Portrait of a Young Artist: Dana Price

The Student Artist this week is Dana Price. She is an accomplished musician despite facing adversity. Price began her musical career playing piano when she was four-years-old and the violin when she was ten. "I just loved the violin, I guess that's why I started," she said. Apparently, Price had to beg her mother for years to let her get lessons.

Price attended a performing arts high school where she played violin in the orchestra, for which she was the concertmistress and president. She qualified to play in the Florida All-State orchestra for six years in a row. And during middle school and high school, she won solo competitions on the piano and the violin. Price made her professional debut when she was a soloist with the St. Lucie Chorale, a professional orchestra in Florida.

At Tufts, Price continued her musical involvement, playing piano in a chamber group and violin in the orchestra. Last year, she won the Music Department's solo competition. Price's musical career was threatened, however, when she got into a serious car accident last semester and shattered part of her left hand. Since she could no longer play the piano or violin, Price decided pursue a new instrument: the voice. She takes voice lessons and made it into the a capella group, sQ!, this semester. The Daily was able to sit down with this incredible, soon-to-be-world-famous musician for an interview.



Daily: What musicians have inspired you the most?

Price: When someone lives and breathes music they project this amazing, intense

aura. Any musician that can get to that point inspires me.



Daily: What has been your biggest musical thrill?

Price: When I can get together with a friend or another musician and just play, sing, jam, or whatever together. You just connect on a whole different level and share something so personal. It's the greatest feeling.



Daily: Can you play "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"? Half drunk? How high?

Price: You're the millionth person to ask me. I can play it.

Daily: Can you play it with your eyes closed?

>Price: I'm sure I could do it with my eyes closed.

Daily: Half drunk?

Price: I've never played drunk.

Daily: How high?

Dana: Why don't you call me up on Thursday night?



Daily: If you had one opportunity to play with any band, orchestra, musician, who would it be and why?

Price: Edgar Meyer is the best upright bass player EVER. He plays the most ridiculous pieces on his bass (check out Zigeunerweisen, a violin piece by Sarasate). He's so versatile, he plays classical, folk, jazz... anything. He's too cool for words. Or Jeff Buckley (if he was still alive). He's so intense and passionate. They're both too cool.



Daily: What is involved in being a concertmistress and why the name?

Price: I nod my head a few times before a rehearsal or concert to tune the orchestra, I lead my section, I change/fix bowings, I keep those rowdy violins in order, you know... stuff like that. Why concertmistress? It's better than concertmaster.



Daily: What makes a piece of music beautiful?

>Price: Soul. After you've practiced and have all the technical stuff down,

everthing's gotta come straight from the soul.