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And therefore, when I do master classes, I say that people need to perceive the richness of patterns in any piece, not just mine, as a matter of intelligence, being able to perceive these things, and as a matter of ability, technical or otherwise, express them. You know, they just don ’ t catch a lot of the nuance and the patterns and interconnection. More often than not, I ’ m somewhat, I wouldn ’ t say disappointed, but most players miss a lot of the things I put in there. And related to the second part of your question, now and then, I hear somebody play one of my pieces in a way that I hadn ’ t thought of. So, I release it as a completed entity usually, but what changes is my realization of it. If I don ’ t reach that point, I rarely release it. I reach a point where I ’ m satisfied and I ’ m done. I mean, that ’ s fine, but there are composers like that that I ’ ve noticed are always fiddling. How many versions has he done of all the earlier stuff? It ’ s ridiculous. You know, he can ’ t keep his hands off of any of his films.
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There are two types of composers: ones that edit continually, like George Lucas, for an example. So, when I perform it, I notice that over time, I learn the best ways, or some of the best ways, to express the patterns, and that can change over time. So, when we stew with things, a lot of order can be created in a composition or in a work of art that ’ s not immediately apparent to the creator. We ’ re much more brilliant subconsciously than we are consciously. So, just because a composer writes something, and you may be aware of this too, I don ’ t know how you look at it, but I ’ m not always aware of all the levels of order that I put in my own composition because a lot of things come out subconsciously. Because I look at it like this: any art, and specifically we ’ re talking about composition, consists of patterns, the richer the better, the more interconnected, the better. I mean, for me, performing it almost never changes my ideas about the composition but what happens over time is that my realization of it changes. Patrick Smith: Since you are the composer and the performer of your music, do you find that you approach it maybe differently as a performer than you did as a composer? Do you ever take inspiration from other performers ’ interpretations of your work?Īndrew York: Yeah, those are, in a way, two different questions. I believe “ Sunburst ” is the first track on that album, right? You know, my first exposure to your music was John Williams ’ Spirit of The Guitar album, where he plays a few of your pieces. And I ’ ve always been a strong player also, so yes, they ’ re very interconnected, but they ’ re like two facets of the same jewel. I ’ ve always wanted to realize it myself and play it. But it wouldn ’ t be enough if I just did that. That was one of my biggest desires, so composing satisfies that need in one realm, anyway, trying to create new sounds, new music. Even when I was a kid, I always wanted to make something new. In a way, even though they ’ re extremely intertwined, it ’ s kind of apples and oranges. Patrick Smith: You have a really great reputation as both a performer and a composer, and I wanted to ask you if you identify more strongly with one or the other aspect of your musical personality?Īndrew York: Yeah, that ’ s a good question, and a hard one to answer.
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Patrick Smith: Okay, so I just have a couple of questions to ask you if you ’ re up for it. I ’ m a big fan.Īndrew York: Oh, thank you. Wow, it ’ s really quite a thrill to be talking to you. I ’ m always up this late.Īndrew York: Okay, yeah. How are you? It ’ s not too late for you? Andrew and I spoke via Skype on the evening of May 10th, 2015. Below is a transcript of my conversation with Grammy award winning composer/guitarist, Andrew York.