It is impossible to feature female euphonium players and not take a trip to Japan because there are many fine musicians from that part of the world. In this blog interview, we are meeting Misa Mead. She is a euphonium soloist with an international reputation, prize winner at the Jeju solo competitions in South Korea and also a talented arranger and orchestrator.
I once had the pleasure of performing in a quartet with Misa while she was visiting Singapore. Here we are pictured on stage, with my student Chun Meng and Steven Mead!
Before reading her interview, you MUST listen to her playing! 🎵 Here is a recording of her playing Benedictus by Karl Jenkins.
I hope you enjoy reading her interview!
Do you have a favourite composer or piece of classical or brass music?
I like many works by Debussy, Poulenc, and Fauré.
Have you got any funny stories or unique experiences that you would like to share about any musical projects you have ever been involved in?
I sometimes forget things. Once, I went to a rehearsal and realised I had forgotten my instrument. Another time, I forgot my stage shoes and performed without them.
Just last week, I forgot all the sheet music for my recital in Osaka from Kumamoto which is about one hour flight away. Luckily, I invited the pianist from Kumamoto and she left later than me so she brought it, which really saved me.
Sometimes it’s not entirely my fault, though—like when my suitcase was lost in transit and didn’t arrive in time for a concert, so I had to buy a new outfit at the destination. I really need to be more careful!
What 3 songs do you love the most and why?
It’s hard to choose, but when I go to karaoke, I usually sing Close to You by The Carpenters, Ellie Goulding’s version of Your Song, and Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae.
Tell us about some of your achievements as a euphonium player and musician.
I think it would be the fact that I’ve performed concerts in over 25 countries. I also released my third solo album, Classic, this September. - Available to buy HERE.
So far, I have produced three solo albums and a duo album with my husband, Steven Mead.
What would you still like to achieve in your life, musical or not musical?
I want to cherish the person in front of me. I also want to value each and every moment we have in the present, one step at a time.
How did you first get involved in music, and what was your early inspiration?
I started learning the piano when I was four years old. To be honest, I don’t really remember how I felt at the time. When I started playing the euphonium at the age of nine, I remember having so much fun performing that I would run to the music room after school to practice.
Do you have a website, business, or social media page you would like to promote?
Do you agree there are challenges facing female musicians today? If so, what do you think are the biggest changes that need to be made to improve this?
I believe it's important, and as a woman, I support it as well. However, sometimes I see excessive approaches, or incorrect information being spread, and there are also times when it seems like an intentional attempt to undermine others. I can't support that. I think it’s about becoming an incredibly skilled performer and having that ability recognised.
What piece of advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time?
Please try to interact with the people around you with more kindness and love.
What piece of advice would you give to young brass players (or any instrumentalists) to help them find success?
I hope you will pursue what you are passionate about with dedication and joy.
A big THANK YOU to Misa for being interviewed in this blog series!
I hope you enjoyed reading the interview, please share it, like and subscribe and look out for the next one very soon!
****The next interview will be the FINAL one in the series!****
To return to the overview page to see who is last to be featured, just CLICK HERE!
Mark Glover
30/11/24
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