Video installation “Everything is violoncello”

Hundred hours in front of the computer had finally their reward! Danm!

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A MUSICIAN ABOUT HOW YOUR MUSIC IS USED

Music has always been used by power (religion, politics, multinationals…) to lead people’s emotions like the Pied Piper of Hamelin leads the rats. There is nothing as powerful to create emotions and appeal to the subconscious as the music. That’s why we, as musicians, have a big responsibility in how our work and our music is used. Also music is one of the most beautiful, delicate and universal languages of humanity. It is the most pure expression of beauty, it’s also one of the few things that makes me admire and respect humanity.

Of course, as musicians, we have to make a living, we have to earn money. But when somebody wants to book me or use my music, I always ask all info about the event or what’s is it going to be used for. I have to feel I agree and I want to support their cause. Otherwise I prefer to play in the streets. They are going to plant a seed in the audience’s heart using my music as a vehicle! Not in vain, our music will provide “soul” to their event, product or film or whatever. And it will help to reach deeply their audience’s heart. So I want to be sure I want to help them to reach them with their message.

A college of mine once told me “If they pay me, I sing their song. I don’t ask.” Provably he wouldn’t sing the song of AfD (racist German party) no matter how much they pay. Which actually means there are some limits. So, what are your limits? That’s what matters. I think every citizen should have strong ethics concerning basic issues, but as musicians we have a much bigger responsibility, since we have in our hands a very powerful and potentially dangerous tool: music. It depends on how it is going to be used.

Sometimes we can commit mistakes, or maybe we agree with BMW and the way they treat the environment, their workers and the message they spread. That’s fine. But we should take this decision consciously and assuming our part of responsibility.

For me, advertisement is the devil. The big companies are monsters who will never stop their forward motion no matter what’s in their path. They have to grow endlessly and distribute dividends among it’s shareholders. They will step on human rights, dangerous species, forests, or weaker cultures… But they have the money to create the most touching and beautiful advertisement campaigns using as a background they music which will make the whole thing work like charm.

They will never have my music unless I love what they do. No matter how much they pay, I will never sing their song if it’s not mine too.

I’m re-designing my website, and provably I will discontinue this english version. I have always been obsesed with being understood… but provably nobody does actually give a shit about it, so I will focus in more important tasks. Here it goes:

http://davidfernandez.org

My playground!

If being an artist means something, its to keep being a child in this world of grown up people. Laugh at them. Make your living doing what you love. And being a pain in the ass for the powerful ones. My studio is actually my bedroom without the bed (I sleep in the kitchen), but this little space makes me powerful and free. Playing Bach in the mornings in my harpsichord… in the evenings invent new ways of dealing with music. That’s all I need!! Well… having sex from time to time would also contribute to the overall creativity/happiness thing, but unless the pink flamingo wants to surprise me tonight… seems I will have to forget this part of my adult life. Didn’t want I to be like a child?? Scheiße

 

This picture with the Governing Mayor of Berlin is more than a symbol. It’s somehow the culmination of a great love, my love with this city of Berlin. It was 8 years ago that I came here with an only task and obsession: to make my music project become true. I had nothing to start with. So I decided to go everyday to the street to play my own music. No covers, no famous Vivaldi’s tunes. This way I could train my fingers and have thousand of ears in direct contact listening my stuff, and also I could make my living only with my music. To demonstrate to my self that I was willing to struggle for it. I’m not a genius or a gifted musician, this was the only way.

Yesterday I had the honor to be invited to the Rotes Rathaus (City Hall) and share the stage with the Mayor, the Minister for Science from U.K. and two distinguished scientists laureated in the Science Awards gala. They spoke about my work, and gave me the opportunity to play three of my pieces. W-T-F. I’m really thankful.

To reach the City Hall, I had to pass under a bridge in Alexanderplatz in which I played during years. Yesterday I told the mayor, that thanks that Berlin is flexible and opened allowing to play music in the streets, I could make my project grow up until here. Playing in the street gave me a lot of freedom and independence. But it was fucking hard. You get a lot of shit with no filter, almost everyday. You become tough, and your self stem and the quality of your music goes downnnnn…

It was not three or four or five… I was seven long years playing in the streets until my project was strong enough and I convinced myself and others that there’s nothing like it.

It’s curious, 2018 the city of Berlin declared the “cello instrument of the year”. Somehow yesterday’s awards ceremony was for me something else, it was the weeding between Berlin and me, yesterday my girlfriend became my wife. I got married with the city of Berlin. Like all relationships it was tough and we had very bad moments, but our love won over adversity. I almost kissed the mayor in the mouth. 

I love this city

The olimpic games of cello

I was in the left side of the stage, waiting for my performance. On stage a cello quartet playing, they were Matt Haimovich, Giovanni Sollima, Arnau Tomas and Reinhard Latzko. Some of the greatest masters in cello playing, globally respected figures of music… And there was me, a simple mortal who didn’t even finish basic studies in school. But I had worked so much, that I was not nervous. Also I had Misha Maisky with me in my ipads, so I was not alone. They finish —the stage simulates a big cafe— and they take a seat around, the sound of one thousand people clapping announces my time has come… the production team places a platform with my electric cello in the middle of that huge stage. I could say that all my life was meant to end up there, but I feel like it’s normal, I got the power, it’s my time to enjoy. I know the audience is demanding, they know all cello repertoire. Also everywhere around me are renowned cellists. How did actually manage to even put one foot after another until I reached my cello??

I respect and adore those masters. I recognize with no doubt that my skills and mastering of the cello is light-years away from their. They were touched by the hand of god. I was touched by the hand of a monkey. But somehow thanks to my passion and devotion for this instrument and because of my personal approach to it, I end up in among them. Seeing my name together with those living legends and masters of the cello is for me like for a lonely african runner being in the Olimpic Games with Usain Bolt by his side. Oh la la!!

Kiki, you were right

Twenty years ago I ended up in Amsterdam by chance. I had been playing the cello for a few years, my love for it was enormous and devastating because of being impossible. I saw a sign on the street “National Cello Competition”, and I attended three days to see and hear all the rounds and cry in torrent, because those guys of my same age played Schumann or Bach like I would not play it in even one hundred years of practicing.

After one of the breaks an elderly lady approached me, how could I forget her name: Kiki. She asked me what distressed me so much, she wanted to know what was tormenting me. Without knowing her at all, I opened my heart: the cello was everything to me, but I had never had any musical training, and after a few years of practicing up to ten hours a day, I had understood that I had zero talent or skills for it. But still I loved it with all my being and it was impossible for me to leave it (as in fact my father, my mother, my brother suggested me … and anyone who was close at that time and loved me).

She listened to my dithyramb without interrupting me, at the end she looked at me, and told me some very simple and direct words: “I see that your life is the violoncello, so do not hesitate, dedicate yourself to it. If you can’t play this classical music, then make your own music, invent it, and do not do anything else.”

She left me K.O. I told her it was absurd. That it was totally out of my reach. He shook his head again, looked me straight in the eyes, and told me I just had to do it, she could see it clearly, period.

Today I’m flying to Amsterdam, that same “National Cello Competition”, became years ago the Cello Biennale Amsterdam”, and I’m going to play my fucking cello with my own fucking compositions. Tomorrow is the opening and I will play next to the winner of the previous edition. Hahahahahaaa … Provably I will meet Misha Maisky in the breakfast buffet of the hotel, my hero of youth! And I will play on the same stage as my Catalan hero Jordi Savall.

They way was not easy (seven years playing music in the streets…), but Kiki, you were right. I hope you’re still alive and I can kiss you in the mouth and give you some flowers. Your words were water in the middle of a desert.

Cello daddy!

Ahhhh… There it goes this teaser will all masters of cello. Already in Berlin totally focused and inspired to do a beautiful job in Amsterdam.

How beautiful is when you get the trust of people. Then you can do your best and enjoy each moment. What a dream to play in Grote Zaal Amsterdam!!

Getting ready for Amsterdam Biennale

Working in new ideas and trying to make a more solid concept in the use I do of the touch-screens.

Changing focus

Happy and fulfilled. After premiering my new theatrical performance “No future Yes” (oohhhh… two years of work which seemed were going to end nowhere. We did it!!!), now it’s time to focus in one of the highlights of my career… Playing in the Cello Biennale Amsterdam is a dream that I never dared to actually even dream. But now I have 20 days left to make it true!!! Let’s did ti!!

Hahhaahh… the first meeting was really funny. At least for me.
In five days we will premiere it. Afer two years of work!!!

https://www.tnt.cat/en/tnt-espectacles/no-future-yes/

Oh Jackie!!

A recently re-discovered live performance of Du Pre playing Dvorak concert. Wtf. Take a rest of fucking social media life and watch this monument of music with this fighter of the bow.