I recently had the pleasure of interviewing an amazing pianist, dear friend, and fellow Midwesterner, Koji Attwood. Mr. Attwood is a phenom of a talent on piano, and yet is the most humble musician I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. He holds a doctorate from Juilliard, and not only teaches and gives concerts, but also spends time transcribing beautiful compositions for piano. Check out Mr. Attwood's YouTube channel
here, https://www.youtube.com/kojiattwood and upcoming events here, http://www.kued.org/contact/performing-arts-coalition-presents-rose-exposed
1. What/who got you interested in piano?
Had terrible hand-eye coordination as a kid (couldn't tie my shoes, had trouble with scissors, etc.), and a Kindergarten teacher (I believe her name was Mrs. Minner) suggested I take a musical instrument to help this out--concurrently, my dad taught me the wonderful game of golf, although to this day, I'm still an embarrassing klutz.
2. Who are your favorite composers? Do you have any least favorite composers?
Among the standards, Schubert and Schumann (due in large part to their lieder), and I love the lush sound-worlds of Scriabin, Rachmaninoff and Medtner, which extends to scores of unknown Russian composers who should be much more well known like Bortkiewicz, Liapunov, Liadov and Blumenfeld, to just name a few. I'm very firmly of the belief that these pieces of music don't exist in a vacuum, and depend on great performances to validate their "greatness". I've never been particularly fond of minimalist composers, although Philip Glass has done some terrific movie scores, but in that case, you have something else going on--I wouldn't enjoy sitting down and listening to an evening of his music presented in a concert.
3. What pieces do you consider to be the most challenging and why?
Personally, the three most difficult pieces I had to learn and perform were the Scriabin 8th sonata, Reger Bach Variations, and Tango? by Conlon Nancarrow, which you'd really need a computer to accurately duplicate the score! In the case of the Scriabin and Reger, both pieces are incredibly complex and awkward (both are masterpieces, in my opinion, though), and with the latter some pages look like those CIA redacted documents--the density is frightening.
4. Have you ever done anything "wild" like schedule John Cage's 4'33"?
Sometimes, you think you program something rather innocuous and it ends up being "wild". I vividly remember--after a recital in which I had performed the Copland piano sonata, one of the truly great American sonatas in our repertoire and criminally neglected--being accosted by an elderly woman afterwards. "Young man!!! Why must you insist on playing that AWFUL MODERN MUSIC!!?!" I was a bit taken aback, but tried to explain that it's a beautiful piece, written from Copland's response to the Second World War, and that it was actually music of her generation, when she snapped and yelled, "WELL I DON'T LIKE IT!!!" And then she stormed off. I must say you tend to get the most honest and visceral reactions from children and older audience members, heh.
5. What was the best piece of advice you ever received about being a musician?
I always enjoyed Rachmaninoff's quip, when asked about the acoustics about a hall he was about to perform in: "If the check is good, the acoustics are good."
6. Do you think there are unfair biases in competition judging, even at a subconscious level?
Unfortunately, I think that's simply a part of human nature, particularly in something as intensely subjective as music.
7. What do you consider are the most difficult aspects of being a professional musician?
Dealing with disappointment and somehow being phlegmatic about it, which is anti-ethical to being a good musician in which you have to be completely open and vulnerable in order to have immediate access to your emotions.
8. What do you consider are the most rewarding aspects of being a professional musician?
Recently, it's seeing the growth and progress of students both as musicians and human beings, through teaching and collaboration, or simply through thoughtful conversations.
9. So many talented musicians give up and quit the profession, sometimes after spending years in school for it. What do you think the profession, including universities, private teachers, parents, could do to encourage musicians to stick to their dreams?
Having actual classes or seminars from other career musicians to honestly discuss the pitfalls and possibilities of navigating the mine field that is a "career" in music would be extremely beneficial, I would surmise.
10. What is your favorite project to have worked on so far in your career?
Undoubtedly the solo tours with Baryshnikov; not only having the privilege and honour of experiencing his incredible charisma and electrifying stage presence in performance, but also the interaction off of it--to this day, he's still the greatest artist I've had the pleasure of collaborating with.
11. If you could pick any other instrument to play, what would it be?
Acoustic and/or electric guitar
12. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Cooking, reading, studying medieval weaponry, and playing video games.
13. Finally, what advice do you have for future pianists? If I may quote and slightly paraphrase what director Frank Darabont--who toiled in relative obscurity until Shawshank Redemption hit it big (and it took a while for that to happen) said once during a particularly penetrating interview when asked about having a career in Hollywood: "There is no one path, no 'one size fits all' method to follow. It's not like becoming a dentist, going to dental tour for 'x' amount of years, and then going into that line of work. The music 'business' is based on a lot of intangible things like instinct, talent, effort, persistence, and a belief in yourself. So the real answer is what works for me, I promise you will not work for you, and what worked for the other guy isn't going to work for you either. You have to find your own path to follow, you have to creat your own path to follow, which is why it's so scary for people, and why they're so uncertain about approaching a career. A music 'career' is not necessarily something you earn with your diploma from a conservatory or university; a career is built (unless you're fortunate enough to have a wealthy backer) upon an endless chain of fluky circumstances generated by your efforts and your persistence. Luck has a lot to do with it, but you manufacture your own luck by working your ass off for it. There is no getting there in three easy lesson, such a thing simply doesn't exist, but you can get there--eventually. If you believe in it, even though people will try to talk you out of it, and try to convince you it's not possible. It just depends on how hard you are willing to believe in it, how much you're willing to work for it, and what you're willing to invest in it in terms of your effort, belief, and your time. Above all, try to enjoy the process, rather than the ultimate goal."