Violinists are meant to have a certain sound, they’re meant to look a certain way, and they most certainly stick to similar genre. But Sophie broke the mould intertwining the classics with a distinctive blend of pop music. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she is also quite articulate when talking about music, as this interview with LIEZL MACLEAN amply reveals.
Your music has been described as entirely unique, experimenting with the classics and improvising with house DJs, tell us more about it?
Having grown up in a family of classical musicians, the first fifteen years of my musical training was very narrow. It wasn’t until I started experimenting with other types of performance including dance and theatre that opened my mind to performing other styles of music. When I was sixteen, I was asked to improvise on my violin for a theatre production and I asked them what on earth they meant…
I had always learnt from the music, to interpret other people’s music. I decided right then that I would try to forget everything I knew and start over and find out who I am musically.
I didn’t dismiss any idea that I had, I tried everything. The first step was messing with the music I already knew, but that was a small step, and wasn’t satisfying to still be playing someone else’s music. I had always written poetry, and I had studied singing, so I started writing songs and playing around with voice and violin. And still, it is always changing.
My new album is shaping up to be a mix of world music (Latin, eastern), rock, and classical influences. I do love improvising with DJ’s- often I will perform mixes of my own music and improvise to their music as well. I love exploring!
Who have been your greatest musical influences? Why?
I love the music of Ravel; I love Mono, Air, Eric Satie… There are so many different types of amazing music out there. I have been strongly influenced by the music of Turkey, India and the Middle East.
Having had the opportunity to perform in many different countries has been a great experience to find out what gets me going…musically speaking, in a broader context. All these new experiences have really changed the way I make music.
And your greatest non-musical influences?
I would say the way the world is changing - our world, things that upset me, things that inspire me… Recently the thing that most astounds me is the lives people are living on the internet, the speed of life. Theatre is a huge influence- telling of a story. How the actor captures the audience. I think that is a very important skill- for musicians as well.
Who do you feel is the world’s greatest living violinist?
That is a very tough question… I love Maxim Vengerov. He is such a passionate performer, I love the way he performs Ravel’s Tzigane. I love the fact that he has a very open mind as well, the fact that he has also experimented with electric violin. He does not restrict himself according to public opinion.
Everyone has something to say, there is always a different approach, but I think if you inspire strong emotions, whatever they are, you have succeeded in making people think. There are so many amazing violinists, but to my own taste Vengerov is the best! He really speaks with the violin. |
