Daily Bow: Tim Fain Redefines the Violin Recital

Violinist Tim Fain Brings the Violin Recital into the 21st Century

If you’re reading this website, chances are you’ve probably been to a violin recital at least once in your life. Whether is was your child’s first performance in his teacher’s studio or Hilary Hahn‘s upcoming recital on Sunday, the format of these events should be relatively clear: a violinist appears in formal attire, playing first one or two lighter pieces, followed by an intermission, and then the “meat” of the program, usually a large standard work like the Franck sonata. Violinists have been doing this for hundreds of years.

Tim Fain, however, is taking a different approach. Last week, he gave a recital in Santa Monica called “Portals:” A Multi-Media Exploration of Longing and Connection in the Digital Age. While Fain plays, a screen behind him accompanies the music with images and video recordings, or pre-recorded accompaniment played through speakers. The recital presented music by Philip Glass, Lev Zhurbin, Nico Muhly, Aaron Jay Kermis, William Bolcom, and Kevin Puts, attempting to explore the full spectrum of technical possibilities for the modern violinist. The only musician on stage, however, was Fain. The effect was mesmerizing, as one reviewer put it:

The compositions, often lyrical, showed the full range of the instrument’s possibilities and Tim easily gave us a glimpse of the virtuoso of the future while redefining the idea of the violin recital.  There were wonderful moments in the style of Scott Joplin.  Fred Child, the actor was brilliant on film reading the words of Leonard Cohen … The coordination required by Tim to perform flawlessly and easily with the film background was brilliantly conceived.  Sometimes on stage, sometimes center stage, sometimes watching the film with the audience, Tim, in this multi media setting guided us through a visual and musical journey.  The last piece, “Arches,” was a virtuoso cadenza that left the audience breathless and on their feet.

“Portals” is a breath of fresh air in a style that has become stale through repetition. While the traditional violin recital certainly should not be cast aside in favor of a more modern approach, the value of a multimedia concert is something classical musicians are slowly learning to accept. Getting someone who is not a violinist to listen to sixty straight minutes of pure violin music is difficul. Inexperienced concert-goers may be intimidated by the simplicity of just one person playing a piece of music written 300 years ago. Adding video on the other hand gives audience members a certain sense of security. Even Fain himself watched some of the videos with his audience! Will violin recital fifty years from now all be accompanied by multimedia experiences? Perhaps not, but Fain’s act is a hit now. Will the movement pick up steam? Comment below!

Read the original review!

http://www.hollywoodtoday.net/2011/10/13/virtuoso-violinist-tim-fain-redefines-the-violin-recital/