|
|
|
|
|
Profile Faqs Q: Is Ligeti an Italian name? A: No, it's Hungarian. New Yorkers might be interested to note that (George) Pataki (for better or worse...) and (Alan) Hevesi are also Hungarian names. See the similarity? Q: How do you pronounce the name? A: The emphasis is on the first syllable (in HUNgarian, the EMphasis is ALways on the first SYLlable - no EXceptions!), which is short. But that doesn't mean that the entire word should be spat out in record time. Emphasize the LI (LIH, not LEEEE) but say the geti at a leisurely tempo. Q: Are you related to the famous Hungarian composer György Ligeti? A: Yes, he is my father. Q: Are you related to the well-known Hungarian conductor András Ligeti? A: No, but I can offer some other artists as distant relatives: Leopold Auer, the great violin virtuoso and educator of the early 20th century and the teacher of Jascha Heifetz and Nathan Milstein, and Marcel Breuer, the famous furniture designer. Q: Given that your father is György Ligeti, did you grow up in a very musical household and receive musical education early on? A: No. I did hear lots of music - mainly classical, some pop - as an infant, and it was evident that I was talented, but no-one ever forced me, and save for a few piano lessons around the age of 8, I did not learn any music before I graduated from high school. It is true, though, that I heard (not often, but occasionally, in my father's concerts, etc.) contemporary music while I was growing up. Therefore, avant-garde music never seemed strange to me. This also means that I have been able to encounter much contemporary music with a healthy dose of skepticism, often seeing the naked emperor where starstruck contemporary music novices see layers of opulent clothing. Q: Did you study composition with your father? A: No, never. Q: Did you ever collaborate with your father on any projects? A: No. My father is the type of artist who works in solitude. We share many interests, have had many an inspiring conversation about music, and respect each other's work, but neither one of us has ever thought about collaborating. Q: Why the drums? A: When I left high school and found it to be time to think about a career, I realized that I have a 24-hour multitrack soundtrack going on in my head. So I thought I'd compose. But I also thought it'd be useful to learn to play some instrument halfway decently. Believing that it was too late for piano or violin, I instead, naively, opted for the "easiest": percussion. But not only did I think it was the easiest instrument (who notices if the drummer makes a mistake?), I also thought that it would be educational for me, because I had the feeling that I was quite talented at melody, but lacking at rhythm. These two reasons are admittedly contradictory, but such was my reasoning. I soon noticed that the drums were anything but easy, but I got interested in tackling them and persevered! Q: You are the son of Hungarian Jewish parents, grew up in Austria, and now live in the U.S. What do you feel is your national/ethnic/religious identity? A: I feel that I am a citizen of the world. I feel at home in any democratic country where I have friends and am treated nicely by the people I meet. I feel very lucky not to have been born in Hungary; back in the days of socialism, it was a place to escape from, and my parents took care of that for me quite a few years before I was born. I was born in, and at a young age became a naturalized citizen of, Austria, and for the refuge they gave my family, I will be forever grateful. I didn't grow up Austrian-style, however, because I lived in the U.S. for a while as a child, going to U.S. public school; upon my return to Austria, I continued in the American school system (in international schools) until graduation. Growing up, I was therefore more of an expatriate American than an Austrian. I entered the Austrian higher education system at the age of 18, and that was a major culture shock! At this point, I feel equally at home in New York and Vienna, in the U.S. and in Austria. Deep down, however, I most appreciate those countries that are built on diversity rather than a single dominant culture. I therefore feel very much as an American patriot. I should also mention Côte d'Ivoire: a country I felt at home in from my first day there; a country, much like the U.S., which included diversity and open doors as one of its fundamental principles; more than a nation, an idea. Its current distressful situation saddens me. I didn't grow up in a religious environment, and have remained an atheist, interested in tradition but completely unmoved by religion. Nevertheless, making my home in New York, I have come to appreciate my Jewish roots much more than while living in Vienna. |