The Philistine Interview: There Has Got To Be A Twist, S'got Such A Supple Wrist.

You are a Bay Area native, you grew up here. Do you live here in the off-season?

Jon: I live in San Jose when I’m not on the road. I should really say I live on the road and vacation in San Jose, as I’m gone about 80% of the year these days. There is no off-season anymore.

Where do you hang out when you are in San Francisco?

Jon: My brother lives in San Francisco, so we usually just go out to eat, which is our favorite pastime. I don’t really do anything special—just enjoy everything the city has to offer.

You went to Stanford and studied German. But then you became a famous musician. Did the alumni association start hitting you for money as soon as you got your Van Cliburn prize

Jon: Like any other alumni organization, they would hit me up even if I took last place in grandma’s neighborhood clarinet competition. And I can’t even afford a clarinet.

Your trajectory is unusual: you did not study at a conservatory, but took private lessons on the side. Would you recommend this path or would you advise kids to focus on the music major track? Do you/would you teach in a university/conservatory music program?

Jon:A lot of questions here. First of all, each individual must find his or her own path—not only in music, but in every profession. Even getting a degree from a renowned music conservatory like Juilliard won’t guarantee a career. I feel, however, that musicians benefit from a broad education with special emphasis on the arts and humanities. The mechanics of music, to a certain extent, can be learned. Depth of interpretation and personal expression in art only grow from a lifetime of worldly experience, intellectual pursuit and self-awareness. Nevertheless, students have to find what works best for them at any given moment. Just because I chose this path does not mean everyone should. After all, I had a great private teacher who essentially became a conservatory for me. Most students are, frankly, not that fortunate.

At the moment, it would be difficult—if not impossible—for me to hold a teaching position, be it at a university or in a private studio. I travel so frequently that my students’ needs would be constantly sacrificed by my absence. Although I do a lot of master classes or occasional university residencies as part of my travels, I cannot see myself in a permanent teaching position right now.

You taught German at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, until you could support yourself with the music. You are touring all the time now, and doing what you love. But just doing the taxes (forgive us, but it’s still on our mind) must be 10 times as complicated. Is the pay much better?

Jon: Well, I definitely can say I gross more now than I did as a teacher. However, when I consider my current career-related hours, it would ultimately have been more lucrative had I remained at St. Francis. Besides, I miss everyone there and I miss teaching German!

You are playing the Florence Gould theater. Isn’t it the cutest little candy box to perform in, perfect for chamber music? Do you have to restrain yourself, compared to playing, say, Davies Symphony Hall? I mean, it is rather intimate.

Jon: As instrumentalists, we must always remember that the hall is actually an extension of our instrument. In the best of theaters, we can actually use the acoustics of the space to bend or shape sounds and phrases. Size variance, the presence of an audience, the natural resonance of the space all contribute to how we play and how we adjust what we do from night to night.

You are playing with the Stanford Woodwind Quintet, named after your alma mater. We went to the farm too, and you are right, we would not play with Cal guys either (there goes half your audience…)

Jon: Thanks, dude.

Is it a regular collaboration? Is there much of a repertoire for woodwind quintet and piano, or you do have to go unearth little known pieces or do you arrange some works to fit the combo?

Jon: This is only my second collaboration with the Stanford Woodwind Quintet. We had such a nice time together during our first meeting that we wanted to do it again immediately.

Unfortunately, there are not too many big pieces for woodwind quintet and piano. At least there are not many that people regularly like to hear (okay, no hate mail from composers or PC wind players, PLEASE). It’s actually a great combination of instruments. Unlike the string quartet, for example, each wind instrument (along with the piano) has a completely individual sound. So the ultimate “blend” is different. We don’t necessarily work for a completely homogenous sound, for example, but often try to expose the uniqueness of each instrument and bring out the sonic contrasts.

There have been some attempts to arrange the great string repertoire for wind ensemble and piano, but the best material is found in works originally intended for this instrumentation.

How about these two pieces you are going to play, can you whet our appetite for these? We have heard of Francis Poulenc, of course, but who is Thuille? With those two composers to some extent, or your Wolfl CD, it really looks like you enjoy finding these underappreciated guys.

Jon: Both works are exciting, tuneful, humorous, quirky and just downright fun. The Poulenc is characteristically playful and sarcastic and we just smile all the way through it (as much as wind players can smile while blowing their brains out). Ludwig Thuille was actually born in Italy and was a contemporary of Richard Strauss. He wrote a lot for winds, but little of significance for piano. This is actually one of his best known works. It is wonderfully romantic—especially in the lush first movement and the lyrical second. The third movement is a Gavotte that is guaranteed to make the audience laugh by the end. And the last movement is a myriad of notes and contains tremendous virtuosic writing for everyone—especially the piano (I’m still all for getting paid by the note here, but my colleagues aren’t buying it). It is also surprisingly idiomatic for the piano, which begs the question why Thuille didn’t produce more solo piano works. Audiences love these pieces. And, as you say, I do love studying compositions not of the standard repertoire. So much great music out there!

Would you play in BART the way Joshua Bell did in the DC subway (which, by the way, uses the same gear as BART, except with an orange color scheme instead of the dirty turquoise! It’s spooky. Don’t touch the 3rd rail)? He insisted on playing on his Stradivarius, would you demand playing on a Steinway? Cause otherwise, we'll bring our clavinova, and you are on! Do you empathize with those schmoes on their way to work who ignored Bell?

Jon: First of all, classical musicians ARE the schmoes who are riding the subway on the way to work. We’re certainly not in the limos or the ivory towers. Ever see the musicians’ entrance to a major auditorium? It’s worse than the kitchen entrance. We are no doubt the lowest.

Sure, I’d love to play in a BART station. But I will require a brandy glass for tips that accepts cash, credit and can deduct fare directly from BART tickets. No personal checks, please.

Thank you so much!

Concerts Friday evening, May 11 at 8 p.m. at the Florence Gould Theater, 100 34th Ave., San Francisco and Saturday evening, May 12 at 8 p.m. at the Dinkelspiel Auditorium on the campus of Stanford University, 471 Lagunita Dr. Palo Alto, CA.
Tickets for the performance on May 11 at the Florence Gould Theater are $20 and $15 for students/seniors (box office 415-392-4400). Box office for the concert on May 12 at the Dinkelspiel Auditorium: 650-725-ARTS.