

take us exemplified by the deeply moving

take us exemplified by the deeply moving music of Brahms in this excerpt from the

music of Brahms in this excerpt from the

music of Brahms in this excerpt from the Brahms Violin Concerto listen to the

Brahms Violin Concerto listen to the

Brahms Violin Concerto listen to the intense range of emotion

this music broke free from the

this music broke free from the restrictions of the classical era and

restrictions of the classical era and

restrictions of the classical era and really expressed both the depth and the

really expressed both the depth and the

really expressed both the depth and the subtlety of human emotion even the

subtlety of human emotion even the

subtlety of human emotion even the excerpt I just played takes us on a

excerpt I just played takes us on a

excerpt I just played takes us on a whirlwind of emotions and characters all

whirlwind of emotions and characters all

whirlwind of emotions and characters all the technique serves the music and I

the technique serves the music and I

the technique serves the music and I find it exhilarating and euphoric to

find it exhilarating and euphoric to

find it exhilarating and euphoric to play because it is just a pure

play because it is just a pure

play because it is just a pure expression of emotion now listen to this

this is the sound of the 20th century

this is the sound of the 20th century chaotic dissonant filled with

chaotic dissonant filled with

chaotic dissonant filled with uncertainty and fear and asking the

uncertainty and fear and asking the

uncertainty and fear and asking the question what are we doing what’s the

question what are we doing what’s the

question what are we doing what’s the point

point

point Shostakovich portrays this with his dark

Shostakovich portrays this with his dark

Shostakovich portrays this with his dark ironic music as you heard in this

ironic music as you heard in this

ironic music as you heard in this excerpt from the Shostakovich violin

excerpt from the Shostakovich violin

excerpt from the Shostakovich violin concerto number one interestingly this

concerto number one interestingly this

concerto number one interestingly this is also very comforting to play but in

is also very comforting to play but in

is also very comforting to play but in such a different way from Bach being

such a different way from Bach being

such a different way from Bach being able to express all your frustration and

able to express all your frustration and

able to express all your frustration and confusion is cathartic and I really like

confusion is cathartic and I really like

confusion is cathartic and I really like it that brings us to today the 21st

it that brings us to today the 21st

it that brings us to today the 21st century what is my generations essential

century what is my generations essential

century what is my generations essential question I think it is who are we who

question I think it is who are we who

question I think it is who are we who are we in today’s high-tech

are we in today’s high-tech

are we in today’s high-tech hyper-connected world we need a music

hyper-connected world we need a music

hyper-connected world we need a music that finds our commonalities without

that finds our commonalities without

that finds our commonalities without sacrificing our individuality we don’t

sacrificing our individuality we don’t

sacrificing our individuality we don’t have a musical answer for this yet and

have a musical answer for this yet and

have a musical answer for this yet and we can only speculate as to where it

we can only speculate as to where it

we can only speculate as to where it will take us so for now I suppose I’d

will take us so for now I suppose I’d

will take us so for now I suppose I’d say that the role of a classical

say that the role of a classical

say that the role of a classical musician in today’s society is to keep

musician in today’s society is to keep

musician in today’s society is to keep the music alive so we will always have a

the music alive so we will always have a

the music alive so we will always have a way to experience the profound questions

way to experience the profound questions

way to experience the profound questions of humanity thank you