Q&A with Samantha Crawford
Sphinx Performance Academy Alumna (2011-2016) Samantha Crawford performs on a William Frye violin and German bow, generously on loan from the Sphinx Instrument Fund, sponsored by Clifford Chiu in honor of Robert F. Smith.
Quarter Note: Do you have a favorite Sphinx memory?
Samantha: My favorite memory has to be my final quartet performance at SPA. Even though the moment was bittersweet, it felt as if I was finally able to give thanks to a program that invested so much time and energy into me.
QN: Has there recently been anything that has inspired your playing/performing?
SC: In the era of social distancing, it’s easy to feel emotionally isolated from other people, but one thing that has recently inspired my playing/performing is the adaptions musicians are having to make due to the virus. I’m now having to find new ways to emote and communicate with my instrument through Zoom or a camcorder rather than straight to an audience.
QN: What has been your experience learning to play the William Frye violin and have there been any challenges?
SC: My experience in learning to play this violin has certainly been one of the most exciting and rewarding events of my life. This is the first instrument that feels as if it is an extension of my own body rather than merely an inanimate object.