James Feddeck is a student at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen.
Question: Tell us about yourself: Hometown, family, when you started playing, how you decided on an instrument?
Answer: I was born to a family of non-musicians in Scarsdale, New York. Now I spend most of my year in Memphis, Tenn., where I am the resident conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Oddly enough, despite being non-musicians, my parents had a piano in the living room, which I approached while very young (age 3) and began to play by ear. I began music and piano lessons soon thereafter. In a similar way, I approached the organ in my church while very young, introduced myself to it, and began playing it regularly for church services and occasions at age 8. I also began to play the oboe and played in youth orchestra. It was finally while at Oberlin that I decided to be a conductor in the midst of three instrumental performance majors: Piano, oboe and organ.
Q: Why did you choose Aspen?
A: The American Academy of Conducting at Aspen is a very renowned program, especially to young, aspiring conductors. In my mind, an application to Aspen was a long shot, at best, and when I was admitted it was a dream come true.
This is my third summer in Aspen. My first year in the conducting academy was 2006. I returned last summer, in 2007, and was invited back as the recipient of the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize this summer.
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: Aspen has been a remarkable place of growth to me. It is a rare opportunity, as a conductor, to be in one place for nine weeks, constantly being presented with new scores to conduct each week, while also being mentored by such a remarkable teacher as David Zinman. I am eager to be opened to those things that I do not yet know and to be challenged to develop myself wholly.
The Aspen Music Festival and School provides The Score to the Aspen Daily News.
