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Donovan Seidle more info...
Donovan Seidle is the Assistant Concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (since 2003), the First Violinist of the Bell’Arte String Quartet and is a regular performer with Calgary’s Players Chamber Ensemble and the Calgary Bach Society. Donovan is also the Music Director of the Kensington Sinfonia. In addition, Donovan is a regular orchestral, solo, chamber, and session musician around Calgary. Besides performing, Donovan is a composer/arranger who is involved with all manners of freelance writing.
Donovan Seidle began his musical studies in Calgary at the age of 5, and at 10 began taking lessons and classes at the Mount Royal College Conservatory. There, he studied violin with Joan Barrett and Fiona Carnie. It was also during this time that he played and traveled with the Calgary Fiddlers and the Calgary Youth Orchestra. He entered the University of Calgary Music Department in 1995, studying violin with Edmond Agopian. Donovan began devoting his efforts to music composition as well, studying with David Eagle and William Jordan. He worked frequently for Calgary composer David Pierce by 1997, helping to produce musical revue shows, live production shows, orchestra shows, albums, DVDs and jingles. Donovan’s written for film/video, various theatre groups, internet/game projects, and arrangements/original compositions for various musical groups both in Calgary and Chicago.
Having been accepted to music festivals and being involved in a wide array of performing projects has enabled Donovan to travel and perform all over the world. In the spring of 2003, Donovan completed a Masters degree in violin performance at Northwestern University, studying with Almita Vamos, having obtained a full fellowship through the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He auditioned and won his position with the CPO shortly afterwards.
Who do you think are or were the masters of your instrument?
It's a shame recording technology is such 'new' invention in the grand scheme... our aural frame of reference to our art can only definitively go back as far as the earliest recordings without stylistic speculation. That said, without having heard him play (as none of us could have), and based on his writing and innovation, Niccolo Paganini must have been an extraordinary violinist. Ernst, Ysaye... In my own time, I've heard recordings of Heifetz that are simply spectacular. In my own generation, Itzak Perlman, Gil Shaham and Josh Bell are all wonderful. And there are more 'masters' on the way!
Tell us a little about your instrument.
It's a new instrument, made by Alain Carbonare (Mirecourt, France) in 2007. Buying this instrument was a huge step for me, as I have been playing my older instrument since I grew into a full size instrument (around age 12 or so). It's a David Christain Hopf (German) made around 1750. Violin collecting is an expensive hobby, so I can't indulge as much as I might like!
Do you play in any groups/ensembles outside of the orchestra?
Kensington Sinfonia as Music Director, Bell'Arte String Quartet as First Violinist, Calgary Bach Society, Mountainview Connection Players Ensemble, and numerous pick-up chamber groups, recording sessions, etc. ... I might even be fiddling down at the pub, occasionally.
What kinds of music do you listen to when you're "off-duty?" What’s currently on your iPod?
All too much, in any style you can imagine... there's so much innovation going on these days. Home recording setups are becoming so affordable, pretty much anybody can produce something. That means some sifting is necessary... Though not brand new, I've been enjoying the sounds of Esquivel and Xavier Cugat - yeah, baby, yeah!
How do you prepare for a concert? Any "pre-game" rituals?
For me, putting on the 'uniform' of our tux tails is a ritual that prepares me for the concert (despite that I might sometimes be running a little behind!). All of us have a certain way of taking out and cleaning our instruments and rosining our bows that is somehow meditative.
How old were you when you started playing?
5 years old. I saw an orchestra on TV and said "I want to do that."
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