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| Violinist Ryu Goto |
As the 45th
Anniversary concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the Manila Cathedral draws near, a few
select members of the press were able to take a sneak peek at their rehearsals with
guest violinist/conductor Ryu Goto at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
With the orchestra’s string
section, we got to see Ryu in action as he took on double
duties as violin soloist and conductor in Antonio Vivaldi’s Le quattro stagioni/The
Four Seasons. Having a violin on hand was very convenient as he was able to convey
clearly how he wanted some certain passages to sound.
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| Ryu Goto and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra |
As much as I wanted to see the
rehearsal of him conducting Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G
major, Op. 88, B. 163, I guess that I just had to wait for the actual concert itself
for me to see it.
After the rehearsals, there was a brief interview with him wherein I was able to get to know him better. Below are what he said that struck me the most.
“I’m not defined by music, but it’s a huge part of who I am.”
Those who have followed Ryu’s career know that he is juggling three careers: violinist, karate athlete, and entrepreneur/venture
capitalist. He tends to focus on what he is doing at the time. Right now,
because of the upcoming concert, he is focused on the music. He hasn’t encountered a time when he had to be focused on all three at the same time. Although it has happened sometimes when he had to focus on two simultaneously.
“Create maximum output in the limited amount of time.”
It was surprising for others (but
not for me) when Ryu revealed that he doesn’t like to practice. He even says that
no one loves to practice. And because he doesn’t like to practice, he makes sure
that he practices efficiently. He mentioned that there are a lot of resources
are online like books and videos that can help a musician learn quicker than before.
Although one has to read the reviews to know which online resources are helpful
or not.
“It takes a different mindset to
have a career in music.”
Most were taken aback when Ryu said
don’t look for a career in music. And he had to stress that there’s a big BUT
there. If one wants to become a millionaire and have job security, then one has
to change his/her mindset. One has to love music, bring out his/her personality
and put him/herself out there (exposing even the flaws). It is about
experiences and who one is as a person more than the money and the fame. He also admitted that he didn't set out to be a professional violinist. It just somewhat happened.
“The heart has to burn but the
mind has to be super cool.”
Things turned into a bit of a
motivational speaking engagement for Ryu. He said that those pursuing a career
in music must have the fire within while maintaining level head. He agrees that
one needs to be practical too but being practical doesn’t mean being impersonal
and emotionless.
“The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
is the most genuine and professional people that I’ve known.”
Ryu had very nice words about the
PPO. He said that he has encountered community orchestras with such passion but
with amateur skill level. On the other hand, he has encountered top class
orchestras at the top of their game but their attitude about music leaves
something to be desired. But that’s not the case with the PPO as they are very good while having a great love for what they do, he says. I guess that’s
why he is collaborating once again with the PPO for the third time in just a little over two years.
Catch Ryu Goto and the Philippine
Philharmonic Orchestra this November 15 2018, 8:00 PM at the Manila Cathedral, in
Intramuros Manila. Grab tickets now as they are going fast.
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