BY JESSIE WANG (COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS)
If you’re working in the music industry, chances are you may have studied at a conservatorium. Even if you didn’t, maybe you have walked through one before. But in these institutions, where do you hear music being made?
Sounds like an obvious question – and the answer is going to be the concert hall or the practice room, right?
Not always. For Australian guitarist Alberta Khoury, music wasn’t just something to be shared amongst friends, music colleagues, and regular concertgoers in a traditional setting.
For her recital at Juilliard, shared with pianist Anran Qian, Alberta handed flyers to the people who help the institution run every day – from teachers to students, cleaners to chefs.
The reactions she received were always the same – people thought she was wanting to inquire about something else, and were surprised that she was, in fact, inviting them.
In an article on the Juilliard Voice Box blog, Alberta reflected that one member of cafeteria staff had said: “I’ve worked here 26 years and nobody has ever asked me to come [to a recital]”.
That was a solidifying moment for Alberta, whose vision is to bring music to as many people as possible. Whether that’s playing in the corridors of Juilliard, singing and playing her guitar on International Women’s Day, or playing in front of Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain, Alberta sure is making a step towards her vision.
We chat with Alberta about her life at Juilliard right now.
Hi Alberta. Lovely to talk to you today. So, what made you choose to play the guitar?
I am honoured to be sharing thoughts and experiences for CutCommon. I started playing guitar when I was around 4, and have been enjoying this choice I made ever since. My dad played guitar for fun, and having exposure to the instrument and its exciting qualities intrigued my interests to learn it.
I appreciate the instrument for its sound and timbre, and its ability to produce multiple layers in music and different tone colours. I also love how portable it is, and the way in which one can play it in many different locations.
I love the idea of adding a strap to my guitar – unconventional for classical guitar – and walking around to play. It is an instrument with lots of possibilities.
Tell us about your journey to get into Juilliard.
It was a fun journey, and the journey as an artist never ends! I prepared and auditioned, and was delighted to be accepted into the institution. I think the accumulation of concerts, practising, lessons, and support made being accepted into the school possible. I am grateful for all the help and care I received along the way from my family, teachers, and friends.
To me, Juilliard feels like the paradise for artists, and just being in a place like this is one of the biggest gifts I have ever experienced. Being able to see the original scores of incredible composers on display on the way to a classroom, what more could anyone ask?!
How would you sum up your experience at Juilliard over the past five years?
It has been years of growth, more than what I could have imagined or envisioned when I came into the institution as a freshman.
During my years at Juilliard, I have pushed myself out of the comfort zone many times over – no matter how scared or nervous I was trying new things. This could be playing in the Juilliard offices or corridors, or giving a speech and performance at a Lincoln Center all-staff meeting, which was very memorable.
It is also the thrill I experienced in so many other moments, whether it was singing We Will Rock You on [International] Women’s Day, or playing in front of Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain and Placido Domingo.
Throughout these experiences, it has been delightful studying with my inspiring teacher and mentor Sharon Isbin, who has been such a wonderful part of my Juilliard experience. I have learnt so much from her artistry and guidance.
What made you want to bring the guitar out of the traditional concert setting?
My intention is to bring music to as many people as possible so they can have fun and experience an exciting memory.
The Juilliard community is close to my heart, and sharing music with the wonderful staff and friends in the community has been so enriching and enjoyable.
I had a vision of making music so abundant, and this is a step towards that.
Where have you played so far? Is there a favourite venue?
I have played in many places and locations including the Juilliard building as I have mentioned, as well as concert halls, and different nursing homes in New York City. In Sydney, I play in our community – [places] such as libraries, hospitals, cancer centres, in a park near my house; the list goes on! No favourite place, all are special and unique.
How have people reacted to you playing in public spaces? By people, I mean both the non-musicians and professional musicians (or musicians-in-training).
Wonderful feedback and reactions! People feel uplifted, relaxed, happy – and I am excited to see that.
One of the nicest parts of this experience is making friends in our community and connecting with so many people. I really am so excited to be experiencing that aspect.
Do you know of anyone else in the music world who also does this?
There are definitely other musicians and artists who bring art and music to unconventional venues. One artist that comes to mind is an inspiring and wonderful violinist and MacArthur fellow Vijay Gupta, who I am delighted to have met and collaborated with at Juilliard. I have an article describing the experience I had working with him, Reaching New Audiences, in the Juilliard website.
I feel that Vijay truly thinks about what the audience can bring to a performance, and delves into musical material as deep as possible to find entry points for the audience and musicians.
If you could play at any place in the world right now, where would you choose?
I would like to play in as many places as possible, but Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall would be fun! I love and admire the artists who have performed in these venues.
I would like to play in these spaces to explore something new and unique I could bring to the spaces – maybe the element of intimacy and closeness I experience in my community engagement projects.
What can we expect from Alberta Khoury in the future?
Lots of ideas and plans! I like to approach my field from different angles. Not only do I love playing my instrument, but I love speaking about music, writing about music, teaching it; loving it in as many ways as possible.
I would like to pursue the relationship between arts and society with my instrument, and take whatever steps I can to discover more about this fascinating relationship with my own insight and discovery.
Keep up to date with Alberta and her live performances on her website.
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