Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Interview with Nicolas Hartzell
F E A T U R E
Interview with Nicolas Hartzell
When did you start studying music?
I took my first piano lessons from my grandmother at age 6, who had been a violinist with the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra.
Who are your favorite composers or musicians?
My favorite composers are Gustav Mahler, Valentin Silvestrov, and J S Bach.
My favorite musicians are Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and John Coltrane.
What are your favorite albums?
Glenn Gould’s second recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations
John Coltrane’s Interstellar Space
Miles Davis’ Get Up With It
Valentin Silvestrov’s Silent Songs
Do you play any other instruments?
As a child/early teen I also played the cello, the oboe, the mandolin and the trumpet. I was in a “homeschool orchestra”, where my oboe skills were placed on full display every Christmas.
I also have a collection of electronic instruments I compose and perform on: samplers, drum computers, synthesizers, effects modules and music software. One of my favorite things to perform on is The Eric Whitacre Choir, a sample-based virtual instrument created by the composer Eric Whitacre.
While at Berklee I created several sample-based instruments, using field recordings and granular synthesis.
When you’re not teaching or performing, what do you like to do?
Reading and/or visiting bookstores is one of my favorite things to do. Some of my favorite authors include Samuel Beckett, Franz Kafka, Tolstoy, Soren Kierkegaard, Marcel Proust and Dante. If I could spend the rest of my life in a beautiful cafe reading- I would be happy.
I also love baking sourdough bread, meditating and listening to music.
What do you hope students learn out of music?
My central goal as a music educator is to awaken the whole creative person within each student. I believe that music education should be integrative and holistic, challenging students to listen carefully and think creatively. I believe that good technique should serve creative, self-expressive ends - rather than being an end in itself. My objective as a piano teacher has been to help students develop a deep, personal connection to their music-making.
Learn more about our Piano teacher Nicolas Hartzell in his Teacher Page.
I took my first piano lessons from my grandmother at age 6, who had been a violinist with the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra.
Who are your favorite composers or musicians?
My favorite composers are Gustav Mahler, Valentin Silvestrov, and J S Bach.
My favorite musicians are Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and John Coltrane.
What are your favorite albums?
Glenn Gould’s second recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations
John Coltrane’s Interstellar Space
Miles Davis’ Get Up With It
Valentin Silvestrov’s Silent Songs
Do you play any other instruments?
As a child/early teen I also played the cello, the oboe, the mandolin and the trumpet. I was in a “homeschool orchestra”, where my oboe skills were placed on full display every Christmas.
I also have a collection of electronic instruments I compose and perform on: samplers, drum computers, synthesizers, effects modules and music software. One of my favorite things to perform on is The Eric Whitacre Choir, a sample-based virtual instrument created by the composer Eric Whitacre.
While at Berklee I created several sample-based instruments, using field recordings and granular synthesis.
When you’re not teaching or performing, what do you like to do?
Reading and/or visiting bookstores is one of my favorite things to do. Some of my favorite authors include Samuel Beckett, Franz Kafka, Tolstoy, Soren Kierkegaard, Marcel Proust and Dante. If I could spend the rest of my life in a beautiful cafe reading- I would be happy.
I also love baking sourdough bread, meditating and listening to music.
What do you hope students learn out of music?
My central goal as a music educator is to awaken the whole creative person within each student. I believe that music education should be integrative and holistic, challenging students to listen carefully and think creatively. I believe that good technique should serve creative, self-expressive ends - rather than being an end in itself. My objective as a piano teacher has been to help students develop a deep, personal connection to their music-making.
Learn more about our Piano teacher Nicolas Hartzell in his Teacher Page.