Zimmermann's "Canto di Speranza" ("Song of Hope")

In January of 2020, I was one of the winners of New World Symphony's concerto competition. I was gearing up to play a piece that had been a favorite since I was a teenager: the first Cello Concerto of Camille Saint-Saëns. Everything was falling into place. I borrowed an amazing Italian cello for the three performances I was to do in late March.

If that timeline set off alarm bells in your mind, then congratulations, you're a step ahead of me. The performances were all cancelled as the world shut down. I was devastated, but I knew it's what needed to be done in the name of public health. I left Florida for a bit to spend time with my family in Ohio, where I produced my online cello course. Once I made it back to Miami Beach and live music gradually began to return, I was presented with a wonderful opportunity: learn a new concerto and perform with Matthias Pintscher conducting the New World Symphony.

Matthias is one of the biggest figures in contemporary music, so I jumped at the chance. It was a long road to the performance, since it's probably the hardest piece I've ever tried to learn. While I usually take a couple of weeks or so to prepare orchestral music for a concert cycle, this took about 9 months. But it was worth it, and it further cemented my love for experimentation and playing music of more modern eras.

With Matthias Pintscher after the performance

We had worked together in the past at New World when he conducted an ensemble in which I was participating, but this was our first time together as a conductor/soloist pair (though I hope for many more). When we met up to prepare, I was struck by the nuggets of wisdom he gave me that really made the piece pop. One of the most critical parts of getting to know a contemporary piece (or basically any piece, for that matter) is the understanding of gestures. Going beyond the singular notes and making something greater than the sum of its parts. It requires careful thinking, but also a spark of inspiration, and he was a great resource for that.