MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH: JENNIFER JONES
June is here, and so is our newest musician of the month: the lovely Jennifer Jones!
Jennifer Jones was born in Ottawa, but has lived most of her life in Halifax. She received her early musical training from Jean Fraser at the Maritime Conservatory of Music, went on to study with Philippe Djokic at Dalhousie University and Josef Gingold at Indiana University. She enjoys all her performing endeavours as Assistant Concertmaster in Symphony Nova Scotia, first violinist in Blue Engine String Quartet and a member of Rhapsody Quintet, and devotes much of her time to teaching. She teaches violin at Acadia University and has a private studio of students in Wolfville and in Halifax.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Relaxing after a successful day watching a sunset with perfect peace of mind knowing all who I love are healthy and happy.
2. What living person do you most admire? I admire so many people in all walks of life for incredible contributions to this world but most of all I admire my parents who are full of integrity and a lifetime of unselfish acts.
3. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Without a doubt, my son Noah will always be my greatest achievement.
4. Which talent would you most like to have (aside from playing the violin)? I am so grateful for the ability to express myself through music but there are times I wish my talent was more tangible like the ability to create a beautiful painting, a piece of pottery or intricate quilt.
5. Where would you most like to live? I love living in the Maritimes but as I grow older I do dream about spending the winter months in a lovely warm climate, perhaps a small village on the Mediterranean.
6. What are you doing this summer? I am going to enjoy some of those gorgeous sunsets at our family cottage with my parents and then I am looking forward to a special birthday trip to Eastern Europe and Italy.
7. If you could have lunch with any musician, dead or alive, who would you choose? Why? And where would you have lunch? I would enjoy time with Clara Schumann in her hometown of Leipzig, Germany where I would love to hear her talk of her childhood, her work as a woman performer and composer in the 1800’s. How strong she must have been to do all she did in a male dominated profession and raise eight children with her famous husband who then she watched suffer so much. ( I wouldn’t mind knowing the gossip about her and Brahms either!)
8. What might people be surprised to know about you? I like attending science lectures, visiting the spa and Nova 7!
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- Jones (R) with the other members of Blue Engine String Quartet
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- Performing for a captive audience
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- With Rhapsody Quintet for their Sergeant Pepper show
