Elgin Symphony guest to perform with rare violin
Violinist Philippe Quint says he's developed a special relationship with the 1708 Stradivari violin he'll be playing this weekend with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
“It really takes you into a different dimension,” he says of the instrument loaned to him by the Stradivari Society. “Each Stradivari instrument is unique. There are about 550 still in existence. It took me time to get to know it well, but now we are best friends.”
Quint has performed with major orchestras in the United States and throughout the world, and at venues including the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. He's excited to play composer Samuel Barber's violin concerto — a rare piece for him — in Elgin, he said.
“One word that describes this concerto is 'glorious,' ” he said. “The first and second movement is such an over-the-top romantic, passionate music. There are only a few concertos that go to this extreme of emotion.”
This will be Quint's second performance with ESO, after a first one more than a dozen years ago. This one will be special, he said, because he's friends with music director Andrew Grams, whom he called “a collaborative artist.
“We go way back,” he said. “We went to The Juilliard School (in New York City) together, and we connected a couple of years ago when we played together. When he invited me to play, I was very excited.”
Although he doesn't call it a second career, Quint acted in the 2012 independent film, “Downtown Express,” in which he has the lead role of a Russian-born violinist, like him.
There are many similarities between music and acting, such as that it's imperative to immerse one's self — in the character and in the music — and always be in the moment, Quint said.
“One of the things I heard form several acting coaches is that it's not about acting, but about reacting,” he said. “Music is all about reacting. Onstage, during live performances, it's all about reacting. It's all about things happening in that particular moment.”
Quint will also teach a violin master class at 4 p.m. Friday at Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.
It's never too late to pick up the violin and aim to perform with semiprofessional, or even professional, orchestras, he said.
“This is one of the most important aspects of what we do. That is, to really go out there and talk about the craft and share the knowledge that we have acquired over the years,” he said.
“Passionate Drama” directed by Grams with Quint on the violin will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. Tickets are $25, $40 or $60. For more information visit elginsymphony.org.