Kalena Bovell
John Malveaux of
writes:
Rolling Out
Lauren Martinez
December 24, 2016
Renowned musician and violinist Karlena Bovell represents a small
percentage African American female symphony conductors. She believes her
persistence and humility along with with receiving exceptional
mentoring from some of the industry’s best composers have been the keys
to her success in her line of work. Bovell currently serves as the
assistant conductor for the prestigious Chicago Sinfonietta,
a professional orchestra dedicated to modeling and promoting diversity
through symphonic music. The 29-year-old organization is gearing up for
its annual MLK tribute concert billed for Jan. 14-16. Bovell spoke with rolling out to discuss her involvement with the show, her musical upbringing and the importance of music education in the school system.
When did you discover you had an interest in music?
Probably before I could even pronounce the word. I think I was like
6 or 7, which probably sounds bad because I was in the first grade. I
was in the car with my mom and I liked the music that was on the radio,
but for some reason, that word would not come out.
How did you train growing up?
I actually have a different story compared to most people. I honestly
didn’t think I was going to be a musician or a conductor. Both of my
parents are from Central America so they came to this country trying to
achieve the American dream, which was an education, food on the table
and clothes on our backs. Music never really fit into that equation. It
was by chance in middle school that I just started playing the violin
and I fell in love with it. I thought I would end up being a violin
player, but had a lack of financial resources and music education
awareness. I didn’t know about private lessons and I didn’t take my
first lesson until I was 18. Imagine getting to college thinking you’re
really good and then you hear the people around you that have had
training since they were four and realize you’re actually not that good.
Sophomore year of undergrad, I was removed from orchestra because the
director felt I wasn’t good enough. I told him, “I am not my colleagues;
I am me.” It was by chance that I started conducting. I was fortunate
to attend a music conducting class and workshop and work with someone
who was a really big influence. He basically pulled me aside one day and
said, “You could be really good if you just believed.” At that point, I
started believing and that’s when my life started to change and really
started pursuing conducting.
Who are your favorite artists to listen to?
I love Brahm. He is my composer. If I could conduct Brahms 24/7 all
day and every day I would be happy. I also gain inspiration from
non-classical music. If you ride in my car, I listen to heavy metal and
alternative which sounds so weird, but I’m a poet so words are really
important to me. Listening to these other genres influence how I hear
classical music.
What is your proficiency?
I would say I’m proficient in classical music. Music is constantly
changing and how we as people listen to music is constantly changing.
I would also like to say that I’m open-minded and versatile enough to at
least conduct or be aware that all these genres do exist. I think it’s
really important to know our history like the Bach and the Beethoven,
but also know the Jennifer Higdon and the composer that might live above
you in your apartment complex.
How does your training and experience inform your craft to serve as a conductor?
I was a music education major in undergrad. I basically went to the
conducting teacher and asked to take lessons. He thought I wanted to get
another degree, but I just wanted to take conducting lessons. I went to
all of the conducting classes and did more work than his actual
conducting students. I sat in every rehearsal and this was during the
period where I worked six different jobs to save up money to attend the
different workshops. After undergrad, I went to community college so I
could strengthen my skills to really prepare myself for graduate school.
I studied really hard and I was able to get into The Hartt School,
which led me to Connecticut. I met a great teacher who was someone I
considered to be a father figure. That is really how my training started
with conducting. It started with having the mindset knowing this is
what I wanted to do plus I have such a persistent personality that I
wasn’t going to stop until I made it happen.
How important is music and art education?
I think they are incredibly important and for someone like me who
never thought that these opportunities would be possible they were
because I had a music education program in middle school. It was
possible because everyone had to take orchestra or choir. I began
singing back in elementary school. It’s such a disadvantage because
music has saved a lot of children because sometimes children are
hyperactive and they don’t know what to do with all that energy. When
you get them involved in music and the arts it gives them something to
focus on and they realize it’s something that they’re good at.
What is a Freeman Fellow?
Chicago Sinfonietta has a program of inclusion with instrumentalists
and then the Freeman Conducting Fellow is basically within that same
program. You are getting a taste of the real world and are learning the
things that they don’t teach you in grad school. You’re learning how to
work with an organization, how to work with donors, how to work with a
board, and how to compose yourself on and off the podium. If you have
hopes to become a music director you’re getting that training as a
conducting fellow. We also get to shadow very closely and work with the
Sinfonietta team.
Please explain how significant it is to be a Sinfonietta assistant conductor for Chicago Sinfonietta’s annual MLK concert.
The best way I could describe it is to talk about how significant it
was for me. Last year, was the first time I had seen the MLK concert and
I remember walking out of the auditorium completely changed. It was a
life-altering experience because when I thought about Martin Luther
King’s dream and how far we have come as a nation. To see so many people
in this space come together and celebrate life and the joy of music was
beautiful.
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By Kalena Bovell (@SilvurSmiles)
