UCSD undergraduate performers

Today I took the time to interview six undergraduate performance majors and discussed with them a set a questions, the same ones I asked John Fonville. I specifically sought some of  them out as they are versed in two or more genres and can personally compare them. I also talked to a couple only-classical musicians. The six are:
Sarah Kim -violin/fiddle - classical, classic rock, bluegrass, jazz
Felicia Gutierrez -voice/keys/flute - jazz, pop, church
Janet Lee - piano - classical, jazz, church
Peter Ko - cello - classical
An Nguyen - piano - classical
Chris Chan - piano - classical, jazz, pop, church

I asked them these basic questions (or a variant), but of course, some of them invited further discussion (and some were not so clear with answers and could not be 'accurately' categorized):

1. Growing up, what kind of music did you listen to and/or study? How about now?

Sarah: "Growing up in Korea, I listened to classical, K-pop and church music. My mom was my piano teacher and I had a strict violin teacher. As a kid, I would try to make up my own stuff, but I wasn't allowed to and got scolded because they wanted me learn strict 'proper classical music'. My music tastes now have been really influenced by the culture here in San Diego and UCSD. It's not the same as it was six years ago, or three years ago. I don't listen to K-pop anymore...they're music tends to be sappy, but I wanna write and play more exciting and funky non-traditional music. *whisper*: I'm actually beginning to enjoy contemporary music too. When I first took a contemporary music class...my freshman year...I hated that class. To me, that wasn't music. For now, I'm learning a lot of context about certain pieces and that really helps in my enjoyment. I still listen to an enjoy classical, as well as bluegrass and rock."

Felicia: "Growing up...mostly classic rock. My parents were musicians. My dad played a lot of songs from a band called 'Yes'. My mom was a vocalist. I also grew up with church, so a lot of church songs as well. I later expanded to jazz, more soulful stuff. I do jazz mainly at UCSD, but outside, I deal with popular genres. I also do a lot of church music."

 An: "I didn't really listen to music until I was 12 or so when I listened to the radio. Maybe when I was 14 I started enjoying specific genres: punk, rock, and classical since I played piano"

2. What kind of audiences do you draw to your concerts? Are the people different depending on what type of music you're playing?

Sarah: "mostly students and teachers to classical concerts as support. The ones who come to my classic rock shows tend to come because they like us...or they were already in the bar."

Felicia: "For church music, it's not really a performer/audience thing, but you leading communal prayer. My goal is to inspire. For pop music, it's really informal - usually coffee shops and stuff. It's most formal here at UCSD.

An: "Friends, fellow students...and their parents."

Chris: "My audiences are generally my friends and classmates. In the case of friends, my audience won't change due to the style because they're coming for me rather than the music. It's a different story for classmates because they would tend to see music from a more academic standpoint, which could have an effect on their desire to come to one of my performances."

3. Do you get nervous when you perform? Are there certain factors that increase or decrease these levels?

Sarah: "For new music, I feel more relaxed. And I shouldn't say this but honestly, most people can't tell if you mess up. There's more flexibility - not everything is always written out for you. It's kind of fun...but I definitely have more fun performing it than listening to it. For classical music, I'm either playing in the orchestra or solo. I don't get nervous when I'm playing in the orchestra, so the biggest thing is whether I'm playing with other people or not and not really genre. I feel more relaxed with my classic rock band - everyone is just there to have a good time. A good deal of that is attributed to the audience, the environment...there's 6 of us. In my other band, which is bluegrass rock, there are also 6 of us and I feel like I'm just there to embellish whereas in classical music, my part is much more distinct. But between my bands, I feel more pressured doing covers than originals or improvs because a standard has already been set. But classical is definitely the worst as it's quiet and all the focus is on me and not split between say dancing and drinking. This wasn't always the case - before I was comfortable with improvising, I had to actually notate everything myself because I'd be too nervous. This goes back to the issue regarding confidence with my own abilities. In classical, my teacher may be in the audience, my classmates..I feel like they're all judging me.When I was concert master once, I got nervous when I had to tune for the orchestra knowing that my teachers, friends and family were in the audience. Definitely the most nerve-wracking is when I play solo pieces with or without piano accompaniment and even that varies. How comfortable I'm on stage is directly proportional to how much I practiced. So, I'm more comfortable playing solo than with a pianist I haven't practiced with. I turned down Brent (Wong) once to perform bluegrass in seminar because I didn't feel ready even though he told me that it's ok to make mistakes in bluegrass. You also get direct response from the audience while you're playing jazz and pop genres - they will cheer and dance, sing, and clap while you play or after solos ...and that's encouraging. People that come to these shows often come as fans already. You feel more supported and there's more of a connection with the audience."

Felicia: "haha I was talking to David Castaneda and Tiffany about this yesterday and she asked him if he gets nervous. He said 'being nervous means your alive.' I said 'That's a good way to put it...I'm probably dead!' I just don't really get nervous - I've gotten used to it. I guess I feel the most pressured doing jazz here because I focus extra hard as the audience is my peers and professors. I very rarely play solos though...I do remember being nervous while playing solos in the past."

Janet: "I get nervous when my parents are here...they don't always say nice things after. I feel like they will say something bad about my performance. I'm not as nervous performing in front of people that I don't know, but only people I do know because I feel like they will judge me. I don't think about my teachers though because they know how I play and I've played many times for them already. If I mess up, non-musicians don't make me nervous. Also when people are sleeping...that means I'm boring, or when they're writing. I don't really get nervous playing jazz music because I'm usually with a band. Even though I mess up, you can make it up through improvisation and the audience is more supportive. Playing classical piano is scary because everyone is only watching me. When I'm playing at church, I just leave it to God, so I don't think about what I'm playing or who's watching so I don't get nervous."

Peter: "The more important the person is to me, the more nerve-wracking it is for me...whether they're non-musicians or not because I don't really care about what they think - I care about what I think. It's all in my head.

An: "The thing that makes me the most nervous is when I'm not prepared. My worst scenario is if I was given music the day of to sightread as an accompanist since I'm not a very strong sight reader. It's mostly on myself and not on the audience, except auditions. Unless it's one-on-one - that makes me more nervous sometimes. As for as music styles go, Bach makes me the most nervous because I can get easily lost. And I learned that the hard way from my first solo recitals where I got lost and ended up just playing a scale in the key. You can also hide behind new music, but that music is often really difficult."

Chris: "I always consider classical and jazz to be more formal genres of music (art music). And so I have to approach these with a little more respect and have a more idealized vision of what it should be. Because I go into a performance with a more idealized vision, getting nervous is almost a guarantee. Popular music is popular because everybody knows it. And since popular music is one that reaches out to more non-musicians than classical/jazz, it is replicated by a wider variety of skilled musicians/amateurs. As a result, the sound of popular music can evolve much more easily than classical or jazz. Because of this evolution, I feel that it allows me to be more liberal with my approach in playing popular music. Because I have this sense of openness to evolve a popular song, I'm not as nervous heading into a performance because I can weave a way out of situations. It's harder to get stuck in a genre of music that has become so open to the audience. The same can be said of jazz in terms of its openness, but I'm not comfortable enough in that genre to not get nervous. If I were equally skilled in both genres of jazz and classical, I would have more trouble with nerves when playing classical music based on inherent differences. I appreciate the flexibility in Jazz and its higher emphasis on the ability to adapt. Unfortunately, I'm less sure of myself in the genre of Jazz, so I have yet to embrace that part of Jazz performance due to my lack of experience and knowledge. When it comes to performances, I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well and with respect towards the composer, the style, and the audience. So based on inherent differences, ideally, I would feel less nervous when playing Jazz."


4. Do you feel you approach performance differently depending on the music?

Sarah: (touched upon this in her answer to #3)

Felicia: "For jazz concerts here, my approach is to be professional, but I still want to show joy and a level of having fun enjoying playing with other musicians and what they're doing. For outside pop stuff...some people listen and some don't...whatever haha. For church, we try to 'warm up the room' by getting this presence ready so that when people walk in they feel inspired like we're all in this together. Those people aren't there to listen to you, but to feel welcome."

An: "I feel like I need to approach contemporary music differently. But I haven't played enough of it to really say how. I'm trying to get really good at Classical music first."

Chris: " I think that if I have an idea who I'm playing for, I would try my best to change my approach completely to suit them. For example, when performing in a formal recital, my whole posture would change. I would sit straighter, probably play a little more conservative and essentially make my presence one that is obviously separate from the audience. If I'm playing at work (a senior home), they're not looking for someone who seems distant. They're looking for someone to connect with. So the music I play requires a sense of relatability. I try to play with more sensitivity. Even take other formalities (like scratching my nose, or slouching) more lightly to create a sense that this is a comfortable setting to enjoy music. Though I would not consider playing a church a performance because i think that takes away the sort of sacredness to the setting, playing at church is to play to comfort others as well. And so the mindset going in definitely is affected by who i'm anticipating to be in the audience. because it doesn't matter how good you are. If you don't play in a way that connects with the audience, I don't think you're playing correctly.."

5. What draws you to performance? (loaded question, I know)

Sarah: "...just having fun and being in the moment."

Felicia: "well...I have to perform here...in order to get my grade haha. No, I perform because it's fun and exciting. It has a big room for error, but a big room for victory as well. It's also cool to see what the other people you're playing with come up with on the spot. In church music, I don't see it as performing, so why are we playing live music? It's an active process of worship and to connect with the audience."

Janet: "I have to practice the music, so why not perform? I enjoy playing music and it gives me a goal. But even though it's so nerve-wracking, it feels really good."

Peter: "It's something to aspire to. When you're up there performing and everything goes well, you feel like you're on top of the world. You can't replicate that. And even when you're not doing so well, there's always spots where you can enjoy yourself." 

An: "I like practicing more than performing; I get a lot personal enjoyment out of it. The recital serves as a good goal and a showcase to the audience of my work. It motivates me to practice."

Chris: " I'm drawn to performance because it gives me a chance to hold attention. I believe everyone has something to say. People hold powerful thoughts and experiences that are too often neglected or unexplored. And it's harder for some to express themselves (whether it's because of personality, or even opportunity). That is why I enjoy being on stage. I get a chance to talk. And at the same time, I don't have to talk. I like making people cry and I'm blessed to have that opportunity at work and at church. I don't believe crying is an expression of sadness alone. I think it's a sign of gratitude for something that may have passed, but is not forgotten. So that is why I perform. I perform because I want people to hear music that strikes a connection between their present state of mind and one that is greater."

6. How do you think the concert/live performances contribute to our society? Do you think the different types/genres of music contribute in different ways? As opposed to recordings?

Sarah: "For the undergrads here, going to concerts expose you to music that you otherwise wouldn't seek out on your own."

Felicia:  "The value is community. I think we're meant to be creative together, share, and connect..and that works across all genres. Even with John Cage..as weird as it is and as much as I don't get it, he has something to say and needs to share with someone. Especially with something like 4'33", a recording won't be representative. A huge part of performances is being in the moment and enjoying it with others around you. There is a presence to jazz that has more importance than the technical aspect to it. The communal connection sucks the audience, makes it more real, and shows that they aren't just showing off a technical skill, but a passion. They're there to give the audience a feeling firsthand, technical skill second. Compared to recordings, you can see the technical aspect of it as well and it's fun to watch the skill of performers first hand."

Peter: "It's entertainment and a way to communally enjoy it with others and not just by yourself."

An: "Most students listen to music and live performances is a way for them to get together."

Chris: "People enjoy spontaneity. They enjoy risk and though it is scary, people can also enjoy the unknown. So going into a live performance, anything can happen. It is also a great place to be among other people. Music is universal and attending a live performance with strangers from different backgrounds reinforces the idea that music has the power to bring people together. Recordings are powerful as well, but it isn't very often that you can appreciate the shared interest of a stranger who may be listening to the same recording at the same time. Different genres do contribute in different ways because I believe they represent different values. I mentioned that popular music is popular because it is supposed to be relatable to the masses. Classical music is more artistic in which it tries to explore the boundaries of music. Jazz has an emphasis on spontaneity and blending. Each of these are important to audiences and each of these are important to the human spirit - feeling connected, feeling challenged and feeling adventurous."


7. Do you like to attend concerts? If so, why?

Sarah: "I go because I like it. It's a different experience seeing it live. I like classical concerts because it's sentimental to me - classical was kind of the only thing I listened to when I was young. Not only am I getting a glimpse of my childhood, but it's also educational and intellectually-stimulating. For shows at the Loft or something, I go more out of hobby and socializing. Many of the other genres, they're fun to attend because they're less restricted - every performance is different."

Felicia: (the presence idea mainly) "I like pop concerts because there's usually beer....haha.

Janet: "I go to learn and see how others perform.

Peter: "I'll go either to support my friends or to see someone I know is good and I will enjoy. It's a different atmosphere to be able to see the performer. And it's more genuine. When you listen to a recording, you don't know if it's been spliced or how many takes it took to achieve that. I attended Sungod one year to see Jimmy Eat World. It was exciting. Pop concerts are very high energy - it adds to the music"

An: "I mostly go to piano concerts because I like it. It's more personal for me. If I go to a violin concert or something, it's probably just to support my friend...because I hate the violin. For pop music, it's mostly a socializing it. You're around other people who are physically showing that they enjoy the music by dancing, having a good time with your friends."

Chris: "I honestly attend concerts MOST of the time to support those performing. This relates back to the question about why I am drawn to performing. I attend performances to hear what others have to say. I attend performances to remind the performers that people are listening. Of course there are times when I go for the music itself. I need to attend performances to keep me inspired, to realize how vast music is. I attend performances to keep me grounded in reality that though I may consider myself a musician, I'm not that unique. There is always someone to look up to and always someplace to go."