INTERVIEW: Nels Cline
In anticipation of his upcoming sold-out Jimi Hendrix Tribute concert at BMS on February 24, 2018, we asked Nels Cline of Wilco, a few questions about what inspired him to join BMS's Artistic Advisory Board, and what Jimi Hendrix means to him.
This past Autumn, the Brooklyn Music School (BMS) welcomed several new members to its Artistic Advisory Board. Each member of the Artistic Advisory Board brings a unique perspective, insight, and experience that is sure to support the Brooklyn Music School as it continues to grow and offer inspiring programming for music and dance students of all ages.
In anticipation of his upcoming sold-out Jimi Hendrix Tribute concert with the Brooklyn Music School on February 24, 2018, we asked Nels Cline of Wilco, a few questions about what inspired him to join BMS's Artistic Advisory Board, and what Jimi Hendrix means to him.
Here's what he had to say.
Q: What about the Brooklyn Music School Inspired you to get involved?
Nels: I was approached through the gentlemen Seth Rosner, who run the excellent jazz record label Pi Recordings, to meet the school’s administrators about being on the advisory board, and as a fairly recent resident of Brooklyn and as one who is usually out of town playing, I thought that involvement on some level would offer the opportunity to contribute to my new community in some way. When I met with everyone and got a feel for what the school is about, I immediately loved it. The aim of providing music education for people of all ages and backgrounds is a noble one. I hope I can help in some way to make people aware of what the school is doing and to keep it thriving.
Q: What perspective or experience do you look forward to sharing with the Brooklyn Music School Community?
Nels: My musical background is not particularly academic, but my age (I am now 62!) and rather diverse stylistic impulses may make me an interesting voice to add to those already on staff at the school. My personal trajectory as a late-bloomer/late “success” could be a very encouraging story for musicians of all ages. It’s very hard to “make it” in music, and my consistent message has been to persevere and to try to follow one’s inner voice and not be deterred by disappointments and/or non-artistic pressures.
Q: What inspired you to want to do a Jimi Hendrix tribute?
Nels: Well, it was really the school’s idea! It was suggested because they knew that my decision at age twelve to play guitar for the rest of my life happened when I heard Jimi back then, in 1967. I agreed to the idea right away. I sure hope I can do the music justice!
Q: What significance does Jimi Hendrix have for you in your life?
Nels: See my previous answer. Beyond that statement, Jimi still embodies the most potent, colorful, innovative, personal, exciting aspects of music - for me and, quite obviously, for millions of others the world over. The work still gets me revved up and inspires not just guitar expression/histrionics but creativity at its most electrifying. And at the core of it all: the Blues...
Q: Do you have a fun fact to share about you or your instrument?
Nels: When I was young and thrilled by music and by Jimi, I never tried to play like him at all, thinking it was A) impossible, and B) almost sacrilege - Jimi seemed like pure magic, superhuman or something. I designed to be modest, un-flashy. Now, look what’s happened!
Jan 13: MLK Jr. Tribute ft. Lester Lynch
Brooklyn Music School is honored to present the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute concert hosted by renowned baritone and BMS advisory board member Lester Lynch.
Brooklyn Music School presents
Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: Spirit of Hope
Featuring Lester Lynch
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 5 p.m.
Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: Spirit of Hope on January 13th, 2018 at 5pm. BMS is located at 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn.
"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of Hope" – Dr. King
Brooklyn Music School is honored to present the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute concert hosted by renowned baritone and BMS advisory board member Lester Lynch. Inspired by Dr. King's legacy and message, the program will feature selections from Mr. Lynch's recent recording On My Journey Now: Spirituals & Hymns as well as performances by BMS faculty and students.
LESTER LYNCH, an established dramatic baritone, is making his mark in some of the world’s leading opera houses. Known for his charismatic portrayals and commanding voice, he is receiving rave reviews as he masters some of the most important baritone roles from Scarpia to Rigoletto to Count di Luna. Opera Today recently enthused, “It was booming baritone Lester Lynch who served notice that he is now in consideration for admittance to the Scarpia Preferred Pantheon - when he needed to pour it on he had the Puccinian fire power and the dramatic heat to raise the hair on the back of your neck.” The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote, “Lester Lynch made a superb Macbeth, delivering an authoritative performance with a firm, powerful voice and wonderfully communicating both tragedy and madness.”
His most recent performances include Lescaut in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle with the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Crown in Porgy and Bess with the Opéra de Montréal, as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida with Pittsburgh Opera, as Carbon in Cyrano de Begerac with San Francisco Opera, as Herald in Lohengrin with Lyric Opera of Chicago, as Gérald in Andrea Chénier with the Bregenzer Festspiele, as Nottingham in Roberto Devereaux and Count Di Luna in Il Trovatore with Minnesota Opera. His latest debuts include a back-to-back engagement with the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Portugal where he was featured as Iago in Verdi’s Otello and in the title role of Verdi’s Falstaff.
Upcoming performances include Nabucco with the Welsh National Opera, Amonasro with the Bergen National Opera in Norway, and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice with the Warsaw National Opera. Upcoming recordings include Iago in Verdi’s Otello, Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and a Verissimo French Aria CD to be recorded by Pentatone Classics.
Mr. Lynch has worked with some of the world’s most renowned conductors and directors. Under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, he has sung the role of Crown in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and the Bauer in Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder. He has also appeared with conductors Sir Andrew Davis, Placido Domingo, Larry Foster, Ulf Schirmer, and John DeMain, and performed under eminent directors Sir Richard Eyre, Christopher Alden and Francesca Zambello.
His performance of Crown with San Francisco Opera ‘s production of Porgy and Bess was recently released on DVD. Pentatone Classics has released his recordings of two operas by the contemporary composer Gordon Getty – the title role in Plumpjack, and Cauchon in Joan and the Bells. Another important release is a recording of Mahler’s Symphony No.8 conducted by JoAnn Falletta.
Mr. Lynch’s regular repertoire includes Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida, Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme, Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata, Count DiLuna in Trovatore, the tile role of Rigoletto, Iago in Otello, the tile role in Verdi’s Falstaff, Guglielmo in Puccini’s Le Villi, Paolo in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Flint in Britten’s Billy Budd, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Tonio in I Pagliacci, Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca and the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth.
An accomplished concert artist, Mr. Lynch has performed a wide and varied repertoire with orchestras across the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the American Symphony Orchestra. His recent Carnegie Hall solo debut of Karl A. Hartmann’s Gesangsszene with the American Symphony Orchestra received rave reviews.
Mr. Lynch has received many distinguished awards, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the George London Vocal Competition, and the Sullivan Awards. His work with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis earned him the Richard Gaddes Award.
His recent volunteer work includes two engagements with the Harare International Festival of Art in Zimbabwe in 2012 and 2013 where he produced a night of arias and ensembles with a group of his colleagues.