Chopin Salon @ Home: Tim Jones
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It would be unthinkable for a young aspiring classical pianist to limit their studies to the repertoire of only one composer. And yet, to prepare the tremendous volume of Chopin repertoire required to enter the Chopin Competitions (both the US and International), a pianist essentially has to do just that. It may be just for a relatively short period of time, months or possibly years, but the focus is nonetheless intense. Such is the power and appeal however, of Chopin’s music. He left us with such a great body of work, that one could literally devote a lifetime in pursuit of attaining absolute mastery of this virtuosic, melodic, and achingly beautiful material.
This episode of the Chopin Salons @ Home features Tim Jones, one of the six semi-finalists at the 10th National Chopin Piano Competition. We asked Tim what it was like for him to prepare for the 2020 Competition.
“Getting to prepare the music I’ve loved since childhood was an absolute treat,” said Tim, “and I’m lucky that I was in between semesters so I had a decent amount of time to pull everything together.” Let’s take a listen to Tim Jones and his 2nd round recital from the Competition.
Silver Lining
To say that the Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating for the performing arts is an understatement. Some have said that the pandemic, in a way, has forced everyone to experience the somewhat reclusive lifestyle of concert pianists who, for so many hours of the day, are alone with their pianos, their thoughts, and the music. For many musicians, the lock down and “quarantining” presented an opportunity to do what they do best - hunker down in the practice room and grow their artistry. Tim Jones used this time to expand his musical horizons. “I’ve listened to about 1-3 full length albums per day for the past year, and have begun to write my own music as well as hone my current arranging/improvisational skills.”
We learned that in addition to being an award winning pianist, Tim has co-arranged a critically acclaimed a cappella album in 2019. Some of the arrangements have even been nominated for major college a cappella awards and one of the arrangements made it onto the compilation-album Best of College A cappella. You can listen to great examples of his arrangements HERE and HERE.
Miraculous Memories
The 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition was a miracle of fortunate timing. It almost feels like a dream to think that the 25 contestants, 9 jury members, invited guests, sponsors, and our local audience were all freely able to join us at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium for 10 full days of activities. We were so lucky. “Having a platform to prepare and perform this much repertoire by one composer at once is a rare occurrence for young musicians,” said Tim, “and sharing that same experience with the other competitors and getting to speak with them and relate with them, was one of the most rewarding and unique experiences. It almost felt like we were part of an exclusive club.”
Shared Traditions
The Chopin Foundation understands that each of the young American pianists that become a part of the Foundation family, have come to us as a result of years of preparation and study with some truly wonderful music teachers. These patient and nurturing souls hand down the knowledge of hundreds of years of classical music traditions to each new generation. They foster a love and appreciation for the music that lasts a lifetime. For this reason, the Chopin Foundation is grateful for our partnerships with the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). We first met Tim Jones back in 2017 when he won the MTNA Young Artists Piano Competition and as a result, he was given the opportunity to perform two recitals in S. Florida as part of our Chopin for All concert series. Tim credits Chopin, of course, as inspiration, but also, “my wonderful teachers (Brenda Bruce, Eric Larsen, Marian Hahn, Anton Nel) who have helped me get to where I am today.”
The above video is from Tim’s 2017 recital which includes Chopin Etudes, Op. 10 No. 8, in F major No. 4, in C-sharp minor, Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 53 and a fun Liszt encore! It lives on the Chopin Foundation’s Vimeo Channel where you can find recordings from previous seasons!
Fun Fact!
The depth and breadth of interesting hobbies, minor obsessions, and curious tidbits we’ve coaxed from the artists has truly been fun! For example, Tim Jones casually mentioned that, “I was an internationally ranked Guitar Hero player when I was a young teenager.” So not only does Tim have a deep appreciation and command of Chopin and classical music, but he also can shred to Classic Rock! Led Zeppelin, Metallica and Aerosmith didn’t stand a chance!
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Chopin Foundation programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; and the City of Coral Gables. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Funding Arts Broward; the Miami Salon Group; and scores of generous donors.