Hampshire teen gives new life to old music
Ragtime music might conjure black-and-white images of a bygone era, but to 13-year-old Daniel Souvigny of Hampshire there’s nothing better in the world.
Playing ragtime piano is all about improvising and making pieces your own, Daniel said.
“It feels like I finally break loose and improvise to my heart’s content. I can do anything in any point in time to any song in ragtime.”
Daniel has established himself as one of the best young ragtime players in the country.
He’s performed at the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Mo. and the Eau Claire Ragtime Festival in Eau Claire, Wis.
In May, he took second place in the junior division at the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival in Peoria. Last year, he became the second-youngest junior division champion in the contest’s nearly 40 years, founder Ted Lemen said.
Past winners include Marty Sammon, keyboardist for Buddy Guy, and Dax Baumgartner, former keyboardist for ’N Sync.
“Daniel is quite gifted. He has perfect pitch and very acute hearing,” Lemen said, who’s seen about 800 piano players compete over the years. “He’s not just gifted in ragtime or honky tonk-type music, he’s versed in classical music, too.”
He’s also a determined competitor, Lemen said.
“He didn’t seem discouraged or distraught when he was beaten (this year),” Lemen said. “He immediately said, ‘Well, I’ve got to pick up my songs for next year and get to work.’”
In fact, Daniel already has a strategy for next year.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Daniel said. “This calls for very incredibly flashy pieces, more practice and more fancy costumes.”
This weekend, he’s playing for the first time at the prestigious West Coast Ragtime Festival in Sacramento, Calif.
“I wanted it so badly,” he said.
Only 10 youths from across the country were invited to the festival, said Bub Sullivan, president of the West Coast Ragtime Society.
“He’s very unusual,” Sullivan said of Daniel. “He plays like an experienced adult. I watched a couple of YouTube videos, and he’s a very exceptional lad. We’re tickled to bring him out here.”
Ragtime is a lively genre of music distinguished by its heavily syncopated rhythm. It peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Daniel, who loves to quip and crack jokes, said he never gets too nervous onstage, where he wants to entertain people with more than his music.
“I’m good at making people laugh, that’s always fun. I talk in between pieces, I make jokes.”
Daniel is home-schooled by his parents, Vicki, a retired pediatric occupational therapist, and Steve, a retired phone company technician.
“I like being an only child, I get all the attention,” he says.
His father was the one who introduced Daniel to ragtime. He was a piano player and theater organist before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
“When Daniel was in a high chair and his dad was in a wheelchair, Daniel would bang on one end (of the piano), and Steve would play on the other end,” his mother said.
“It was a joyful noise but most definitely a noise,” Daniel quips.
Daniel also has extremely acute hearing. As a little boy, he could hear a train or airplane on its way well before anyone else. He always wears ear plugs when playing and only recently began to tolerate very loud places.
Daniel started taking classical piano lessons at age 5, and now has teachers for classical, jazz and ragtime.
“I did enjoy classical very much, but it’s not my favorite,” he said. “It’s very uptight. People have turned classical into a thing where you have to play it exactly as it’s written on the page, and I never liked that. “
Not that he’s never improvised during classical performances.
“One time I was playing somewhere and I totally forgot a Beethoven sonata. I just started improvising through the whole song,” he said. “My hands were sweating on the keys. I’m a good faker.”
Daniel’s musical abilities go well beyond the piano. He’s also a high-level violin player — he’s been in chamber performances with the Music Institute of Chicago and the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra — and also plays guitar and drums.
His taste ranges from rock and heavy metal to R &B and hip hop. Just no pop, please. “Pop songs repeat the same melody overtime, and I just want to throw up.”
In his free time, he also likes to mountain bike and skateboard. His goal is to study piano at the Juilliard School or the Manhattan School of Music, and become a soloist.
Daniel performs for free as a way to give back to the community, his mother said.
“When he started I demanded he take absolutely no money, that he do it as a volunteer and do it to give back to community,” she said. “The result has been so many connections and establishing rapport with people. It’s priceless.”
He has earned some money by selling his first CD, “Tearin’ Up the Keys,” after performances. The family is planning to create a website to sell the CD and list Daniel’s upcoming performances, his father said.
Most of the CD proceeds go into a savings account, but Daniel is allowed to have a portion.
“I bought leather gloves, I spend my money fast. I’m a spender and I like designer stuff, too,” he said.
Daniel has several mentors in the ragtime community, including 86-year-old Johnny Maddox, who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The two are pen pals and share a passion for collecting old sheet music.
“The ragtime community, they’re so eager to share their passion of ragtime with younger people,” Vicki Souvigny said. “It’s a wonderful community to be involved with.”
“Without new, young talent like Daniel, it would just die away,” Steve Souvigny added.
“There is always is a younger generation, which is a good thing,” Daniel said. “That’s what keeps this wonderful music alive.”
Daniel Souvigny
Age: 13
Hometown: Hampshire
School: I am home-schooled
Who inspires you? Ozzy Osbourne for his crazy attitude. He’s one of my favorites. Also two ragtime players, Adam Swanson, who’s very down-to-earth and always in a good mood, and Jeff Barnhart, who’s known for his comedy onstage.
What’s on your iPod? everything from ragtime to classical to hip hop to heavy metal.
What book are you reading? I just finished the first book of “The Hunger Games” trilogy.
The three words that best describe you? Indescribable. Creative. Energetic.