INTERVIEW WITH HEITOR VILLA_LOBOS
http://www-personal.umich.edu/
David: What events in your life made you get interested in the arts?
Heitor: Well, when I was growing up, music was always being played between records, and my parents playing instruments daily including my mother's cello, and my father’s guitar. But what seriously got me interested into the music, and made me leave my goals of becoming a doctor in the medical field, was the death of my father in 1899. I was determined to escape from the medical profession, and continue a career in music.
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David: What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an artist?
Heitor: Growing up I learned the cello from my father who was an amateur musician. While listening to him many classical pieces from Bach to Beethoven, and Mozart, I suddenly became interested in the art of music. When I was young my family and I took a trip around Brazil, and during our touring, I came across another love, Brazilian folk music. My mentors in both sets of genres influenced me to modernize my works, and form together, Brazilian classical music and Western culture folk music.
David: What was the world of art like in your particular art field when you entered it?
Heitor: During the time period of my art, the music being created was modernizing. Some musicians from Brazil would play classical music, and also some would play more genres like Afro-Brazilian, Brazilian folklore, and Western vernacular. This time period was a time where many artists were experimenting with their works, and started to create masterpieces.
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David: How did the major cultural, economic, and political situations of the time impact your work?
Heitor: The major changes in the world helped influence my music in many ways. My music that was being performed at my concerts shows my coming to terms with my conflicting elements that I have experienced. I went through a major time period whether I would decide to have Brazilian music, or European music dominate my style of playing and writing. I chose to do the Brazilian music because it was where I had grown up, and where I was surrounded with my whole life. Some of my earliest pieces of work are fully improvisational. Also some other work of mine was fully based upon the geography that I had liked, such as the Iberian Peninsula. Some more of my pieces would show emotions such as my relationship with my parents, and the world around me, and also the relationship that I had with more European influences.
David: What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?
Heitor: My major accomplishes in my work include the many pieces of compositions ranging from my Chôros, Bachianas Brasileiras, Chamber music, String quartets, Douze Etudes, and also my famous Ballets.
My methods in the whole process of writing, and composing through the art of improvisation. I improv on a certain piece and then sooner or later I find out the right tempo, and notes to create a masterpiece.
David: What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?
Heitor: Well, there were many different key points in my life that led to advancements and disadvantages in my art. Some of them included the lose of my father when I was at a young age. When this happened, I didn't know what to do. I started with other activities than music. Most of them didn't quite represent my true emotions at the time, so I then started back up with music. Through my music, I found a way to express my feelings to people through my perspective of the situation. Music opened many doors for me, and I am honored to say that,
David: What personal choices did you have to make to become successful?
Heitor: Most of my choices were based upon the decision to be more fluent in Brazilian music, or in the Western European music era. My choice that I eventually made was totally based upon my surroundings, and the environment. Since I grew up in Brazil, I decided to compose my works around Brazil traditions. That was probably the hardest choice that I had to make to become successful.
David: What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome to become famous?
Heitor: My main hardship I faced growing up was the death of my father. When he died, I was totally heart broken. I grew up with him always by my side, he was the one who taught me how to play music, and then when he died, it all just fell apart and it ruined me until I picked myself back up and started expressing myself through music again.
David: What kind of limitations did you run into as an artist?
Heitor: There always were many limitations were I grew up. Some of them that I ran into trying to become an artist was the way to get my music heard. I would always play shows, and always tour, but I (never was able to have people know my name. Then when I was heard around the world, I started to become an international artist.
David: What personal stories do you have that show how you became famous in the arts?
Heitor: I don't really have that many stories because all that I did was stay indoors and compose music. When I was done composing, I would then go on tours or play shows, so I wouldn't say I'm the most social artist.
David: Tank you for your time and participating in the interview.
Heitor: No problem, thank you for having me.
