LARI
SSA MIRRU: MUSICIAN WITH A CALLING
SSA MIRRU: MUSICIAN WITH A CALLINGWhere were you born?
I was born in Vladivostok, Russia’s Far East. It’s the home base of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet. You can see Japan from the shore.
Were your parents musicians?
My dad was a guitarist and songwriter and my mom sang in the choir. Neither had professional music training.
When did you show the first signs of musicality?
According to family folklore I was doubling on vocals for my dad’s songs as young as two years old.
Were you stimulated by your parents to develop your talents?
Both of my parents were obsessed with music and wanted me to become a professional musician. So, yes.
Was the violin the instrument of your choice? Why?
No. When I auditioned for music school the jury recommended that I start on violin. A friend of my parents was a violin teacher at the school and I think the three of them had conspired that I was going to play the violin. I was in tears. I wanted to play the piano.
You say in your FB profile that you are an ‘amateurish’ pianist. Isn’t that too shy?
Not at all. I minored in piano, but in reality violin took over my life, quite literally.
Did you ever consider another instrument?
I was extremely compliant and malleable as a child. So, no.
Did you immediately seem very talented?
I don’t know. I started at age 6 and won a regional competition at 9. The chairman of the jury was a violin professor at the Novosibirsk Conservatory. After the competition he approached my parents and asked if they would move to Novosibirsk so I could join his violin studio. We traded the ocean for snow storms.
Then came the great step forward: emigrating to the USA to get further classical training. How and why that came about?
T
here is a background story about my coming to America. I was living and studying in Moscow at the time. As a teen I had experienced dizziness and brief blackouts. After a few tests came the devastating diagnosis: a brain tumor. My family had connections in the United States so I got an emergency visa and flew to Portland, OR for surgery. After additional testing my brain tumor diagnosis was downgraded to sinusitis. So instead of brain surgery I got sinus surgery. Not a bad tradeoff. The surgeon, Dr. Gladys Beddoe, who later became one of may sponsors, found out I was a violinist and asked if I’d be interested in playing 'a 'thank you' recital for the doctors. I immediately said yes, they rented me a violin and found a collaborative pianist who introduced me to her friend, a donor of the Oregon Symphony. Her name was Alice Nielsen and she invited a bunch of people from the Symphony to my recital. The next thing I knew Alice and I were exchanging phone numbers and she was asking if I’d like to come back to America next summer. I flew back to Moscow, finished high school, and was preparing to start my first year at the Moscow Conservatory in September. But in August I flew to Aspen, CO as a student at the Aspen Music Festival where I studied with Dorothy DeLay who later invited me to come to Juilliard. Everything unfolded very quickly. I called my parents and told them I wasn’t going back to Russia, that I was going to live in New York and audition for Juilliard in the spring. They tried talking me out of it but it didn’t work. I moved to New York, enrolled in ESL classes at Hunter College and played the Juilliard audition in the spring. That’s how I ended up in the States.You were accepted as a student of Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School in New York. Do you have good memories of her?
Of course I do. Dorothy DeLay was a legendary teacher. She was in her sunset years when I studied at Juilliard, but she was still very active and involved. My fondest memories are when I got to come to her house for lessons. Her studio at Juilliard was like a fortress under siege swarming by students and parents. In contrast, her house was an oasis. The atmosphere was always pleasant and relaxed and the lessons were uninterrupted and productive.
Then came the switch: you decided to become a singer-songwriter. Was that because you discovered a secret, hidden talent or the possibility that you could earn a substantial income?
You mean if I got high just thinking about earning $0.00437 per stream on Spotify? Not exactly. I attended law school after Juilliard and passed the New York State bar exam. If I wanted to make money I would be practicing law right now. But I am an artist. My creativity needs an outlet through music and language, and songwriting is an ideal medium for me.
So you decided to make a career in pop music. How would you describe the style of your songs?
Alternative, probably. I haven’t really thought about it. The album I am working on at the moment is centered around acoustic instruments and percussions. As my style continues to evolve I would like to integrate some electronic sounds.
Apart from love what are your themes?
I don’t think in themes. I think in reactions, like electricity. The verbal formula is a concoction of reactions, but there must be a trigger. Something as simple as a shade of air could elicit a reaction in me. It could trigger disgusting or etherial feelings, depending on my mood. Love is a very multi-faceted reaction, it’s not always sensual. It can be fleeting or lasting, upsetting or comforting, sincere or sarcastic. Reactionary process is fluid and unpredictable. I thrive on it, I get high on it.
Do you also integrate folkmusic in your repertoire?
I am familiar with folk music of different ethnic groups, but I have not had the inspiration to borrow from it yet.
Do you prefer performing your songs solo?
I was in a band few years ago, but at the time I was still searching for my style. I am an introvert and loner, and my songwriting feeds off my solitary attitude. Ideas comes to me when I am alone.
Ever considered collaborating with others?
I don’t think I’d be able to write a song or a poem if I were in the room with a bunch of people, at least not in the inception phase. In the arrangement phase, yes.
When and where was your professional debut?
You mean, classical violin debut? Probably at age 10. It was my first appearance as soloist with the orchestra. I played Fantasia-Appassionata by Henri Vieuxtemps. After the performance the conductor promptly informed me that if I were born in pants (e.g., a boy) I’d become a great violinist. Logically, I did not become a great violinist because I was born a girl. Alas.What makes you different from the many colleagues?
I don’t know, I’ve not given it much thought. My Russian accent?
How much of an idealist you are?
On the scale of 0-10 I am about 8-9. I believe in true calling, egalitarian society, freedom for all, soulmates, equality, and world peace. And downhill skiing.
Can we find you on YouTube and Spotify?
I have not spent a cent on promoting my music yet, except what you see on my Facebook page. When my album is out, yes, I will have presence on other platforms.
Were you ever interested in presenting classical repertoire?
I had spent almost two decades playing classical violin repertoire. At the moment I am mostly interested in writing and performing my original material.
What makes you unique and sets you apart from the rest of your colleagues?
I don’t know. I like when things happen organically, both in music and life.
How many performances do you give per month?
By performances you mean recordings from my bedroom? Zero, at the moment. But it will change, hopefully, soon.
You haven’t set up your own informative website. Wouldn’t that be a good idea?
At the moment all of my energy is being channeled into recording, releasing and promoting my album. Besides, people can find all the information they need on social platforms these days.
What was your greatest success?
When I came to the realization that I am an artist, not a lawyer, and the subsequent freedom that followed. I no longer feel the need to fit into anyone’s definition of success or prove anything to anyone. Very liberating.
Have you ever got a bad press or negative reactions?
Someone had once told me that I should iron my tank top and cut my lyrics down by 50%. I did neither.
What about your personal life? Do you have time for hobbies, travel, or sports? I saw you love skiing and jogging.
Yes, I do. I’ve always been physically active. I love European travel and ski resorts. But otherwise I am pretty boring. I don’t go to bars, I am not a party animal. I’d rather go skiing, chill in the hot tub, read books, or explore a city in Europe, eat chocolate, meet friends. I do love hosting small music gatherings at my apartment, except I haven’t done anything in a year because of Covid. And I want to learn German and French. That’s on my wish list.
Any chance for tours outside America? I saw you were in Israel. Do you get many invitations?
I went to Israel to visit my ailing violin professor, Matvey Liberman. He was the one who brought me to Novosibirsk when I was 9. He passed away just a few months after my visit. I am glad I had the chance to bid farewell. And yes, I would love to tour outside America. I look forward to it.
Any chance to see and hear you in The Netherlands?
Feel free to invite me any time after I get my Covid vaccine. Hopefully, this spring.
Can we expect CD’s of you?
There will be digital distribution, yes.
Is there any question you’ve always wanted to be asked, but never been asked? Now is the chance to ask it and give the answer.
No, but lately I have felt the urge to interrogate George R.R. Martin in court. Me: “Mr. Martin, do you think my client will get to read The Winds of Winter before she dies?”
Mr. Martin: “Who the hell knows…”
His Lawyer: “Your Honor, that’s a leading question! Move to strike..” Yes, I am waiting for the two final books in the Song of Ice and Fire series from G.R.R. Martin!
Anyway, this was fun. Thanks, Jan.
