Violinist/composer Farzad is certainly international in both his musical
and
philosophical outlook. His music has been influenced by his world
travels to
countries ranging from his native Iran to Ecuador and Kenya and to
his
current residence in the United States. And as a Baha'i, Farzad has
a
philosophical and spiritual viewpoint that has helped him to communicate
"the commonality of human emotion."
Farzad has performed with, among others, the National Symphony Orchestra
of Ecuador (he was the concertmaster), Houston’s Ballet, Grand
Opera and
Pop Orchestra companies (one time sharing the stage with Woody Herman)
as well as with the Dallas Opera and the Ft. Worth Symphony. In the
summer of 2002, Farzad co-headlined (with the Colombian band Millero
Congo and various international singers) a six-week "Oneness Tour"
produced by multi-Grammy Award winner K.C. Porter, who has worked
with
Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.
Farzad has put out two solo records -- From My Heart and Mirror Of
Emotions -- on the Amity
Records label.
If you'd like to learn more about Farzad and his music, please visit
his
website.
Jamie:
One of the toughest questions I get asked is, "What kind of music
do you play?" I draw on a lot of different genres and yet I don't
feel my music
sits comfortably in one particular style. Even though I've played
a fair amount
of Jazz and I improvise on just about every one of my pieces, I
would never
call myself a Jazz musician.
The background
page on your web site says that your music "falls into the
arena of classical crossover or contemporary classical with elements
of
Mideastern folkloric (reflecting his heritage), Latin (influenced
by time spent
living in South America where he was the concertmaster of the National
Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador), other world musics, new age and
smooth
jazz." Do you consider yourself a classical musician at heart?
Farzad: I guess first we have
to define what being a classical musician at
heart is. If being trained, playing and enjoying classical music,
constitutes
that one is a classical musician at heart, then I am, but if I incorporate
these
elements in order to create, enhance and broaden my experience,
then I
simply am a musician with deep passion and interest in all kinds
of musical
genres.
Jamie: And
I can definitely hear that passion. Your piece "Why?" off of
Mirror of Emotions touches me very deeply. For me, one of
the beauties of
instrumental music is that it can have many meanings. Does "Why?"
have a
specific meaning for you?
Farzad: I
could not agree with you more about your comment regarding
instrumental music. "Why?" is one of those pieces that I have written
that
speaks to one's heart at many levels. When I wrote this piece, a
lot of things
were happening in my personal and spiritual life, some good and
some not so
good. Therefore, the question I keep asking myself was: Why do we
go
through certain experiences and situations at certain times in our
lives? As I
was contemplating, I realized that life is a big question and our
job is to gain
insight about our world (physical and spiritual). This process could
be very painful, sometimes we get hurt or we hurt others, sometimes
we fail and it
feels like what I call the "spiritual desert" or sometimes there
is a sense of
yearning. That was the driving force (emotion) behind writing this
piece.
Jamie: Beautifully
said. I think many people feel a sense of the "spiritual
desert" that you're talking about. And music has a way of dealing
with that
void -- both for the listener and the artist. When I'm working on
a piece, I try
to get to a place where the music feels effortless. To find the
sweet spot.
Some pieces come together very easily and some are a huge struggle. But
it's the belief that it will work out in the end that keeps
me going. Could you
talk about how your sense of faith affects your music?
Farzad: I
am not sure if I understand your question fully. But if I may, let
me
just make a point about sense of effortlessness in creative process.
When I
start composing, it never feels effortless, and the reason for it
is, the endless
possibilities that comes to one's heart and mind, but when I listen
to the end
result, it is effortless. I know the faith or belief (that all of
us must have
regardless of the nature of what we do) has a role in choosing the
right ideas
or choices, especially in creative process. At least that's how
it is for me.
Jamie: Sorry
for not making my question clearer.... but you answered it
perfectly! What I was trying to say, although not too elegantly,
was that I feel
musicians have to learn to trust their instincts and have a sense
of
confidence in their abilities. I find this especially true with
improvisation. If I
approach an improv with a sense of trepidation, I fall flat on my
face.
For me, it's important to be as fluent on my instrument and, more
generally,
in music as I possibly can be. Education and practice have played,
and
continue to play, a huge role in helping me to be as free artistically
as I
possibly can be. How important do you feel education and practice
is to
your own music making?
Farzad: In
music, trying to be proficient in your instrument(s), it is like
developing your vocabulary as a writer or a poet. The more you develop
your
vocabulary, the more you can express your emotions and ideas. We
have to
keep in mind, developing techniques does not replace other aspects
of
creating music.
Jamie: Absolutely
true -- technique is just a starting point. Could you talk
about how you create a piece from conception to finished master?
Farzad: This
is a very intimate but legitimate question. As you know, in the
creating process we have to make sure that we do not fall into the
trap of
repeating ourselves. I don't remember who said it, but I think it
was Picasso,
who said, "Imitating is OK as long as we don't imitate ourselves"
or
something like that. It is obvious that, all of the individuals
in the creative
fields (musicians, artists writers etc.) imitate or I should say
learn from each
other to some extent. I am sure I use some of the ideas that I have
learned
by listening and analyzing of compositions by great masters or other
composers/entertainers of different genres in music. Hopefully,
we all develop
our own sound, but the tricky part is to have something new to say,
stay
faithful to our audience and try to expand our vision and try new
things. As
far as the process of composing, it is different every time, sometimes
I come
up with a melody and then I compose around it, other times everything
comes out of harmony! Sometimes I need a catalyst for writing, this
could
be an event or experience that I might have gone through it years,
months,
days or couple hours prior to when I start writing, some other times
I just write.
Jamie: I
pretty much approach writing the same way -- whatever works,
works!
Finding a balance between your own needs as an artist and those
of the
audience is, as you say, "tricky". Every composer/performer falls
somewhere along the continuum between expressing his/her own wants
and desires and giving the audience what it demands.
I was watching an Actors
Studio episode with director Ron Howard a while
back and he was talking about how he felt he shouldn't always give
in to his
tendency to give the audience what it wanted and to occasionally
challenge
them. I thought this was a very astute observation by Howard. He
realized
his own personality (he called himself a "pleaser") and he understood,
in
terms of filmmaking and his audience, some of its pitfalls. How
do you view
your relationship to your audience?
Farzad: As
an artist, if I believe in the quality and the substance of my work,
somehow I feel the need and the responsibility of contributing to
the
advancement and betterment of the whole world through my work. One
way
which this could manifest itself is by pushing the boundaries and
conventionalities in people. To do this, an artist should know him
or herself
and make connection with the audience (people whom have put aside
everything else and have come to see you). I think this would be
more
effective if it's done in the spirit of sharing rather than becoming
a guru or a
leader. When I perform or compose, I think of my audience as my
equal
partners and friends; I am neither above nor under them.
Jamie: I
think your comment about connecting with the audience is bang on
-- it's important to show them that you value their time and effort.
Particularly
if they came out to see you on a cold night in February!
You combine Eastern and Western elements on Mystery of Love,
the
album you recorded with Parisa
Badiyi (vocals/dayereh) and Rahmatollah
Badiyi (violin/kamancheh). Did you find it challenging to blend
the styles?
Do you feel you have to approach Eastern-based music "differently"
than
Western-based music.
Farzad: Blending
the genres is one of the easiest and rewarding things for
me. It comes so naturally to me, and I think it is because of two
main
reasons; one is my heart's desire to be exposed to different musical
genres
and cultures, and the other one is my beliefs in the Baha'i faith.
You see, as
a Baha'i, I look at this world as one country and mankind as its
citizen. And
growing up with this kind of outlook about the world, most definitely
helps
the process of mixing different genres. Regarding the way I approach
different
styles; as long as I relate to the music and become sensitive to
its feel and
the mood is trying to create and appreciate its uniqueness. It does
not make
a difference what the base of the music is (Eastern, Western, etc.).
Jamie: For
me, the violin has a passionate, fluid sound and in many ways
is comparable to the human voice. The way a good string player can
shape
a line or phrase can be particularly "vocal" in nature. Do you feel
being a
violinist has any impact on the way you conceptualize music?
Farzad: The
original idea for making the violin was in fact to imitate the
human voice. It definitely has some influence on the way I listen
and write
music.
Jamie: So
what are you working on now? Any upcoming performances that
you'd like to talk about?
Farzad: I
am working on some new ideas. Hopefully, I will be happy with
them, and who knows may be I will record them too. I also am working
on
some material for a couple of performances in Seattle and Vancouver
in
Feb., and a tour, which will be from mid April to the first week
of May.
Jamie: That
sounds great! It's a shame though that your performance in
Vancouver isn't a little earlier -- I'm heading out there for the
Xmas holidays
and I would have loved to have seen you play.
Thanks for doing this artist-to-artist conversation and best of
luck!
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