Clarinet, Curtis, and Culture with Victoria Luperi
Date Posted: February 15, 2018
As a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician, how is your approach different for each of these settings?
Victoria Luperi: I think of my approach as a very integrated one. Whether I find myself playing as soloist, in a chamber music group or in the orchestra, the key is to have equipment that is versatile. This allows me to play comfortably, without having to change the way I play in each setting. This is why I love playing Vandoren products.
You are an active proponent for South American music – what is different (culturally or musically) between South America and the United States?
VL: It is very interesting to me to explore the South American repertoire because I was born and raised in Argentina. I am passionate about being a part of the process of discovering, preserving, expanding, and disseminating the musical legacy of the Americas. While some of this music may not be widely known, it is exciting to me to get to share it with new audiences.
What is your average practice routine?
VL: My routine involves playing long tones, slow vocalization exercises, scales in all forms and shapes (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, so on), technical exercises such as Kroepsch, a few staccato studies and a few etudes. I am particularly fond of the Rode and Uhl books. Quite a bit of my time is also spent learning music that I have to perform under a deadline.
"I am passionate about being a part of the process of discovering, preserving, expanding, and disseminating the musical legacy of the Americas." - Victoria Luperi
You studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with Donald Montanaro. What made him such a great teacher? Who are your musical inspirations?
VL: Donald Montanaro is my greatest musical inspiration. He is an incredibly expressive and engaging performer – the beauty of his tone and depth of his musicality is breathtaking and immediately draws you in as a listener. As a teacher he is persistent, meticulous, patient, articulate, demanding and inspiring, as well as extremely generous with his time and knowledge. Every time I hear his performances, every time I play for him, every time I hear him speak, I learn something new!
If you could meet any composer (dead or alive), who would it be and why? What pieces do you enjoy performing the most and why?
VL: Performing new music is very exciting to me, and I enjoy getting to meet and collaborate with composers. In this regard, I consider myself very fortunate in that I have been able to perform, and even premiere works by composers such as Jennifer Higdon, Behzad Ranjbaran, Richard Danielpour, Osvaldo Golijov, Kevin Puts, Peter Boyer, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Yevgeniy Sharlat, among others.
Recently, I premiered a work for clarinet and orchestra written for me by John B Hedges which is titled “Fantasía sobre Yma Sumac.” It is a terrific piece, and my favorite in all of the solo literature for the clarinet!
Next week, in Chicago, I am looking forward to performing a piece by Elbio Barilari for the Latino Music Festival. The concert will be held on Oct. 12th at Fullerton Hall, in the Art Institute of Chicago.
What advice do you have for aspiring clarinetists?
VL: Pursue your passion with focus and consistency. Keeping a practice log is very useful in this regard. Listen to lots of recordings and attend live performances. Listen to your teacher. Play Vandoren products!
About Victoria Luperi
Victoria Luperi was appointed associate principal clarinet and principal E-flat clarinet of the Pittsburgh Symphony by Manfred Honeck in 2016, having previously held the position of principal clarinet with the Fort Worth and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras. Since 2014, she has performed in the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming.
Victoria Luperi premiered “Fantasía sobre Yma Sumac,” a work for solo clarinet and orchestra written for her by John B. Hedges, with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She has been a featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Madison Symphony, Signature Symphony in Tulsa, Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles, Philharmonia of Kansas City, Córdoba Symphony, Córdoba Chamber Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
A devoted chamber musician, Luperi has collaborated with members of the Emerson and Guarneri Quartets, and performed at the Marlboro, Mainly Mozart, and Mimir Festivals, the Académie musicale de Villecroze in France, the Oregon Bach Festival, Chicago’s Latino Music Festival and the Jackson Hole Chamber Music Series. She recently premiered “Canzoni di Fiori,” a work for two E-flat clarinets and string quartet written for her by composer Till Meyn.
Victoria Luperi has served as lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, adjunct faculty at Texas Christian University and has been on faculty at Brandon University in Canada, the New York Summer Music Festival, the Filarmónica Jóven de Colombia and the Buffet Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. She will serve as a jury member in the Carl Nielsen International Competition in Odense, Denmark, in 2022.
Victoria Luperi is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Donald Montanaro. She began her music education in her native Argentina with Oscar Gieco, and later studied with Richard Hawkins and Yehuda Gilad. Distinctions include the First Prize in the Pasadena Instrumental Competition, the Interlochen Fine Arts Award and the Banco Mayo Award of Buenos Aires. She has appeared in concert broadcasts on NPR’s Performance Today, WQED, WRR 101.1, WFMT and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Victoria Luperi is a Vandoren Artist and Clinician, and a Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist. She proudly served in the research and development team of Buffet Crampon's “Tradition” clarinet model.
Victoria Luperi is married to Andrés Franco, executive director of City of Asylum.