On May 9, internationally acclaimed pianist Eric Himy will be performing in Carlton at the historic Oldenburg House. Praised by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and countless others for his inspired performances, Himy has been rightfully compared to pianists of highest distinction, an equal to Horowitz in his interpretations of Chopin.
EN: Like many children, you were introduced to the piano at an early age. Were your parents musicians? How did you come to take up the piano as a profession?

Eric Himy: My first lessons were with my father, who actually is an electro-chemical engineer. He’d taken up music—the guitar and violin—as a hobby and had a working knowledge of the rudiments of music, enough to introduce them to me. Later, we found an elderly (90!) Madame Rosa in Manhattan who claimed to be a student of a student of Liszt! We began lessons, but after a year or so, she had an unfortunate accident and stopped teaching. When I was seven, we moved to California and I was eventually accepted into the studio of a master teacher, Robert Vetlesen, from San Francisco. He’d studied with Schnabel, Bartok, and Lhevinne. He was half-Norwegian and half-Hawaiian, looked a bit like Yul Brynner, and had something of an intimidating air. But he was a true raconteur whose amazing stories made learning music extremely fun. At the same time, he introduced me to the great literature of piano and the art of piano playing. When I was 12, we moved to Washington, DC, and I had to leave him. I began studying with Charles Crowder at the Preparatory Department of Music at American University. He helped deepen my piano studies (Bach suites, Chopin etudes, Debussy preludes, Prokofiev sonatas). During that time, my Saturdays were spent analyzing Bach’s Goldberg Variations with college kids!  
EN: Why is music such an important part of your life?
EH: I had the good fortune of being a part of that “Golden Era” of the University of Maryland International Piano Festival in the 1970s—the glorious brainchild of Stewart Gordon. For a week every summer there were master classes and recitals by the likes of Bolet, Brendel, Bachauer, De Larrocha, Firkusny, Cherkassky, Slenczynska, Ogdon, Lympany, Ciccolini, Janis, and many others!
 
I can remember having contact with several of these great artists on many levels. Once, Tamas Vasary barged suddenly into my practice room to see how I was playing the octaves so fast in Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6.  I was preparing it for the next round in the competition, and he nearly gave me a heart attack. On another occasion, Malcolm Frager caused quite a fuss on my behalf because I had not gone on to the finals. Truthfully, although I had a few fantastic moments during my performance, it was not disciplined or mature.  Later he asked if I would accompany him in the Brahms Concerto No. 2, as he needed to play it through before an upcoming appearance. Now that was a great prize!

EN: Briefly describe what it is like to play each of the following classic composers.
EH:
Chopin: His soul, poet of the piano.
Beethoven: His defiance and will, triumph of the human spirit.
Gershwin: Cool independent unique genius, American par excellence.
Ravel: Craftsman, sensational piano writing and colors.
Tschaikovski: All heart and passion.
Rachmaninov: In the lineage of Liszt, pianist composer, thus knows how to write for piano,  harmonies overripe and wrenching.
Liszt: The Master Pianist…. the Romantic, the Devil, the Virtuoso…. has it all.
Mozart: Music to get purged with after; such simplicity, honesty, and purity.

EN: Who would you call the three most influential composers and why?
EH: Liszt, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel: close to me in temperament; color and pianistic writing. And I love Schumann.

EN: Why are Steinway pianos so grand?  

EH: There are many others, but of course Steinway has History.
EN: What kind of music do you listen to when you are not tuned to classics?   
EH: Jazz!

EN: What are some of the life lessons that music has taught you?

EH: Surround yourself with stimulating, enriching, inspiring friends, events, and art. I think that if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. Also, you should never limit your view of life by any past experience. Continue to absorb, continue to be curious, and always listen attentively. Finally, apply to life and music one of Liszt’s most famous teaching aphorisms: “Create memories.”                          
And of course, I could lastly remind you to love thy neighbor, tune thy piano!
EdNote: To purchase tickets for this special event, visit www.oldenburghouse.com/events.