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Extension
PHOTO BY TANIA MARA
Pamela Frank's musical childhood
has become her way of life.
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Pamela Frank
"It's surprising that I don't have
any affinity at all for the piano con-
sidering I've been surrounded by pi-
ano music my whole life," said Ms.
Frank, who last year spent 250 days
on tour, dividing her time among or-
chestral appearances, solo recitals
and chamber-music programs.
"I think from a very early age I was
really attracted to the human voice,
to sopranos in general. I think that
possibly subconsciously I thought that
the violin came the closest to that
kind of sound, to the singing voice. I
just have a natural affinity for it."
That natural affinity came before
she reached her 5th birthday. At her
own request, she began violin stud-
ies. After 11 years as a pupil of
Shirley Givens, she continued her
musical education with Szymon Gold-
berg and Jaime Laredo.
The violinist went on to study at
the Curtis Institute of Music in
Philadelphia and graduated in 1989.
Ms. Frank formally launched her
career at age 17, when she made the
first of three appearances with
Alexander Schneider and the New
York String Orchestra at Carnegie
Hall.
"It happened so naturally," re-
flected the instrumentalist, an only
child. "I think my parents' comfort
lthough violinist Pamela Frank is about to with making music was transferred geneti-
make her debut performance with the Detroit cally or by conditioning.
Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and her first vis-
`There was never a discussion of a pressure
it to Michigan, she feels as if she will be in a career or living up to standards. Playing or
familiar setting.
performing was just sort of the normal thing
"Practically every friend that I've ever had to do. It really was like their oxygen, and it is
has been to Interlochen," said the musician, like breathing to me.
who will present Barber's Violin Concerto April
"I first thought that playing was a hobby
28, 29 and 30 at Orchestra Hall. "I never had for them. My hobby developed into my pro-
the pleasure of going there, but by association, fession. Not many people can be so lucky."
I feel very connected to the area."
In the early years, she avoided playing in
The decision to play the Barber piece was public with her parents so that she could es-
made jointly by Ms. Frank, DSO conductor tablish her independence. Instead, she worked
Neeme Jarvi and the symphony.
with other world-traveled and accomplished
"It's a very unusual work in that the first artists.
two movements are incredibly warm and
Her numerous concert engagements have
melodious, while the last movement is fiery placed her with classical performers such as
and rousing," explained Ms. Frank, 27. "All of the Boston Symphony Orchestra under
the ease and comfort the audience has felt Seiji Ozawa's direction, the Philadelphia
in the first two movements changes very Orchestra under Sergiu Comissiona and the
quickly to an electrifying ending."
Vienna Chamber Orchestra under Sandor
In some ways, the concerto is like her career. Vegh.
The daughter of celebrated pianists Claude
"I love the traveling because I love meeting
Frank and T Allan Kallir, she always felt com- new people, seeing new things and being ex-
fortable with music. After she discovered the posed to different cultures," said Ms. Frank,
violin, she found her own artistic passion.
who is single. "Every day presents a totally
.
different scenario, and it's really a big adven-
ture to me.
"I think Israel is one of the most special
places in the world to play, let alone visit. I
spent two weeks in Jerusalem a few years ago
doing master classes with Isaac Stern. That
was my first exposure to the country, and I
completely fell in love with it.
"Then I was back twice last year with the
Israel Philharmonic, and I had such moving
and really warm experiences.
"I wasn't brought up very religiously, but
my father is Jewish. I think that any connec-
tion to the Holocaust and World War II makes
it very easy to feel culturally Jewish. I defi-
nitely do feel that, and I really respond to the
Israelis' warmth and passion in the way they
play.
"They're giving everything like it's the last
thing they're going to do. They play their
hearts out all the time, and that's the way they
are as people. I feel immediately comfortable
in that setting."
Ms. Frank, who makes her home in
Philadelphia after being raised in New York,
goes into others' homes by means of her record-
ings. She has begun a Beethoven sonata cy-
cle with her father at the piano for
MusicMasters, and she also has completed
the Chopin Piano Trio with Emanuel Ax and
Yo-Yo Ma for Sony Classical.
When she is not working, she likes to listen
to almost any kind of music, with an empha-
sis on jazz and vocal numbers. She also cooks
gourmet foods, with Italian dishes among her
favorites, and she likes to shop.
Ms. Frank's advice to young instrumental-
ists is to develop and present their own sense
of what music means to them.
"I feel like we're at a dangerous point where
imitation is starting to dominate the teaching
process," she said. "If we imitate what's al-
ready out there, there will be no new voices in
20 years."
Adding to Ms. Frank's enjoyment of this
time of her life is her expansive energy de-
voted largely to her work, which includes dai-
ly practice. She thinks of herself as the
middleman between composers and audiences
and strives to elicit the reactions she believes
were intended by the composers.
"I want people to feel the same enjoyment
in listening that I feel in playing," she said. "If
they can come away with that, then I'm a hap-
py person."
❑
'Pamela Frank's performances with the
DSO at Orchestra Hall start at 10:45 a.m.
April 28, 8:30 p.m. April 29 and 2:30 p.m. April
30. For information, call 833-3700.