Ashrey Shah, a 2024 winner of Northwestern's Concerto Competition, recently sat down for an interview about his upcoming concert. Shah will be playing Scott McAllister's Black Dog: Rhapsody for Clarinet in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble's concert "Take Me To Church" on March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.
What first sparked your interest in music, and what was it about the clarinet that made it your instrument of choice?
I vividly remember attending a clarinet recital at my local university while I was in high school. I had only been taking lessons for a month or two at the time. The program began with a klezmer work, and from the first notes, I was entranced. I had never heard the clarinet played in such a captivating way. It was the most vocal and expressive type of music I had ever heard. I instantly knew I wanted to be able to express myself in the same way. While I had played the clarinet for a few years in band, I never took it seriously until I realized what I could say with it. The clarinet is an extremely versatile instrument, at home in the klezmer, classical, and jazz styles. I was taken by the flexibility of the instrument. I listened nonstop to the klezmer recordings of Giora Feidman, the jazz records of Artie Shaw, and coincidentally Robert Spring’s recording of Black Dog: Rhapsody for Clarinet.
As you move forward in your musical career, what aspects of your time at Bienen do you think will stay with you the most?
My most special moments at Bienen were in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of the great Mallory Thompson. Dr. Thompson taught me how to hold myself to the highest standards and insisted on utter commitment to the music. I was lucky enough to perform principal on several large works in her final year at Northwestern. I often still hear her in my head, telling me to sing over the barline.
How have you prepared for Black Dog: Rhapsody for Clarinet?
A great deal of my preparation, especially in the early stages, was seeing how far I could push the boundaries of the clarinet. I tried to imagine a sound in my head and match it through any method possible. To me, Black Dog is all about freedom. It channels rock music built from the need to break free from the constraints of society. In this spirit, I’ve added embellishments and extended techniques that I think makes it sound less like a clarinet concerto and more like an electric guitar solo with the gain (distortion) turned up to 10. I’ve added slightly to the cadenza at the end of the piece, extending McAllister’s quote of the original Led Zeppelin song.
Is there a memorable experience that impacted your development as a musician?
Last summer I was fortunate enough to play with the Santa Fe Opera for Der Rosenkavalier. Playing the final trio of that opera was a near religious experience every time. Those special moments of music show you your place in the universe.
Who has been your biggest source of inspiration or support in your musical career so far?
My mentors: Yehuda Gilad, Stephen Williamson, Todd Levy, Dean LeBlanc, Ken Grant, and Michael Wayne have been the greatest source of support and inspiration. I’ve been lucky to have teachers who cared not only about my musical growth but about my personal well-being and future. They imparted gems of wisdom that I apply to my music and my life outside of it.
Is there anything else about your musical path, this particular performance, or your artistic vision that you feel is important to share?
One of the most impressive musical and technical displays I have seen is a thirteen-minute clip of Eddie Van Halen from 1986 improvising and riffing on his solos for a crowd of cheering fans. As Eddie plays, it’s clear that he’s in a complete artistic flow state, free to go where the music takes him. He plays the most difficult technical passages imaginable while smoking a cigarette and it never appears as if he’s even trying. This has been my inspiration for this piece. Be free, play a ton of notes, and don’t try.