This month, our Springboard SPOTLIGHT shines on on violinist Samuel Nebyu, one of our 2018 Springboard Grant Winners.
Samuel Nebyu
At what age did you begin performing and what inspired you to do so?
I was five years old when everything started with the violin. I was walking with my mom on the streets when we saw an instrument exposition poster in front of the national museum. That was the first time I saw a violin.
What was the most exciting thing that’s happened to you as you’ve pursued the performing arts?
Great question. For me the fact that I get to invite my family to concerts, and they can come see me is very special, as we live in different continents we don’t see each other very often. The friendships I create through music is also something I can thank music for.
What are some stumbling blocks you’ve encountered along the way?
I think we all have our own sets of difficulties to deal with at different stages in life. For me probably the biggest difficulty was to acclimatize myself to America, which is very different in comparison to Europe.
Dream big … If you can envision achieving great success in the performing arts, describe what that would that look like?
Playing pieces I love to play with the people I love!
What’s your favorite genre of music and why?
I listen to every kind of music honestly. Recently Charlie Parker and Ella Fitzgerald have been on my most played list.
Have you ever met a really famous performing artist and if so, who was it and what was your interaction?
I met John Williams and my mentor Anne-Sophie Mutter after their performance in Carnegie Hall! It was an unforgettable moment in my life.
Describe what you think would be most the most useful or beneficial thing to you, if given the opportunity to be mentored by a successful artist?
What we all look for is knowledge and experience, not just in our craft but in life as well. Learning from seasoned artists can help us in understanding better what we are dealing with day to day.
If you could have lunch with an A-list performing artist, who would that be?
Louis Armstrong.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? 🙂
Buy the cheapest ticket, get inspired AAAND go practice 🙂
Favorite Musician: Maria Callas
Favorite Musical Instrument: Violin
Favorite Actor: Bud Spence
Favorite Actress: Sophia Lauren
Favorite Comedian: Victor Borge
Favorite Dancer: Zsuzsa Kun
Favorite Movie: The troops of St.Tropez (Funes)
Favorite Show: Detective Columbo
If you couldn’t be a performing artist, what would you like to do?
When I was a kid, I use to create all kinds of weird dishes for my mom, and she was so kind to pretend that they were good. I would say over the years I’m getting better and better at cooking. I can do a beef Wellington now! So maybe a chef?
Biography
Ethiopian-Hungarian violinist Samuel Nebyu has performed as a soloist at international music festivals and venues worldwide. He has performed with the Brussels Philharmonic, Bacau Philharmonic, Ion Dumitrescu Philharmonic, Wallonie Chamber Orchestra, Eurasian Symphony Orchestra, iPalpiti Chamber orchestra, and Anne-Sophie Mutter Virtuosi. His first CD, “Music by Composers of African Descent,” was released on the BCM+D label and was named Album of the Week by WRTI radio in Philadelphia and WQXR in New York. Samuel is featured on a second CD, called “Majestic Classics,” where he performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the iPalpiti Chamber Orchestra and violist Juan Miguel Hernandez. In 2019, he was the featured soloist at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall in Philadelphia, performing the concerto for Violin with Choir and Orchestra “Singing Rooms” by Jennifer Higdon.
Samuel received a commendation from the city of Los Angeles after his performance at the Walt Disney Hall in 2019. That same year he joined Anne-Sophie Mutter’s Virtuosi on her sixth tour with her exclusive soloist ensemble. He performed Mendelssohn’s Octet and Bach’s concerto for two violins with Mutter. In January 2021, during the lockdown, he performed a recital virtually with Charles Abramovic on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Philadelphia, for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He recently rejoined Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Mutter Virtuosi for a month-long tour in Europe, giving 19 performances in Denmark, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland.
Samuel had the privilege to perform the Swiss premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Gran Cadenza for two violins with Anne-Sophie Mutter at the KKL in Lucerne. On September 1st, he performed at the Lucerne Festival with pianist Charles Abramovic, presenting a recital of composers of color, which included a premiere that was written for Samuel “Grey Fireworks” by composer Tyson Davis. He will be performing again at Carnegie Hall on February 3, 2023.
