Faculty Feature: Katie Gavelin
Faculty Feature: Katie Gavelin
Want to learn more about one of Little Mission Studio’s guitar faculty, Katie Gavelin? This faculty interview reveals more about her as a musician, teacher, and pumpkin pie enthusiast . . .
Little Mission Studio: What is your first musical memory?
Katie Gavelin: Waking up to the radio playing country classics at my grandparents house in the summer when I was probably 5. I remember just loving the twangy sound of that music, and subsequently that following christmas they bought me my first guitar and I never wanted to stop after that.
When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?
When I was in the sixth grade I remember doing a project about the solar system and I decided that I wanted to represent each planet with a different piece that I had learned. But I felt that I didn’t know anything that could truly represent Earth, so I wrote something of my own. I remember that distinctly as being the start of me thinking I could really be a musician and do music for the rest of my life. I was so in love with the guitar, and music in general that I made every project I had to do at school somehow involve music, and my teachers graciously let me.
What was the hardest part about applying to music school?
The hardest part about applying for music school was not the audition for me, but the feeling that I was entering into a new environment where studying guitar was truly acceptable. I had gone to a performing and visual arts high school, where you had to audition just to get into the program, but I had been the only guitarist, and actually was accepted more as a flute player than as guitar. I had been encouraged to focus more on my wind playing because there were more opportunities for me with that instrument, and so when I was applying for school it was hard for me to adjust to focusing more on the guitar.
Is there a teacher that stands out as one who was the most musically inspiring to you?
My current teacher Marc Teicholz, even before he was my teacher I was incredibly inspired by him. I first met him in 2011 at a competition in Spokane, WA. I was given an opportunity to take a masterclass with him, and he was so encouraging and supportive of me and what I was trying to do. A few years later I ran in to him again at a festival up in Calgary, AB, where he convinced me to apply to SFCM as a Master’s candidate. He has been incredibly supportive of me not just in my studies, but in my life. He has helped teach me to play in such a way I never knew I could do. The level of growth I have experienced was not one that I thought I could achieve in such a short amount of time, and it has a lot to do with the level of inspiration I get from him.
What is one of your favorite musical performances that you’ve heard?
That is a really difficult one to answer, there are many performances that have inspired me, and many that I have really enjoyed but probably one of my favourites was when I got to see Roland Dyens here in SF a few years ago. To see a man who is so involved with what he does, improvising, playing his own transcriptions and works was so amazing. It was the first concert I had seen since moving to SF and I always think back to it. There wasn’t anything especially flashy about the performance, but it was incredibly moving watching one of the living master’s of guitar.
What is one of your favorite musical performances that you’ve been a musician for?
As a guitarist one of my favorite performances that I was a part of was my first graduate recital. It was probably the best I had ever performed and was some of the most musical portrayals of my ideas and emotions that I had ever been able to convey. However one of my all time favorite performances was when I was member of a marching band, and it was the final performance of our field show at worlds in Japan. I remember that by the end of it I had never felt anything quite like it before, it is impossible to put it into words, all I know though is that it is a goal of mine to recreate that feeling every time I perform.
Favorite musical sound/instrument?
I really love the sound of an orchestra tuning up, when they all have made their way out to the stage and are warming up, and then the oboe gives that one tuning notes and all the chaos that was previously happening is controlled by that one note. It gives me chills every time.
Least favorite musical sound/instrument?
This question is impossible to answer.
Favorite musical genre or time period to listen to?
I enjoy early 20th century orchestral music, and country music. Yes two completely polar opposite styles, but I just love what composers were doing and exploring during that time. And country music makes me think of my grandparents.
Favorite musical genre or time period to perform?
20th century, it doesn’t matter if it is from 1900 or 1999 I love it all. The guitar grew so much during those 100 years that there is just such a wealth of music to enjoy. I especially love music from the mid-century/early 60’s, but some late 20th century music is also really enjoyable for me as well.
Why do you teach?
Why not? I love music, so why not make the most of an opportunity to share my passion with people and hopefully create a similar passion in them. Music has shaped so many significant parts of my life that I owe so much to my current and past teachers, what better way to say thank you than to continue that pattern. There is something so amazing about watching someone gain an appreciation or understanding of really anything through their own hard work and practice.
If you could have dinner with any 3 musicians from any time period who would they be?
- Julian Bream: He is just the coolest dude ever. I could just sit there and listen to him talk about anything forever.
- Igor Stravinsky: He was one of, if not the most opinionated composers of the 20th century, and was so unforgiving that I would love to just ask him any question about anything to hear what he could possibly say.
- John Cage: And I would sit there in silence with him.
If you could only ever eat one of these for the rest of your life, which would it be: cake or pie?
Pie. More specifically pumpkin pie.
What is your favorite dinosaur?
This is hard because I grew up literally an hour away from one of the world’s greatest dinosaur museums. I like T-Rex because really, who doesn’t, but I honestly have always loved the Brontosaurus. They’re like prehistoric Giraffes.
What is your favorite color?
I love and green and purple equally. In fact when I was a teenager I had my room painted the brightest lime green colour, and then I had purple bedding, I really thought I had the greatest taste back then. I have since been convinced to only wear one of my favourite colours at a time now.
If you were an animal, which would you be?
I have been told I am like a mouse. Not quite sure what that means . . . I also think I would be a fox, but I think that is because I can relate to one of nature’s only ginger creatures.
When you’re not playing, practicing, or teaching music, what do you spend most of your time doing?
I wish I had a better answer to this, but it would probably be watching Netflix and cat videos.