As some of you may know, Sinfonia Orchestra was given the incredible opportunity to have a clinic for their concert piece: "Triumph" with the composer himself, Armond Vance.
Mr. Vance began his musical endeavors at the age of 12 after being inspired by a violinist he saw on YouTube playing a hip-hop tune on the violin. He was also motivated to play an instrument from the video game guitar hero. Mr. Vance would develop a strong passion for music under the tutelage of his orchestra directors in middle and high school. By the age of 15, he had already arranged a piece for an entire symphony and conducted them. Armond also developed a strong interest in the piano at the age of 13. Through tireless hours of practice and study Mr. Vance would find himself playing a piano concerto with the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestra by the age of 17. Mr. Vance loves to perform, teach, and create. He believes that music is a supernatural force that has the ability to heal, unite and amplify a salient message. Through his emotional, passionate and dynamic performances, Mr. Vance seeks to touch the souls of listeners by decorating time with colorful sonorities. His music can best be described as a cross-pollination between classical, hip-hop, R&B and soul. His goal isn’t to win a Grammy, but to introduce the audience to something unique while make a memorable, lasting impact on them.
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Now, for a RHSO - conducted interview with Mr. Vance and Victoria Joseph.
Victoria: What inspired you to become a composer?
Mr. Vance: Being able to tell my own story through sound. I always had to play music for dead composers- haha! And I wanted to be able to tell present day story with sounds that I invented- I liked the power and control of what an orchestra plays- so I was power hungry!! I like to compose because I can tell my story and also uplift and influence others and positively lift up the community.
Victoria: That's a great way to put it!What are your favorite instruments to play?
Mr. Vance: String instruments and all the orchestra instruments! It's mainly what I write for and I enjoy it because they somewhat represent us with personality and dimensional. A chamber of sounds can sound energetic or very soulful *plays a soulful blue on the violin
Victoria: That's so inspiring. What advice would you give to aspiring composers?
Mr. Vance: I would say write as much as you can. Get familiar with composing things like Musescore, and try to get that music performed especially in high school! Ask people to play pieces that you try to get experienced earlier on. Don't compare yourself to other people and try to compose your feelings into things- things you like and don't like. You can be yourself- and do NOT copy!!
Victoria: Thank you so much for your time!
FInd more about Armond Vance Wimberly here at his website!
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