Music school professor to play with Indianapolis orchestra

For the first time ever, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will grace the Musical Arts Center stage for a concert conducted by Maestro Mario Venzago on Sunday.

The concert will feature Hector Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture,” Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 1 in C minor” and J.S. Bach’s “Concerto in D minor for Two Violins,” performed by concertmaster Zach De Pue of the group Time for Three and IU’s own Alexander Kerr, professor of music and principal guest concertmaster of the ISO.

Kerr said the ISO set a precedent among professional orchestras in the United States by appointing him principal guest concertmaster. Essentially, Kerr fills in as first chair of the first violins when De Pue cannot.

One of Kerr’s violin students, Peter Vickery, said the ISO’s performance here in Bloomington will remind music students that there is a higher class orchestra only about an hour away. Kerr said he hopes his connection with the ISO and this concert will help forge a closer relationship between IU and the ISO.

While Kerr desires a better rapport between IU and the ISO, he said the rapport between himself and De Pue is great – they played the Bach “Concerto in D minor for Two Violins” together with the ISO on May 16 and 17.

“I’ve played this piece a thousand times,” Kerr said. “It is probably the most beautiful piece ever written for violin, especially the second movement.”

Won-Hee Lee, one of Kerr’s violin students, said the first and third movements are quick and fun, while the second movement is slow and pretty.

“The first duet my sister and I played together was the Bach double,” Lee said. “I did a concert a couple of times when I was 7 in Canada, where I’m from. It was a young people’s concert, and we had about eight kids on each part.”

Lee and Vickery said they look forward to attending the ISO concert featuring their teacher.

“It is always fun to see your teacher perform,” Vickery said. “He always tells us to go out and do it, not to worry about all of the technical aspects, but to focus on really making music.”

Kerr said he hopes his students will see that he practices on stage what he preaches during lessons – stay cool on stage, breathe and forget about what anyone else thinks.

“I am 38, so I am not that much older than my students,” Kerr said. “That makes it easier to relate to them because it wasn’t so long ago that I was in their position.”

Performing has become first nature for Kerr, but he said it has not always been that way. When he was younger, he questioned whether performing was the right path for him. His doubts stopped after he started traveling and performing in other countries.

“I am so lucky,” he said. “I know so many people who hate their jobs. Anyone can sit and do a desk job, you know, but I get to travel all around the world and play music. I basically get to do what I love and get paid for it.”

How to become a great performer
1. Be sure you have the talent. Kerr said many people have a passion for playing, but they just do not have a natural ability.
2. Plan at a young age and perform every chance you get. “You have to be obsessed with it,” Kerr said. “I performed anywhere – prisons, nursing homes, psych wards. Eventually, you should enter in some competitions and summer festivals to get your name out there.”
3. Network and be prepared for opportunity. Kerr said getting to know people is very important because you never know who might provide you with an opportunity.