CLASSICALITE: Right of the bat, why did you, Monica Germino, choose music, especially contemporary music, as a profession? You grew up in Virginia, studied at Yale and finished up there on Huntington Avenue at Boston's New England Conservatory. What was it about NEC that most appealed to you?
MONICA GERMINO: I don't remember actually making a choice to become a musician. For me, it was a given. As for where I would study, I craved full immersion at a conservatory, but encountered a lot of resistance from my parents. They were both professors and were adamant that I apply to universities. I remember passionately arguing my case and finally winning them over.
New England Conservatory's faculty was the deciding factor for me: James Buswell, Eugene Lehner, John Heiss, Laurence Lesser and many more. And let's not forget the visiting composers. I worked with John Cage twice at NEC and it was unforgettable, literally a life-changing experience.
C-LITE: At a time when American conservatories are being chided for their lack of emphasis on entrepreneurship, how, specifically, did New England prepared you for your career in music now?
MG: I wouldn't be able to do what I do today without having gone through such a rigorous conservatory training at NEC. I was pushed to the limit in every lesson, a kind of blessing in a strict disguise. The benefits were immeasurable--literally a gift for life. At the same time, I was exposed to a dizzying amount of influences, ranging from the third stream department (now called contemporary improvisation) to Steve Drury's coaching to Larry Lesser's "aural heritage" class. I learned to consider all the elements that went into a performance. Number one will always be the music; without great music, most experiments are likely to fail. I worked with many student and faculty composers at NEC, and this became an essential part of my work. I work on music by living composers almost every day.
C-LITE: Suffice it to say you'd recommend NEC's approach, then?
MG: Unequivocally! The faculty is amazing, and the level [of playing] is very high.
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