Interview with… Joy Lisney (cellist)

Forgot to reblog this interview from a couple of months ago… Whoops! I found the questions very thought-provoking as they made me consider more fully why and how I memorise. What do you think?

Memorising Music

Please tell me a little about yourself (profession, musical activities, etc).
My name is Joy Lisney, I am 20 years old and studying Music at Clare College, Cambridge. At the same time, I am sustaining an international career as a cellist performing a wide range of repertoire from Bach, through the 19^th and 20^th centuries and right up to the most contemporary music. In 2012 I gave the premiere of ‘JOY’, a piece written for me by the Dutch composer Jan Vriend, in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. 2013 will include performances of Vriend’s magnum opus Anatomy of Passion (2001) and a new suite of dances for solo cello which I commissioned earlier this year, programmed alongside Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and more! I spend my spare time cooking, reading and training for triathlon.

Do you actively memorise music and perform without a score? If not, why not? If so, why?

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Meet the Artist……Joy Lisney, ‘cellist

The Cross-Eyed Pianist has created a fantastic blog which any music-lover and pianists in particular would enjoy! She has very generously conducted this interview with me.

The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Who or what inspired you to take up the ‘cello, and make it your career?

As a young child there was a lot of music around the house and I listened to Jacqueline du Pré play Bach’s Cello Suites every night before bed. I am not sure what an attentive listener I was – I believe the aim was for me to drop off to sleep! – but I refused to accept any other interpretation of that music! As for my decision to make cello my career, I became accustomed to the life of a touring artist on a series of cruises aged five (!), during which I seemed to take in my stride the challenges of performing among top professionals, signing autographs and even being interviewed by Richard Baker before rushing back to the swimming pool!

Who or what were the most important influences on your playing?

I…

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