She has played with the most important conductors and orchestras in the world, but you can also hear her in a heavy metal band. Violin virtuoso Rachel Barton Pine will perform in Poland for the first time this February. In Krakow, Wroclaw, and Warsaw, she will play Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'.
Born in 1974, Rachel Barton Pine started playing the violin at the age of three, has collaborated with the likes of Zubin Mehta and Placido Domingo, but has also played with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, as well as other musicians closer to Hendrix than Paganini. 'I fell in love with metal at the age of 12, it is absolutely my favorite non-classical style, especially speed metal and thrash metal,' she admits. If you add to that a hug from Michael Jordan, participation in the Olympic torch relay, and the title of musical Pac-Man, which she is referred to, it is clear that she is not a classic case of a dignified artist.
Love at first sound
The numerous activities of the artist, extending far beyond concert halls, make her one of the most recognized ambassadors of violin music in the USA and beyond. 'She is an extraordinary creative personality. Rachel Barton Pine plays with astonishing virtuosity and lightness. Moreover, she is not lacking in passion and determination. Numerous awards are proof of this,' says Janusz Bielecki, founder of the Bielecki Art Foundation, the organizer of the violinist's Polish concert tour. As part of it, from February 9-11, she will perform with the Orchestra of the Beethoven Academy, composed of the most outstanding students and graduates of European music universities, under the baton of Michal Nesterowicz, the artistic director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Santiago de Chile. Tickets for the concert are available, among others, on the Ticketpro website.
Rachel Barton Pine plays on a violin considered one of the most important in the world, made in 1742 by Giuseppe (del Gesu) Guarneri, the same master luthier who made Paganini's favorite violin. However, before she reached for the master instrument, she fell in love with music produced by much less valuable instruments. Rachel was three years old when she saw older girls in beautiful dresses playing the violin in church and began begging her parents for the same instrument. When she received it, there was no turning back. 'Initially, I fell in love with the sound,' she recalls. 'Its voice spoke to me as if it were somehow destined. Before I turned five, I knew that this was what my life would revolve around. Even then, I defined myself by my instrument.
She painted herself to pretend to be older
Growing up in a family with financial problems, by the age of just 14, she became her family's main breadwinner. She played at weddings, as well as with orchestras and during other paid performances. 'I put on a lot of makeup and pretended to be older than I was,' she admits. Homeschooling allowed her to devote 8 hours a day to practicing the violin, leaving time for other activities. She debuted at the age of 7 with the Chicago String Ensemble, and at the age of 10, she had her first performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As a teenager, she won her first awards in national and international competitions. At the age of 17, she became the youngest and first American gold medalist at the prestigious J.S. Bach competition in Leipzig (1992).
She also won important awards at the International Violin Competition of Jozsef Szigeti (Budapest, 1992), the International Fritz Kreisler Competition (1992), the International Music Competition in Montreal (1991), the Nicolo Paganini Competition in Genoa (1993), and the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (1993, Brussels). She was three times honored with the title of best classical artist at the Chicago Music Awards, and the 'Chicago Tribune' and 'Chicago Magazine' named her Chicagoan of the Year.
The train stopped her career, but did not break it
In 1994, the violinist released her debut album 'Holidays for Sarasate,' and her career began to gain momentum. However, an accident in January 1995 effectively slowed her down. She was getting off a commuter train when its doors caught the strap of her nearly 400-year-old violin case and pinned her left arm to the train. The doors did not open, and Rachel was dragged outside for over 100 meters, then the train pulled her under and ran over her, severing one leg above the knee. She also lost part of the foot of her other leg. The accident could have ended the violinist's career, but her determination would not allow it. Just six months later, she performed on stage in a wheelchair, which she was eventually able to abandon after undergoing about 25 surgeries. After a two-year break, she resumed her career. She performed as a soloist with the most important orchestras in the world and collaborated with the most distinguished conductors, such as Zubin Mehta, Placido Domingo, Erich Leinsdorf, and Charles Dutoit.
Certainly, a great honor for her was also participating in the Olympic torch relay in 1996 in Atlanta. She also performed during the opening of the Paralympics in Atlanta. Residents of her hometown Chicago could hear her perform the national anthem of the USA during Chicago Bulls games or the local baseball team, the Cubs. The award for honoring basketball players and fans was significant: a hug from Michael Jordan. 'I thought this is the reason I became a violinist,' she recalls. Certainly, she was not only there for the beauty of classical music. American conductor Bill McGlaughlin called her a musical Pac-Man due to her ability to assimilate and perform many musical genres.
Classical musician, listen to metal!
Her interests extend far beyond classical music, encompassing baroque music, folk, Celtic music, rock, jazz, and, above all, heavy metal. Finding connections between musically distant times and styles has allowed Rachel to win the hearts of many fans of various ages. She believes that it is precisely in heavy metal that technique and spontaneity are hidden, which every classical musician should strive to achieve. Since 2009, she has been playing electric violins in the heavy metal band Earthen Grave. Earlier, in 1997, her album was released, on which she recorded versions of her favorite rock and metal songs, including 'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Nirvana, 'One' by Metallica, and 'Cowboys from Hell' by Pantera.
The violinist has played at a concert with Slash from Guns N' Roses, performed together with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, and her MySpace profile is adorned with numerous photos of her playing together or chatting backstage with rock legends like Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Jason Newsted (Metallica), Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead), the band Pantera, or Alice Cooper. 'Most of the rock stars I met told me they are fans of classical music and consider it one of their greatest inspirations,' she states. Her favorite bands include AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Anthrax, Metallica, Pantera, Van Halen, Slayer, and Megadeth.
Rachel is currently working on developing a new quality of music or rather a new genre â classical music based on heavy metal elements. She collaborates with composers who grew up listening to her favorite bands, as well as with rock musicians with a strong classical background. 'Steve Vai is writing a solo for me for the violin. I canât wait!' she exclaims. According to her vision, the new music will be played both in concert halls and clubs, introducing her classical fans to metal and vice versa.
She gives back and inspires
Rachel's passion for shaping the future of music led her to create a charitable foundation in 2001, aimed at promoting classical music. Her current projects include an instrument lending program in countries such as Haiti and Nigeria, scholarships for education and career development, as well as the idea of providing better access to information about composers of African descent and their music. She also tries to give back through these activities for the help she received from others when, as a budding violinist, she supported herself and her loved ones. 'I managed thanks to many generous people who supported me. I engage others to help others in the same way.
Wherever she goes, she willingly gives masterclasses on improving violin playing, sits on the boards of various schools and institutions, including the Music Institute of Chicago. 'I love visiting schools and talking to children,' she says. She always tries to be available for fans, responds to their emails, or spends time with them after performances. The emotions that music evokes are essential to her. 'I want listeners to think about what feelings their music evokes. It is important to inspire the audience of the future,' she says. She has a great chance to achieve her goal. When asked about his impressions from previous collaboration with the artist, Michal Nesterowicz admits: 'Rachel is an extraordinary artist! She is endowed with immense talent and a beautiful personality. Her mastery of the instrument, musical imagination, ability to engage in dialogue, and ultimately her beautiful bright sound are just a few of the qualities that distinguish her among other great artists.
Classics according to Rachel
Even in the narrower field of classical music, Rachel seeks adventures. In 1997, she recorded an album with violin concertos by black composers of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the following year she released the album 'Devil's Instrument,' featuring music from various ages with demonic undertones. She also has, among others, an album with variations of the New Zealand national anthem, a release with Scottish folk pieces, baroque music, and a Grammy-nominated album with the music of Johannes Brahms and Joseph Joachim. She always thoroughly studies the era, musical style, and many other elements enriching the material she has to record or perform live.
Her good spirit and sense of humor could be envied by many musicians. 'I love performing and the crazy lifestyle that comes with it,' she says. 'I enjoy discovering new places, meeting new people, and the unique flavor of various types of cities and towns that many would not find too exciting. I am very lucky that I can always travel with my husband, so I never feel alone on the road. The greatest reward for me is playing concerts, knowing that what I do is appreciated and positively impacts the lives of listeners.
How will it be in Poland?
'I am convinced that the world-renowned artist will win the hearts of the Polish audience, just as she has done abroad so far,' believes Janusz Bielecki. 'Her concerts will surely become an important event on the Polish music scene, especially since there are too few of those of high rank and prestige,' he adds. In his opinion, the joint performance of Rachel Barton Pine and the Orchestra of the Beethoven Academy under the baton of Michal Nesterowicz is mutual testimony to the creative potential of performing musicians, as well as an appreciation of the level represented by Polish performers in the international context.
Will the Polish conductor be able to tame the virtuoso's performances? 'Every meeting on stage is different, and every soloist is a different experience. The score always serves as a starting point, but something more arises at the intersection of individuality, creation, and the moment. That is the whole charm of joint interpretation, to remain as faithful as possible to the score while also responding to all gestures of the jointly conducted dialogue,' says Michal Nesterowicz.
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