Guest violinist Stefan Jackiw talks with the Kansas City Symphony

Stefan Jackiw

Guest violinist Stefan Jackiw will perform the Korngold Violin Concerto on Opening Weekend (Sept 30-Oct. 2) with the Kansas City Symphony.

Tell us about the Korngold Concerto you will be playing with the Symphony.
Korngold was most well-known as a film composer. This violin concerto, although not film music, is filled with cinematic drama and sweep, heart-on-your-sleeve romance, and kinetic energy. I particularly love the unabashed expressiveness of the first and second movements. The slow movement gets me right in the feels every time.

How do you feel about returning to perform with the Kansas City Symphony? What are looking forward to?
I love playing with the Kansas City Symphony! The orchestra sounds so great and is so supportive to work with. I have some friends from school days in the orchestra, so it’s always nice to reconnect with them. Also, you guys seriously have one of the most gorgeous halls in the world. It’s such a treat to play there. And Michael Stern strikes a tone in rehearsal that is both serious and thoughtful but also at times playfully irreverent, which somehow brings us all closer together. Also, KC BBQ…

Have you recorded anything lately?
I just finished recording the complete sonatas of Charles Ives with one of my favorite musicians, pianist Jeremy Denk. Ives’ music has a reputation of being thorny, and while that’s true, at the core his music is about nostalgia, memory, and longing for the past, all very Romantic themes. I love his music deeply and feel so fortunate to have made this recording.

What are your sources of motivation and inspiration?
So many. Composers and their lives. Who was Brahms? What was Beethoven’s life like? What made Mozart tick? Also other musicians I get to work with. Books I’ve read, films, friends.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Read, watch great movies, cook, watch terrible movies, Netflix, running, chill with friends.

What are some highlights for the 2016-17 season for you? Where are you headed to next?
Immediately after KC, I’m headed to Amsterdam to perform at the Concertgebouw, which is another one of the world’s great halls with a great history and tradition behind it. I love playing there, and I love the city. After the two halls in KC and Amsterdam, I’m going to be so spoiled…

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Guest Violinist Stefan Jackiw will perform Korngold’s Violin Concerto with the Kansas City Symphony.

Kansas City Symphony’s Opening Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Fourth also features Patrick Harlan’s Rapture and Stefan Jackiw as soloist for the Korngold Violin Concerto. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased through online or by calling the Symphony Box Office at (816) 471-0400.

Get to Know Guest Artist Brody Dolyniuk

Brody Dolyniuk

Guest artist Brody Dolyniuk joins the Kansas City Symphony to present David Bowie: A Musical Odyssey with the Kansas City Symphony on Saturday, September 24 at 8 p.m. in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $40. To order, call the Symphony Box Office at (816) 471-0400 or select seats online.

You’ve been called a multi-instrumentalist — what instruments do you play?
I started on piano, then guitar, drums, bass and harmonica. I’ve also dabbled on the mandolin a bit. I’m strictly self-taught by ear. To this day, I still can’t read sheet music. I’ve also done some arranging for orchestras, which is pretty unorthodox for someone who doesn’t read music. And oh yeah … I sing sometimes. 🙂

How would you describe this concert? What makes it special?
It’s a hybrid rock concert/symphonic performance. At the core is a great band that faithfully performs Bowie’s catalog, but Brent Havens has written great arrangements for symphony that sometimes underscore what the band is playing, and other times they become the dominant element. Of course, Bowie’s music lends itself well to this pairing because they’re such well-written songs in the first place.

Do you have a favorite Bowie song?
There are so many to choose from. “Space Oddity” is sort of an obvious choice, but the day David Bowie passed, I stayed up until the wee hours of the next morning listening to his catalog and rediscovered “Life On Mars,” and suggested it for the show. Thankfully, we’ve not only included it, but we’ve made it our closer. It’s a perfect choice for the concert. There are a few other songs we don’t do that I love, like “Jean Genie,” “John I’m Only Dancing,” “The Man Who Sold The World,” etc., but really there’s not a single song in the show that isn’t great or highly recognizable. The man wrote a lot of very good songs!

With Bowie’s passing earlier this year, how does that change a tribute concert like this?
I sense that people are still reeling from the loss a bit, and there’s a notable amount of emotion. There are many die-hard Bowie fans out there whose lives were impacted or changed by the man, and this show has to be a balance of musicality, respect and also good-natured fun. I’m not trying to be David Bowie up there, I just try to make it a celebration of his life in my own way, from one fan to another. With all the shows, I do my best of singing in the vein of the original artist without it coming off like an impersonation.

Why is this a can’t-miss concert?
First and foremost, you have a very talented, major orchestra right here in your city, and everyone should take part in that culture. It’s a great family bonding event in an age when it’s so easy to get distracted with gadgets and TV. Furthermore, this is great, timeless music… I feel it has the staying power of the classical composers (classical purists, don’t hate me), and quite honestly, whether you’re a fan of rock, pop or classical music, I recommend seeing the show as it’s a different twist that brings different genres together. Anything that brings people from different cultures together is a good thing, in my book.

Is this your first time to Kansas City? What are you looking forward to with this trip?
Actually I was born in Wichita, Kan., but moved away as a baby (I took my parents with me). And when I first started playing music professionally, one of my first gigs was playing in the dueling piano bar/restaurant inside the Kansas City Station riverboat casino. That was back in ’97, so it’s my first time back since then. Kinda nice how things turned out.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Just that I’m looking forward to sharing in this great musical experience with the Kansas City Symphony … and meeting some friendly Kansas Citians 🙂

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Tickets for David Bowie: A Musical Odyssey with the Kansas City Symphony start at $40 and can be purchased through online or by calling the Symphony Box Office at (816) 471-0400.