Rose Drucker
Principal second violin Rose Drucker is immersed in the world of Boston music, playing not only for the Boston Philharmonic but also with chamber groups, vocalists, at churches and at weddings, as well as teaching her own students. Despite the hectic lifestyle of freelancers, the Tucson, Arizona native could not be happier at a career which allows her to experience all the pockets of musical life in Boston. Rose sat down with Program Book Editor Pamela Feo one afternoon to share her thoughts on the orchestra, her insight into Boston’s development as a musical city, and above all, her pure delight at doing what she loves.
“I love it all,” Rose states with confident assurance when speaking of her eclectic performance career. For someone with such constantly shifting obligations, she seems completely unruffled as she sits relaxed and focused on the conversation, the steady, calm rhythm of her voice rarely changing. “I think I am lucky that I like performing such a variety of music. Maybe at some point I will want to hone it down a bit but for now it’s good.”
Rose considers the Boston Philharmonic to be one of the organizations most important to her and seems pleased with everything it has offered her. She happily answers “I like it all” when asked to name her favorite pieces played by the orchestra, and again when asked for her favorite memories with the group. By this point Rose is laughing as she realizes that her answers are acquiring a pattern, but she repeats that her contentment is such that she finds pleasure in all aspects of what she does.
Although she has been with the orchestra more than five years and holds the key role of principal second violin, Rose remains remarkably unassuming about her position and says she still feels relatively new in the scene. As principal second, however, Rose is directly involved in shaping the orchestra as she presides over auditions with Benjamin Zander and the other principal strings. She says that often the determining factor when choosing a musician from a talented group is their “special musical personality” which she describes as fun, energetic, and with an enthusiasm for playing—the same characteristics that she says distinguish the Boston Philharmonic and Ben Zander. “Sometimes it comes down to Ben being particularly drawn to a person’s energy in a way that tells him they would be a good fit for the BPO.” Ben similarly makes a connection with audience members during performance and their shared energy can be felt in the concert halls. “They can relate to Ben; it’s something that’s really special and he makes the effort to bridge the gap. We don’t just stay in this little box without anyone being able to appreciate it. Our audience is always really enthusiastic—not all classical music concerts will have audiences that stand up and cheer and get crazy like that.”
Rose credits Boston audiences as a crucial ingredient in what makes Boston a musically rich city—and she should know, playing as she does for such a variety of listeners. “I think that all the organizations are really a testament to audience support. The more people demand live music, the more we get to play.” And yet, Rose laments the lack of contemporary music performance, which she feels may also be attributed to Boston audiences because of their preference for a more traditional classical music experience. “There are a lot of old traditions in Boston musical life because Boston is such an old city and organizations such as New England Conservatory and the Boston Symphony are so established, and it seems like the audiences stay with that traditional side of music. But you have to get innovative sometimes, and I think new music hasn’t really taken off here. I feel like if we don’t get moving with some new things then we might get stuck.” When asked why she thought that Boston’s large population of young students does not have a greater influence on this more traditional slant of Boston music, Rose sits back for a moment to consider before saying thoughtfully, “Maybe part of the reason is because the student population is so transitory; the students are not necessarily staying here afterwards to contribute to the musical scene. But always as musicians and teachers we want to bring in new audiences—not just for us but for their own enjoyment. What Ben says, about how everyone loves classical music but they just don’t know it yet, is really true. That’s why my favorite audience to play for is the Discovery Series audience, because we’re introducing so many non-musicians to these great pieces.”
Thinking about listeners who are new to classical concerts leads Rose to reflect upon how much her own world is saturated by music. “Hmm, life outside of music…” she jokes, as though never having heard of such a concept. “It’s funny because during the season it’s really hard to remember that there is a life outside of music. It’s a part of you that’s hard to separate. And I still meet people who don’t understand that’s it’s my career, it’s not my hobby. I tell people I play the violin and they think, ‘Oh, you get to hang out and play music, how fun is that?’—and it may be fun, but it’s also my livelihood.” Rose insists that she does not hold this misperception against anyone and never once are her comments tinged with bitterness. Her tone remains calm but acquires a warm energy as she touches upon the depth of how much music means to her. “It’s what I work hard at every day, and it’s what I’ve been working at since I was seven and first started to play. We put in so much work, and it’s also mental—it’s mental, personal, emotional, everything. It becomes what you are and it’s your job and it’s what you love—fortunately.”
It certainly is clear that Rose is one of the fortunate ones who fully love what they do, but she understands why some freelancers burn out after a career of uncertain opportunity and no guarantee of stability. “People sometimes get burnt out, which I totally understand. I don’t know how I’ll feel in ten years, but for now, if anything, it has made me better equipped to deal with the changing financial times. When the income is so sporadic as a freelancer you always have to be on your feet. You’re always thinking, this person might not call me so I should audition for this and maybe get some more students, so you’re always looking ahead at what else you can do. People get burnt out and bitter about it because it’s a struggle.” Rose pauses for a moment and then says, as if a new thought has occurred to her, “But isn’t everything? I mean, if you want to be good at something, nothing should be that easy, right? So if you look at it like that it’s not so bad. I haven’t reached the point of burnout. And I don’t think I will,” she says with a smile. The contentment Rose feels for her work is evident in her positive outlook, and her conviction is easy to believe.
Written by Pamela Feo