MUSICIANS OFFSTAGE
Rebel musicans answer the questions
you've always wanted to ask!

Dongsok Shin, Harpsichordist
Karen Marmer, Co-Director & Violinist
John Moran, Cellist

Dongsok Shin, Harpsichordist

1. If you weren't a performing musician, what would you be?
A recording industry executive, if there were any jobs left...or, perhaps, a professional IKEA furniture assembler (I've put together over 50 pieces of IKEA furniture for my family over many years.)

2. What are your hobbies?
Computers, music recording technology, and harpsichord construction trivia.

3. What is in your CD player right now?
Recent recording session first edits.

4. What's your favorite TV show / Book / Movie and why?
I'm a Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Law & Order (all versions) junkie. The Daily Show, because I love its take on our lives, and Law & Order, because I love its very realistic view of my beloved New York City, and it is great fun to figure out where in NYC a scene is shot from one or two storefronts! I discovered Sherlock Holmes when I was 10 and have loved both the original stories, and some of the recent additional cases "discovered" by Nicholas Meyer, and especially, more recently, Laurie King. I love a lot of movies, but the one that I've been trying to spread the good news about is School of Rock. HILARIOUS!

5. How did you choose your instrument?
My mom was my piano teacher (she is still an active performer and teaches at Amherst College), and I went to Mannes College as a pianist. Then, somewhere along the way, I met late Paul Echols at Mannes and was drafted into the newly formed Mannes Camerata. Always partial to baroque music, and about the only modern pianist willing to play harpsichord for fellow student's graduation recitals, I made the switch because I ultimately like the directness of the connection of the finger to the string of a harpsichord, compared to the 50-70 parts between player and string in a modern piano.

6.Where are you from?
Boston, MA. But now a confirmed New Yorker for almost 30 years.

7. What's your favorite food?
Sushi, among everything else.

8. What kind of car do you drive?
A gold 1999 Chevy Venture Minivan. When it was purchased (used), it was the only minivan available that could carry me, my wife Gwendolyn Toth (also a harpsichordist), my three kids, Samantha, Linnea and Adrian, AND a harpsichord or an organ. (Gwen and I took a large harpsichord to car dealers when shopping for the van!)

9. What was your favorite non-music course in high school or college?
English/Creative Writing.

10. Do you have a favorite professor / teacher / mentor?
I've always tried to be open to all influences from teachers, colleagues, and people I only know from recordings.

11. What's your favorite time of the year / time of the day, and why?
Early morning on a spring day, when the leaves are just starting to sprout on the trees. The newness, freshness, and the smell of that time of year is very appealing.

Karen Marmer, Co-Director & Violinist

1. If you weren't a performing musician, what would you be?
A non-performing musician. No, seriously, I'd be a comedy writer.

2. What are your hobbies?
Writing satire, cooking, gardening, Feng Shui (is that a hobby?)

3. What is in your CD player right now?
Nothing-- I think I knew you'd be asking this question so I took out all the CDs that would be embarrassing to list. None remained....

4. What's your favorite TV show / Book / Movie and why?
"Nova" on PBS, and "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central. Both excel in the sublime and the ridiculous, and vice versa, respectively. Favorite book: The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer -- the stories are ironic, profound and beautifully written. Favorite movie: "Il Postino" -- a special story wrapped in spectacular scenery and exquisite poetry written by Pablo Neruda.

5. How did you choose your instrument?
I started with piano; when I was to enter 7th grade I had the option of taking an orchestral instrument. I decided, without any internal debate whatsoever, on the violin. I had never thought of the violin before, so this was clearly a decision coming via the forces of destiny. I've never looked back...until now.

6.Where are you from?
Queens, NY. And yes, I can still access that Queens accent on command.

7. What's your favorite food?
anything with chevre and coconut-- just not together...

8. What kind of car do you drive?
A candy apple- red Cruiser (I wish)

9. What was your favorite non-music course in high school or college?
Russian Literature -- I had a crush on the professor! The reading list was also fantastic, by the way.

10. Do you have a favorite professor / teacher / mentor?
I have had several, but my husband, Jörg-Michael Schwarz and my colleague, Dongsok Shin, were absolutely key to my interest and development in baroque violin playing. Now I tell them how to play--- it's really cool!

11. What's your favorite time of the year / time of the day, and why?
I don't have a favorite season-- they are all fabulous. Time of day: very early morning-- my dreams are particularly vivid then.

John Moran, Cellist

1. If you weren't a performing musician, what would you be?
A writer or a frustrated lawyer

2. What are your hobbies?
languages, biking, reading

3. What is in your CD player right now?
a bootlegged copy of the Misfits. (I don't know how it got there.)

4. What's your favorite TV show / Book / Movie and why?
My favorite book is "Life a User's Manual" by Georges Perec. I love it because of the atmosphere, the way it is constructed, and the fact that you don't know it's a mystery until the end when you learn the solution.

5. How did you choose your instrument?
When I was seven I wanted to play double bass in a bluegrass or old-timey band, but I thought I was too small to start on the bass and asked for a cello. I never got around to switching over to the bass.

6.Where are you from?
Arlington, Virginia

7. What's your favorite food?
cheese fondu

8. What kind of car do you drive?
a black 1991 Saab 900

9. What was your favorite non-music course in high school or college?
everything except PE

10. Do you have a favorite professor / teacher / mentor?
my highschool German teacher

11. What's your favorite time of the year / time of the day, and why?
late October, because of the colors and the slight coolness in the air and late night because of the quietness