Chopin Salon @ Home: Fantee Jones
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There is no straight line for a young artist to follow from their first piano lesson, to their first time performing on stage, to their first professional concert. There are however, a couple of themes that weave a common thread through the lives of the wonderful pianists who have graced the stages of the Chopin Foundation’s many programs. Discipline, a support system that encourages artistic pursuits, nurturing and inspirational teachers, and/or an “aha” moment that propels a young person to persevere and overcome all obstacles in order to pursue a career as a pianist.
Over the course of the last 14 months Executive Director, Barbara Muze has had the pleasure of reconnecting with 19 pianists to put together the Chopin Salons @ Home. “The best part of these episodes,” said Muze, “was getting to know each artist off the stage. I enjoyed learning a little more about their lives and the paths they have taken to develop their artistry.”
For this episode Ms. Muze caught up with Fantee Jones as she was just finishing her coursework and third year of the Doctor of Musical Arts program at the Eastman School of Music. We invite you to enjoy this final Chopin Salon @ Home of the season with Fantee Jones as the Chopin Foundation now switches gears and focuses once again on in-person programming.
Two Competitions/Two Experiences
Fantee Jones is among an elite few who have had the opportunity to compete in the National Chopin Piano Competition twice. We asked her to compare the two experiences. “When I applied for the competition in 2015, it was the first time I did a competition that required so much music of one composer,” said Fantee. “I went in with the hope to learn more Chopin repertoire, gain performance experience, and have the chance to listen to most of the other competitors, just to soak in the environment. However in 2020, I came in with a more prepared mindset and felt more comfortable in the early rounds of the competition.” Here is Fantee’s Quarter Final recital that she performed live on February 24, 2020.
We asked Fantee for her thoughts on the pieces she chose for this round. “The majority of the repertoire that I played in the quarter final round was repertoire that I learned when I was younger,” said Fantee. “In this round, I was much more comfortable since I had already played the first round in the same hall and on the same piano. The 1st Ballade is one of the first major works of Chopin that I ever learned, so I was glad to have the opportunity to play it in the competition. The work goes through many different emotions and characters, from the opening unison in both hands to the bel canto melodies, inner struggles, waltz-like passages, polonaise rhythmic figures, and ultimately ending in a very dramatic coda and ending.”
While the requirements in this round ask Contestants to choose a waltz from the selected repertoire list, Fantee had a good idea, “Instead of just playing one, I thought it would be a nice contrast to pair the Op. 34 No. 3 Waltz in F Major with a slower Waltz (Op. 70 No. 2), which is in the parallel minor key.”
Fantee ended the program with the Barcarolle, “which was one of the pieces I was most worried about in this round because I had learned the notes when I was younger, but never fully got it performance-level ready until I picked it back up for the 2020 competition. However, listening back to the recording now, it is quite interesting to me how my “newer” repertoire of the competition seemed to flow more naturally since I wasn’t able to overthink every little detail, but instead, I was able just to fully enjoy the music.” And so do we!
Memories Made in Miami
A key element to the success of the Competition in Miami, is the support from our wonderful volunteer host families who open their homes and their hearts to “adopt” a contestant for what may be 10 days or more! It is a bonding experience the pianists never forget. Fantee told us that, “Some of my favorite memories of Miami was being able to see and bond with old friends again, as well as meet new ones! Having participated in other competitions in the past, I was very pleased with how organized the Chopin Competition was and how friendly all the volunteers were. An actual, funny story: During the 2020 competition, I was unable to stay with my host mom from 2015, Jaqueline Tuozollo, but I was lucky enough to be able to stay with another host family, Angie Gonzalez. One day when I happened to be in the auditorium lobby, a volunteer suddenly came up to me and I realized that she was actually my host mom from 2015! I had just been thinking that it would be great to be able to meet up with my 2015 host mom since five years had flown by. We had a lovely catch-up session! I’m forever grateful to now have two wonderful host moms in Miami.”
The Joy of Music - Influences and Inspiration
From exquisite Chopin to Schubert’s brilliant “Wanderer” Fantasy, Fantee Jones’ performances exude pure joy. We asked Fantee about how she first came to know Chopin’s music and those who have influenced her artistry. “I am very lucky to have had many musical influences,” Fantee explained, “the first being my mother who is a piano teacher herself so I have been exposed to classical music since before I was even born. However, I was only able to study with her for about six months before she sent me to another teacher! I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to my longtime childhood teachers, Sylvia and Tien Hsieh. Many of the pieces that I played in the competition were suggestions from them, hence this is is where my love for Chopin began. Before I headed to college, I also studied with John McCarthy, who was the director of the Preparatory and Extension divisions at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
After moving to New York City to start college at the age of sixteen, I was able to meet some of the most inspirational professors with whom I am lucky enough to be able to study and stay in contact with to this day, such as Marc Silverman (Piano Department Chair at the Manhattan School of Music), Hung-Kuan Chen (Concert pianist and Professor at the Juilliard School and the Yale School of Music), and Alexander Kobrin (2005 Cliburn Gold Medalist and Associate Professor at the Eastman School of Music). I continue to look to them for advice and enjoy their performances, as they always give me moments of pure magic.”
Life During and After Quarantine
Since 14 months have passed since we last saw Fantee, we asked about her activities during what has been such an unusual and challenging year. “During the first 2-3 months of quarantine, I flew back to California to stay with my parents. That was an interesting change since I still had to finish classes and continue piano lessons, as well as teach online! Looking back at my experience from one year ago, my awareness and appreciation of technology has improved tremendously. Since the sound quality is poor (definitely very different from teaching in-person), one can always blame things on technology nowadays. If anything, I am sure that students love the power to ‘control’ the teacher. If things get too challenging or irritating, students can always just turn down the volume or worse, just close the computer!
Aside from music, I was able to go back and enjoy my love for baking and attempted some new recipes. My favorite desserts were definitely Swiss rolls (loved coffee sponge cake with vanilla chantilly cream) and Japanese soufflé cheesecakes!
I just finished all of my coursework and third year of DMA at the Eastman School of Music, so hopefully I will be finished with school by next year. Since the world is slowly recovering and things are starting to open up, I’m excited to be traveling this summer with plans to go to Hawaii, Cancun, and Portugal!”
Fantee with “Grandpa Jones”
Fun Fact
It really has been fun discovering things about the Chopin Foundation’s family of pianists that otherwise might have gone unknown - like discovering the meaning behind “Fantee Jones:”
“With my last name Jones, I’ve definitely received a few strange looks since I began piano competitions at age six. My most vivid memory was at the check-in desk for an international piano competition in San Jose, California. The receptionist was so excited to finally see a “Jones” on the competitors’ list after an entire weekend of checking in Asians with the most common last names - Chen, Lee, Zhang, etc. When I first said ‘Hello! My name is Fantee Jones and I’m here to check in for the competition,’ the receptionist looked bewildered, nodded and proceeded to check the list for my name. It probably didn’t immediately register with them that an Asian girl had the last name Jones. We had a nice chuckle, and that was the first time I knew something was different about my name.”
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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.