back to: Conversations
The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Presents:
John Williams, guitar
John Etheridge, guitar
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 8pm
John Etheridge, guitar
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 8pm
artist web site www.johnwilliamsguitar.com
PCM:
You have
always taken
chances.
John:
I never
viewed it as
"chances".
It looks
like that
but that’s
not what is
was. I do a
wide range
of things. I
knew the
classical
world would
feel left
out with my
work with
Sky. If
anything, it
brings the
guitar to a
wider
audience.
Many young
people were
exposed to
classical
guitar
because of
the music I
did then.
PCM:
Did your
record
companies
ever say no
to a
project?
John:
No, they
were always
behind me in
what I’ve
done.
PCM:
You’ve
said that
Julian
Bream paved
the way more
than you
did.
John:
In terms he
created a
wider
network for
the
instrument.
I’ve
had it quite
easy. He was
the one out
there paving
the way,
establishing
the guitar
in concert
halls. Of
course Andre
Segovia is
the one who
started
this.
PCM:
When I was
starting
with
classical
guitar it
was you,
Julian
and Andre
Segovia in
the big
halls. You
are the fore
runners for
me. Now you
don’t find
many people
able to fill
the larger
venues.
John:
I have
to disagree
with that. I
get asked
that all the
time. The
guitar is an
intimate
instrument
and
doesn’t
work well in
larger
halls. I
don’t think
the guitar
is losing
popularity.
You have
people
playing in
small venues
all the
time. There
are always
festivals
and church
concerts
that you
find
classical
guitarists.
PCM:
I read in an
earlier
interview
that you
regretted
never
learning
freer forms
of music
when you
were
younger.
John:
That was a
misquoted.
When you do
interviews
you are
always
careful what
you say,
sometimes
things will
be taken out
of context.
There would
be no
benefit in
me soloing
and
improvising
off of a
solo. There
a lot of
people who
patronize
jazz and
it’s usually
pretty
awful. I have
never
regretted
the
particular
attention to
my classical
technique
when I was
younger.
PCM:
Is there
somebody you
would like
to work
with?
John:
I don’t have
anyone in
particular.
I'll know
who it is
when I get
to that
project.
PCM:
Who do you
listen to
outside of
classical
and jazz?
John:
I listen to
a wide range
of music.
There is so
much going
on in London
you would have
to be a
social alien
not to
listen to or
play with
many people
if you are a
musician.
PCM:
What is in
your
CD
player now?
John:
A recording
by the
conductor
Jeffrey Tate
and the
English
Chamber
Orchestra.
I’ve
worked with
him in the
past.
PCM:
Are your
hands
perpetually
concert
ready?
John:
If I am on
tour and
playing all
the time,
yes.
If I
haven’t
picked the
guitar up
for a week
then
I do
have to warm
up.
