What age did you start playing music?
Ramon: I started playing the violin at age seven back in Manila, Philippines, where I was born and raised. Originally, I wanted to play piano but the instrument couldn’t fit in our house back then, so my mother suggested the violin instead. I went with that decision without hesitation and here I am twenty-five years later!
Patricia: I began playing the violin at 11 years old.
When did you know that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
Ramon: That decision came early on in my musical journey. A few years after I started my violin lessons I excitedly dove into the realm of classical music and listened to a lot of it through my father’s large collection of classical music CDs. I knew then that I wanted to perform that kind of music and travel around the world as a professional violinist.
Patricia: I knew that I wanted to pursue music professionally during my junior year of high school.
What advice would you give to young musicians who are starting the audition process?
Ramon: Beyond preparing for auditions with your very best, resilience is an important quality that auditionees should foster. Rejection is a big part of the audition process, and one would usually get a couple or more before finally winning their first professional orchestral position. One should remember that audition rejections should not define who you are as a musician. After letting the initial sting of the audition rejection run its course, use that opportunity to learn new insights and strategies for the next audition. Also, it’s worth knowing that no matter how well-prepared we are, there are a lot of factors in the audition that we do not have control over, such as the musical preferences of the audition panel, and we must feel at peace with that knowledge.
Patricia: The best advice I would give to young musicians who are starting the audition process is to prepare well and trust yourself. Trust that your choices regarding phrasing, articulation, dynamics etc. are authentic to how you want to play and that you are not just executing what a teacher has told you.
What concert are you most looking forward to this season and why?
Ramon: I am looking forward to the Haydn and Brahms concert on December 13 and 15. I am excited about working with our artist-in-residence, Tommy Mesa, as well as playing a work of a living composer I admire, Jessie Montgomery. I had a wonderful time playing the Second Symphony of Brahms in the past, and I will be very happy to play it again with this lovely orchestra!
Patricia: I am really looking forward to Classics 4. I absolutely love Brahms, anything by Brahms! Also, as a Jamaican-American, I am thrilled to perform a piece written by Jessie Montgomery, an African American musician. It is a rare and meaningful opportunity, as music composed by African Americans is still underrepresented in many Classical music performance spaces.
What do you love about the violin in general and your instrument in particular?
Ramon: The violin for me is like a well-seasoned, veteran painter. In the right hands, the instrument is capable of inspiring a wide range of emotions from the listener through a wide range of tonal colors it can produce. A violin can inspire hope, stoke dread, or build excitement through its sound!
Patricia: In general, I love the sound of the violin and how it mimics the human voice. In particular, what I love about my violin is its tone, it is very warm and a bit dark.
What do you love about Tucson?
Ramon: While I am based in Phoenix, it’s always a treat to be in Tucson. Even though it is smaller in size, Tucson has this alluring charm on me because of its strong local arts and culture scene, as well as the vibrant culture of food. I always aim to try a different restaurant every time I drive down!
Patricia: As a Mexican-American, I love that my culture is strongly represented here in Tucson, particularly in the arts and culinary scenes.