They receive about as much training as olympic athletes, and yet very few people have a sense of what life looks like for classical musicians today. This interview with Chilean-American violist Georgina Rossi covers a lot of ground: the nuts and bolts of a career in classical music, how society defines and compensates artistic labor, and simple things we as listeners can do to support the musicians that we love. Interwoven throughout the interview are excerpts from Georgina’s new album Mobili: Music for Viola and Piano from Chile. Enjoy!
WORKS CITED
Stone, Russell Dean. “‘He’s Got A Point, It’s Just That His Point Sucks’ – Artists React to Spotify CEO Saying They Need to Work Harder.” Vice, August 7, 2020. https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dzje3/daniel-ek-spotify-artists-pay-interview.
Wark, McKenzie. Capital Is Dead: Is This Something Worse? Verso, 2019.
MUSIC
Interlude 1: Rafael Díaz, Al fondo de mi distancia se asoma tu casa (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrWhxGd6TZNb-u1n7Yqjwmw)
Interlude 2: Carlos Botto, Fantasia
Interlude 3: Juan Orrego-Salas, Mobili
Interlude 4: David Cortes, Tololo (http://davidcortes.cl)
Interlude 5: Rafael Díaz, ¿Habrá alguien que en sus manos sostenga este caer?
All music from the album: Mobili: Music for Viola and Piano from Chile: https://www.newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue/georgina-isabel-rossi-mobili-music-for-viola-and-piano-from-chile/
Viola: Georgina Rossi (www.georginarossi.com)
Piano: Silvie Cheng (www.silviecheng.com)
Released by: New Focus Recordings (https://www.newfocusrecordings.com)
Recorded at: Oktaven audiO (http://www.oktavenaudio.com/)
WHERE TO HIRE CLASSICAL MUSICIANS
Hire Juilliard Performers (www.juilliard.edu/stage-beyond/hire-juilliard-performers)
WHERE TO STREAM MUSIC
Bandcamp (bandcamp.com)
A SELECTION OF MUSICIAN-LED COLLECTIVES & ENSEMBLES TO SUPPORT
ACRONYM (www.acronymensemble.com/albums)
American Composers Orchestra (americancomposers.org)
American Stories Podcast (podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-stories/id1512423110)
Argus Quartet (fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/argus-quartet)
Cheng2Duo (https://www.cheng2duo.com)
Digital Camerata (digitalcamerata.org/#support)
Kettle Corn New Music (kettlecornnewmusic.com/support)
Music for Food (musicforfood.net)
New Focus Recordings (www.newfocusrecordings.com)
Oktaven AudiO (http://www.oktavenaudio.com/)
Project Music Heals Us (www.pmhu.org)
Shouthouse (www.shouthousemusic.com)
Switch Ensemble (www.switchensemble.com)
Tak Ensemble (www.takensemble.com)
Tenet Vocal Artists (https://tenet.nyc/support)
The Crossing (www.crossingchoir.org)
The Westerlies (www.westerliesmusic.com)
Ulysses Quartet (www.ulyssesquartet.com)
Versoi Ensemble (www.versoiensemble.org)
Not included in this list are dozens of regional orchestras and summer music festivals across the country. Look up your local symphony, chamber orchestra, or music festival, and make a point of buying tickets and attending concerts!