An Outstanding Evening/All Art Inspires

Last night I had the privilege of being invited to hear the Florida Orchestra led by Stefan Sanderling. It was a magical evening.

Classical music has not been in my realm of experience, other than the pieces that we all know like Beethoven's 5th symphony. A musician friend has helped me better understand the world of classical music, by comparing the styles of music to the styles of art, like impressionism and expressionism. It was like a light bulb turning on, I began to get an insight I had not had before.

I had been in an elementary orchestra as a child and it taught me to appreciate the discipline it takes to make a good sound with one's instrument. I also learned how important a team can be working toward one goal. Those lessons stayed with me the rest of my life. I appreciate the absolute fragile tender beauty of a musician who is so skilled the notes sound almost angelic. Last night I experienced that in my introduction to violinist Stefan Jackiw. I can truly say I felt I was in the audience of a genius. Stefan is the son of physicist parents. His heritage is Korean and German. He graduated from Harvard and the New England Conservatory.

He is considered one the most significant artists of this generation, stunning audiences with a skill that holds them awe struck. It was poetry as much as it was music as he played Beethovan's Concerto for Violin in D major.

When I experience an event that moving, hearing another artist reach heights that are pure genius, it motivates me in my own art. Being in the presence of other arts, experiencing drama, music, dance, film....all of these things enrich us as artists and human beings. It enriches our communities and our world.

I encourage you to go see Stefan Jackiw if he comes to your area. If, not I encourage you to look him up on the internet and watch his performances. I believe you will be as awe struck as I was.

As artists if we support all arts, we are stronger for it and our communities will be better for it as well.

This is Stefan's website if you would like to know more, and believe me you do!!!

http://www.stefanjackiw.com/en/(clickable in the column websites of interest)

and hear him play at http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/stefan-jackiw