Being in a Class By Yourself

The GFA in Louisville this year gave me my first experience watching Eliot Fisk perform. For years I had hear his recordings and heard others chat condecendingly about the music he plays - that he makes lots of mistakes and how the tempo of each piece of music is too fast. 

Now that I have experienced Eliot Fisk in concert, I must say that I am very impressed. One of the things that I found most striking, other than his white outfit that is accented by flamingo pink shoes, was how a man could build and continue a career in the performing arts by chasing away half of his audience at concerts. Many of us sweat to meet the heavy standards that the classical guitar world has set for us, has defined as the standard for what an exceptional guitarist plays like and how she interprets the music. And yet, with Eliot Fisk, we have a man who has challenged the status quo with his performances for his entire life.

I had to spend some time reflecting on this, connecting some the ideas that came from the excitement of watching Mr. Fisk play and see what I could learn from it. In the process, I found myself very dissappointed. Not in Eliot Fisk's technique or the way he dressed, but that half of the people that came to hear Mr. Fisk perform, left the concert, many of them probably attending knowing full well that they would leave at intermission. Perhaps they left because that performance was not showcasing the classical guitar music in the way that everyone there knew and loved. 

Then it occurred to me that Eliot Fisk my not be a "classical guitarist." Though he might take offense at that, I say that he is in a class by himself and for me, this is the highest level of performance that can be achieved in the arts. I think that "classical" is becoming synonymous with "nostalgic" and I vote that we start referring to classical music and guitar as "Nostalgic Music" or Nostagic Guitar." This is not intended to be an insult, but it's simply naming it for what it is. 

It's beautiful, timeless music, but the music and it's instrument is a guarded tradition that is growing more and more stagnant in world that is ever changing. Let's keep playing the old favorites and argue about how to play them, but let's celebrate and nuture the talent for growing the art and taking it into new places that might have new audiences and interests. 

I love performing and listening the classics, and they are always beautiful and I think that its great that we have scholars continually putting forth the effort to refine their interpretations. But I want to see more players like Eliot Fisk, Roland Dyens,  and Vittorio Camerdese.

It might be a lonely path, but being in a class by yourself always holds the chance to start new movements, to open new markets and if nothing else - to change the way that we see and experience the world that we work in every day. 

Read another inspiration on this topic by Seth Godin: "Category of One"