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Interview with Thibault Cauvin

September 15, 2007 on 9:19 am | In Boston Guitar Project | 1 Comment

SL: What are your ideas about classical guitar and where do you think classical guitar is going?
TC: The classical guitar is a relatively young instrument, especially compared to the piano or the violin. That means that our instrument and our “world” is growing really fast and every one of us contributes to this evolution. I think it would be a mistake to stop this evolution, which is not over, in playing the same repertory in the same way. We really have to try new things, to take risks in order to make the guitar world more and more interesting and rich.
As a young Parisian of 23 years, I’m personally trying to play the guitar in a modern, dynamic and young way. I would like to attract a younger and larger audience, especially those coming from different musical worlds: jazz, world music, rock, etc. My wish would be to touch, in the same concert, the Bach fanatics and the Hendrix lovers.

SL: After touring so much, what are some of your most memorable experiences?
TC: Every concert and meeting is a good memory, and it’s fantastic to tour around the world, discover new countries, new cultures, and people. It’s great to have a very important discussion about music with incredible musicians but it’s also magical to have a discussion, for example, with an Algerian fisherman about his boat. I like the contrasts and the differences, I like to enter in a “world” for some days and travel to another and another…

SL: You are young and energetic — how does this reflect the music you play?
TC: I play like I am, and I play the music I like and which fits well with me and my ideas. I’m trying to play new music, written by contemporary composers influenced by different musical styles. I try to make the public discover new pieces, more powerful and fresh, and I try to make them enjoy the entire experience as much as I do the guitar!
That’s what I did in my last CD, recorded last year in San Francisco for GSP, which will be out in September. This will be my 4th CD and will be an accurate representation of what I think and what I claim today.

SL: What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?
TC: I would love to play more and more concerts, in bigger and bigger halls, and to record new CDs for big labels. I would like to attract a larger audience to classical guitar concerts, to assist in the discovery in our great instrument to more people. And I want to keep having as much fun as I have touring around our planet!

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Many thanks to Thibault Cauvin for taking the time out of his busy schedule for this interview. To learn more about Mr. Cauvin, please visit his website: www.thibaultcauvin.com.