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Lior Navok Interview
Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005. © Copyright 2004-2008 David Bruce
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Lior Navok is a young Israeli composer whose music has been performed by the likes of Radio Philharmonie Hannover NDR, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Commissions include the Koussevitzky Music Foundation (a new string quartet for the Borromeo String Quartet)
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Lior Vavok
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Tell us something about your background.
I was born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1971. In spite of the country's daily existence problems, it is incredibly rich in culture: excellent musicians arrive to perform in Israel frequently and a lot of Israeli musicians have their mark in the worldwide music scene, to mention just Daniel Barenboim as an example.
At the age of three, I remember stopping regularly at a nearby music store, just to stare at the instruments. It was the most fascinating thing for me. It seems like already then I understood that playing instruments is something I would like to do in my life. My "official" music studies started at the age of 7-8.
I started by playing pop music, then Jazz (around 16) and only around twenty one I started enjoying, playing and creating classical music.
At 18 years old, around 1989-90, I started my mandatory army service of three years. I was lucky to be chosen as one of the army musicians. During this time, I performed five concerts a week and still had time for my own practicing. It was an important period, where I learnt about stage presence and performance a lot, as well as arranging vocal music. After three years, I joined the Rubin academy in Jerusalem, studying composing and conducting. One needs to be in Jerusalem in order to sense how music speaks differently there. In Jerusalem there is a perfume of holiness in the air, where one can suddenly comprehend what the music of Bach is all about. In summer 1996 I left for studies in Boston and started a new chapter in my life. At the New England Conservatory, I got familiar with some new musical directions and techniques. It was a very prolific period as well. There, I believe, my composing career really started. In 2001, after Master's and Doctorate degrees, I left for Paris and Berlin.
How did you start composing?
Through Jazz, I found myself looking for new forms and abstract / free improvisation. At a certain stage, it felt right to notate the improvisations, as if documenting - and so composing begun. First, it was Jazz tunes, songs, small exercises, and later it became full symphonic works in a contemporary classical medium.
What was your first success as a composer?
My first final double bar line.
Where do your ideas come from?
Mostly from observing. A lot of ideas come from nature: sounds, light, densities . . . the sea is a major source for musical ideas. Many of my compositions deal with description of nature, like the "Nocturne" and "Mysterious Pond." People and people's behavior is also a major source of ideas for me. I find that many people are true "characters" - very individual with a particular mannerism, gestures and patterns. In many cases I translate these characteristics into music. My "Six Pieces for Horn Solo" as well as the "Ten Bagatelles for Solo Piano" are basically character's portraits.
What do you see as the role (intended and actual) of new music in the modern world?
I believe that art reflects society. It reflects thoughts, ideas, habits, tendencies, technological advancements, intimate relationships, sociological relationships, political relationships, and so on. Many people view classical music as a source of relaxation from life's tensions and can not relate to modern music which might be hard for them to listen to. In a way, modern music is a mirror of society and for many people it is still hard to look at the mirror. As always it is a matter of time before the ideas composers write today will be fully dissimulated.
Interview by David Bruce © Copyright 2004-2008
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