By Lauren Krugel
Moments after his plane arrived at the Ottawa International Airport from British Columbia, classical violinist Ioan Harea was already in his car and on his way to teach music at the State University of New York in Potsdam.
Speaking on his cell phone somewhere between Potsdam and Ottawa, Harea said it’s not that unusual for him to follow such a tight schedule.
On top of shuttling between Potsdam and Ottawa, Harea says he also needs to dedicate an average of four hours a day to practising his instrument.
“To express what you know and what you feel, you have to have the technique,” says the Romanian-born musician. “It’s like science. You learn how to release power from the violin without effort. That needs daily practice.”
Harea is currently preparing for a concert at the National Arts Centre April 21, where he will also celebrate the release of his latest CD.
“Unaccompanied” is fourth in a five-CD series released by Ottawa’s Dark Skippy Records.
When he records Harea’s music, Michel Legalt, the owner of Dark Skippy Records, says he needs to use especially sensitive microphones to pick up the violin’s sound. While recording classical violin music has its technical challenges, Legalt says he enjoyed working with a musician of Harea’s calibre.
“He’s got the best right arm I’ve ever seen,” says Legalt. “He’s got good control of his sound and he’s very picky about it.”
Harea has played the violin since he was six years old. He auditioned at a music school that had opened up in his Bucharest neighbourhood and his teachers immediately noticed he had an ear for music.
The violin was by far the most popular instrument for students to play because of its prominence in Romanian folk music.
Much of his music, like his “Classic Gypsy” CD, has an Eastern-European folk flavour, while still staying true to his classical roots.
“Gypsy music is violin music by tradition. The violin is built for that kind of music,” he says.
But Harea says he most enjoys playing pieces by Romantic composers like Niccolo Paganini, the famous 18th century Italian composer.
“The violin is very much a romantic instrument. You are unlimited in producing colours and sounds. I think the violin has a singing capability that many instruments don’t have,” says Harea.
Each of Harea’s CDs has a slightly different sound. Some have a classical baroque style, while others include passionate tangos and Spanish-style ballads. “Versatility,” which was released in 2003, is a collection of classical and jazz duets with a variety of other instruments. “Unaccompanied” will feature Harea playing violin solo.
Harea played in orchestras for 15 years, but decided pursuing a solo career would allow him more freedom and creativity.
“It’s much more rewarding being a soloist. You give life to the music,” he says.
In 1979, Harea moved from Romania to Venezuela, where he became associate concertmaster with the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas. There he met Ottawa-native Jo Ann Simpson, a bassoonist who would later become his wife.
The couple moved to Ottawa, where Harea has performed a number of exciting concerts, including one for U.S. President George W. Bush when he visited Ottawa in November.
Things did not start off smoothly for Harea when he moved here more than a decade ago. He tried booking concerts through an agent with no luck. After paying $500 a month to his manager without a single show in two years, he and Simpson decided to start their own company. They run Virtuosi Productions out of their home.
“We’re not only husband and wife, but business partners in a sense,” says Simpson, who books all of his concerts and organizes all of his publicity. She says she and her husband work well as a team.
“You have to be diplomatic because you have to sit at the same dinner table at the end of the day,” says Simpson.
Harea says his career really took off when his wife took over his management because she is personally invested in his success, and can devote all her attention to her husband’s career — unlike other managers who might juggle as many as 40 artists at a time.
“We speak the same language. I think I’m lucky to have that,” said Harea.
Harea will perform on the NAC’s Fourth Stage April 21 at 8 p.m. where he will be accompanied by pianist Eugenia Tsarov and clarinetist Alan Woy.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the NAC’s Box Office.