Former Art Student Here! Itll Vary by College Obviously
When guitarist Harry Conn walks beyond the stage to receive his undergraduate diploma from UNCSA, information technology will marker the completion of a journeying that, every bit he puts it, has composed a third of his life. He came to the United States from his home country of Vietnam at age xv, and joined the high school guitar studio in the School of Music his junior year.
Since then, UNCSA has become like a second abode. Afterwards completing the high school program, he stayed for his undergraduate studies — during which time he has made connections beyond campus equally a Resident Banana (R.A.) and as a fellow member of the ArtistCorps plan, among his other work.
Conn was also a recipient of multiple scholarships, including the Aaron and Lorraine Shearer Scholarship for Guitar and the Bill and Judy Watson Scholarship. In 2021, he won the School of Music's annual concerto competition, playing Concerto de Aranjuez" by Joaquín Rodrigo, which he went on to perform with the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra in the current flavour.
Every bit he completes his journey at UNCSA and heads to Yale for graduate studies, Conn reflects on his time studying with guitar professor Joseph Pecoraro, his love of the instrument and composing, and on the power of creating connexion in the community.
What practise you love about playing the guitar, and what made you lot cull to report it?
The guitar is something I discovered serendipitously. I went to have a few lessons when I was 8, just to try it out. The teacher told my parents that I was very fluent with the guitar, that it came very naturally. It wasn't something I actually thought about, information technology was similar brushing my teeth. And my parents encouraged me to follow this path.
There was a teacher from North Park University, Julie Goldberg, who came to have a master class at my school. She as well taught An Tran, an acclaimed Vietnamese classical guitarist, who is an inspiration to me. She was 1 of the kickoff people to ask me how I felt most a passage I was playing. It totally bamboozled me because I didn't know what to say — and I'thousand supposed to know what to say. Music is about expression, about the language of emotions, but I didn't know what I was feeling. That put me into a really contemplative mindset, and that's what inspired me to come to the United States.
What influenced your determination to attend UNCSA for high school and go along for your undergraduate studies?
I came to the U.S. at age xv to study guitar, and started UNCSA in my junior year of high schoolhouse. It was a huge honor to report away in the United states of america. What I cared about most was the teacher.
Conn in high schoolhouse performing at a Collage concert / Photo: Christine Rucker
Joseph Pecoraro is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, teachers of guitar. He's then dedicated, and well-nigh scientific nearly the manner he teaches. He's very detailed, very procedural and he always has an explanation for everything that he does. That gave me a totally new perspective in my education, it pushed me and gave me a pathway that I could meet clearly and follow.
I stayed for college mostly because of Joe. I felt I couldn't possibly larn enough from him.
Can y'all tell us about some of the work you've done exterior of music during your time at UNCSA?
I found out nigh the R.A. chore from a friend. It's 1 of the few jobs I can practise as an international student. I knew zip about existence an R.A., but they saw something in me and hired me. It has been a great experience because it pushes me. I become out and program all of these events and get to piece of work equally a squad with other R.A.s. The offset year was really beautiful because everyone was really passionate well-nigh their chore and the schoolhouse. Information technology felt more similar a family unit than work.
It'south also great because there are all kinds of people from different schools on campus, so in that location'due south a lot of collaboration — that's a subconscious benefit. I accept received a lot of opportunities from being an R.A. For case, I played guitar for the Drama Cabaret earlier this twelvemonth because one of my friends in the R.A. program is a Drama pupil.
Conn attending the Thomas S. Kenan Establish for the Art'southward Artivate consequence in 2019 / Photo: Wayne Reich
I as well constitute out well-nigh ArtistCorps through friends. In my third year I was studying educational activity with Joe Pecoraro and became a certified Suzuki teacher. I learned a lot about educational activity young children and I thought ArtistCorps was the perfect opportunity to use my teaching and pedagogy skills and put them to the test.
This year, I also worked with Easton Simple Schoolhouse teaching the Wolf Method [a pre-phonics arts integration and instruction program]. That was very educational and middle-opening to me. Those interactions taught me a lot.
Tell us almost your senior recital and the inspiration for the pieces you selected:
For my recital I was very, very ambitious. I really wanted to push the guitar and push myself. In the existent earth, I wouldn't put that much music into one program, especially for solo guitar. I had music from the Baroque catamenia, NeoClassical catamenia, jazz, the modern era and three pieces that I wrote myself. Information technology was an affiliation of all of the music that I've played that I wanted to express on the guitar and try out.
My pieces are inspired by my Vietnamese heritage and by composers like Roland Dyens and Andrew York, who are very modern. Their harmonies come more often than not from jazz and folk songs from dissimilar countries. That'southward the biggest thing I want to do with the rest of my career: write music.
I as well played a actually fun, unique piece from Yale alumnus Thomas Flippin. As part of the application process for graduate school at Yale, they send applicants a completely new commissioned piece. It was fun heading into the piece knowing nothing well-nigh information technology (they removed all markings) and knowing that at that place'south nothing wrong with my manner of playing information technology. Information technology'southward like to composing in that there'south a lot of freedom in that location.
What do you lot feel you've learned, artistically and personally, during your time at UNCSA?
UNCSA is my home. I've spent a third of my life here, and that time of my life was a time of growth. It has been a huge journey of learning about relationships: with my friends, with my instructor, with the guitar. The experience of existence an artist among so many other artists is amazing.
The scariest matter nearly being an international educatee is getting out of your condolement zone. What helps at UNCSA is that information technology'south such a small-scale community that everyone knows about anybody else. That makes it easier to get out and connect with other people.
I remind myself every day to be myself and to exist original. Explore whatever it is you're trying to say, and find a manner to vocalization that. That'south the most important matter I've learned most being an artist at UNCSA.
Harry Conn
The biggest thing I've learned is to endeavor and exist original, to try to be myself, even if I know it'southward quite hard. There are then many people judging you — critics, friends, yourself. I remind myself every mean solar day to be myself and to exist original.
Explore whatever information technology is you lot're trying to say, and detect a way to voice that. That'due south the well-nigh of import thing I've learned about existence an artist at UNCSA.
by Corrine Luthy
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Source: https://www.uncsa.edu/news/20220428-harry-conn-guitarist.aspx