Beethoven or Mozart?
“If I had to choose between the two for a violin repertoire, I don’t think I could,” said David Coucheron with a tinge of angst. “I could not imagine not having one or the other.”
The 28-year-old, who began playing the violin in his native Norway before he even had a memory, joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2010 as concertmaster, a role that sounds important and is.
Playing an awesome violin is just part of his duties. Others include being the link between the conductor and the orchestra. The AJC recently caught up with Coucheron sitting in (listening in really) to days of auditions for a first violin opening at the ASO. He will help make that choice. Just don’t ask him to choose between Beethoven and Mozart.
Visit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra website for the ASO's schedule. Coucheron also will be playing with the Georgian Chamber Players on April 14, at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Buckhead.
Q: You started playing violin at age 3?
A: My mom plays the piano. She loves classical music and wanted someone to play with. She was in the supermarket and saw an advertisement from someone looking to sell a violin. I haven’t stopped playing ever since.
Q: Was the violin ever a chore for you?
A: I have to applaud my parents. They said do what makes you happy and I really did enjoy playing. My parents obtained a good balance between the carrot and the stick. When I was five or six, if I did a good job at a concert, I got a radio-controlled car. I have quite a collection.
Q: Do you play other instruments?
A: Absolutely not. I am terrible at the piano. I am too embarrassed to ever sing. I stick to what I can do.
Q: You play a 1725 Stradivarius?
A: I am very privileged and very lucky to play one of the few Stradivariuses in the world. There is a foundation in Norway that is loaning it to me. The Stradivarius is very famous for having a sound that no other violin does.
Q: What does being concertmaster involve?
A: I am first and foremost a leader of the first violin section. If something comes up with the orchestra that the conductor needs to know about, like personnel matters, I would be involved with that. I play all the concertmaster solos. That might be the most important thing I do.
Q: You said that music isn’t for everyone. What did you mean by that?
A: Practicing four, five, six or seven hours a day — that is not for everyone. For me, it is so worth being inside and practicing to perform great music for people. Music is a language that nobody can define. It can bring out feelings that people didn’t know they had.
Q: Your sister is a professional musician as well, right?
A: She plays the piano. She started when she was two. She might not admit this but I think it was out of jealousy because I got so much attention for playing the violin. She is an amazing chamber music partner and we play every concert we can together.
Q: What is something really great about Atlanta that native Atlantans might not realize?
A: I am often blown away by the friendliness of Atlantans. When I introduce the city to my parents and friends, everyone notices it. Southern hospitality is no joke and I really appreciate that.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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