Fred Moisan: Transcript
Frédéric Moisan:
The most interesting aspect of the research was to be able to see the manuscript in Helsinki and see on the paper the differences. I had my white gloves and I opened it, and it was such a wonderful experience. First of all, the manuscript had a lot of drawings. Sibelius was drawing pine trees, birds, sunset in some places, some passages. So you kind of enter his head and the mindset he had at that time. Or he would suddenly take the pencil and scratch all this passage. I was trying to see what was behind.
Leah Roseman:
Hi, you're listening to Conversations with Musicians with Leah Roseman. I'm joined by my colleague in Canada's National Arts Center Orchestra, violinist Frederic Moisan. Originally from the Breton town of Saint-Brieuc in France, he immigrated to Finland and then Canada. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talked about windsurfing, family, languages, different cultures' approaches to education, the challenges of playing the violin, the original version of the Sibelius violin concerto, which was the subject of Fred's doctoral dissertation, life balance and fly-fishing.
We talked about the differences between being a freelancer to being an orchestra member. Fred has great advice for colleagues and students preparing auditions, and you can find these various topics in the timestamps.
Like all my episodes, this is available as both a video on my YouTube and a podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. The transcript is linked on my website to the episode. Finally, do check out the link to my Ko-fi page in the description, since I really need my listener support to keep this project going.
Hi Fred. Thank you so much for joining me today.
Frédéric Moisan:
Hi, Leah. Very nice to be here. Thank you.
Leah Roseman:
You grew up in Brittany?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
And I was researching, I think you've told me a little bit about it, but it seems like the Newfoundland of France. It's cold, it's windy, it rains all the time. Very cold ocean.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, and it's funny you say that because there was a link between Newfoundland and Brittany, as many fishermen went to get, how do you call that? la morue, I think it's cod.
Leah Roseman:
Cod, yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
Cod, yeah. Fishermen from Brittany went there. It was in terrible conditions, you can imagine at that time. But yeah, so there is definitely a link in that, and also probably with the weather, even if it's milder, of course, in Brittany. But these big cliffs... When we went there with the orchestra, I was very surprised also that there are some similarities in these big cliffs, actually. And the sea. We have a lot of storms in Brittany, of course, coming from the Atlantic, directly from Ireland, and then hitting France right there. So it's beautiful, actually, when you see the sea in these conditions. Love it. I miss it. I miss it a lot.
Leah Roseman:
It's been hard with the pandemic particularly for travel.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, right. But I've been lucky. We went to Finland last summer. We had to. No, no, it was great to be able to go back again.
Leah Roseman:
What was it like for you? You grew up in Brittany and you did a lot of studies there and then you had gone to Paris.
Frédéric Moisan:
It's been something. I've been studying in Brittany for 17, 18 years. 17 years I think. Then I took some lessons from a teacher in Paris. I went back and forth and she also came quite often. Then I went to Nantes. That was for two years. I had the privilege to be part of, it was called... How French can put names like that? It's Formation Superieure aux Metiers d'Instrumentiste a Cordes d'Orchestre. And that was a huge acronym and I don't remember it.
But yeah, basically two years of learning how to play in an orchestra with concert masters from all around France and also conductors from all around France. It's a little bit like Orchestre des Jeunes de France. But it's much more focused on the string playing, actually. Even we played symphonies, it was very much into that. So it was a great period. I loved it. We had Pascal Verot, Roffe and all these great conductors coming. Yeah, very interesting.
Leah Roseman:
So I'm curious, do you think they set up this institute that because they felt there was a need for string players to learn how to play an orchestra because the focus is more on solo playing in Conservatoire?
Frédéric Moisan:
Exactly. I think that's missing in the education, totally. Basically you just play concertos and concert showpiece. And even sonatas, the first big sonata that I played was in Finland.
Leah Roseman:
Oh, wow.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, I know. Well, I played some small ones. Not small ones, but you know what I mean. But yeah, there was clearly a need to open this and it's still on. And actually, there are now different ones in Lyon, in Paris, in Nantes.
Super interesting. It was short sessions of three, four days, what was it? Once per two weeks or something like that. So I was based in Nantes because of that, and I was also in that Cours Superieur in conservatory. When you graduate in France in conservatory, then you have the option to continue study your studies.
Leah Roseman:
Because of the Conservatoire system, are people going to university to study music or not so much?
Frédéric Moisan:
No. I mean, the performance studies are not in university. I know now there is a statue for... Even when I was a student in conservatory, I didn't have a student statue, so I couldn't go to the restaurant universitaire or having all these advantages you have as a student. But it changed. I was away already, but it changed. No, no, it's very academical for university. I used to actually go to musicology just because of that, because I needed a statue and my parents wanted me to apply in law or medicine. Of course, I was not interested into that. I just wanted to play music. But the only option was to maybe go in musicology. And I did that for two years, but just enough to keep my statue and then left.
And this academy I told you about, Orchestra Academy, I had the statue with that.
Leah Roseman:
Sorry, Fred. You mean status, right?
Frédéric Moisan:
Status, sorry.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, not a statue. Of course, yes. No, status. Sorry for that.
Leah Roseman:
Actually, it's funny, you always agree to speak in French with me at work, which I completely appreciate because I never get to practice French really, other than speaking with you. It's funny to speak English together. So let's go back to growing up in Brittany before we leave that. Because I know you're very connected with nature and you used to search for mushrooms with your dad. How did that affect you in terms of balancing your life? Because when we're serious about violin as a young child, it takes so many hours of practice.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. First of all, in Brittany, I grew up near the sea. I was steps away. So I spent my time in the water doing surfing, sailing, wind-surfing. That was two, three, four times a week until I was... 17? I told you about this special teacher I had who would've changed... Made me grow up faster in that way that I had to take a decision, and also maybe cutting things that were taking a lot of space and that were not good for what I was going to do, talking about the violin playing as a career, potentially.
But coming back to Brittany and this outdoor, it's been part of me since I was very young. I think what I miss the most from Brittany, again, it's the sea, the open space, being able to watch from... You can see what's there, maybe Newfoundland. I love that idea and I miss that a lot.
When I went in Finland after that, it's kind of flat, except in Lapland, and you have trees everywhere, so basically your view stops at the next tree. It was a little bit overwhelming for me. I felt a little bit claustrophobic. But I learned new things. I went skiing. And they have these big lakes also. There are more lakes than land almost in North Karelia. So I found again this feeling of you can go and you don't see what's next.
Leah Roseman:
I'm sure people will be very interested to hear how on earth you ended up going to Finland from France.
Frédéric Moisan:
Oh! When I was about to start this academy in Nantes, that was just when I graduated, I was 17. I got this very pompous grade we have in France called Medaille d'Or, like Olympic Games. It always make me laugh. When I went back, when I came in Canada and I said I had my gold medal from France, people were laughing so much.
But when I got that, I had different choices and I decided to go for this academy. Right at that time arrived a wonderful lady who was even younger than me. So I was about that age, and she accepted to play with me for the audition. I remember she barely spoke French. She came in France for that as an exchange student. And by chance she played the piano. So I asked her, "Would you accept to play with me? I have a Mozart concerto to play, a Mendelssohn concerto." And she said, "Yeah." And because of her, I got to the academy and did it for two years. And I went back to Finland a year later.
Because we were together, I had to decide, what's next after the academy, which was two years. Decided to leave. So I went to my parents and said, I was 20, 21? 20. And I said, "Dad and Mom, I'm leaving. I'm going there." I didn't have any plan. I had a few months, but, well, my mom was shocked. She said, "You really can't do that." I ended up applying in Sibelius Academy. Didn't get the audition. It was really a last-minute thing. I was not prepared, but I wanted to go there and join Anni. She was living in a small... Well, it's a big city in Finland, but it's very small compared to other countries, of course. They're just five millions.
But this small city, medium city, had all the infrastructure. They have an orchestra, they have a theater, they have a conservatory, they have everything. There is a university. By chance there was a teacher there, I played for him. I knew right away that, "Okay, let's go with him, doesn't matter where this is in on earth." It's really random place, maybe 100 kilometers from Russia and in the forest, in the lakes. And I had also a chamber music teacher who was from Netherland, Hans Lodders, a viola player. And he became a very good friend. And when I played the audition for this place, he said, "I've been to Brittany. I've been to Ile de Brehat," which is very close to my place. And so we had a connection right away. So I left. I said, "Okay. Mom, I have a plan, so let's make it." And left.
Leah Roseman:
But when you met Anni, I thought she was just going back to Finland. Were you long distance then?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Wow.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, for more than a year. For more than a year.
Leah Roseman:
And how long did you spend with her when you were falling in love before she had to go back?
Frédéric Moisan:
Not much, actually. I don't know if she... I think-
Leah Roseman:
It was short.
Frédéric Moisan:
... it was short. I think officially two, three weeks.
Leah Roseman:
It's an incredible story because you're together to this day.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, exactly. And when I think now, because we didn't have internet. I mean, I didn't. It was really the beginning. I didn't have an email address, for example. She was the first one to open me on, I think Yahoo, my first email address. And that was a year after. But for one year and more, we sent letters by post and she managed to come for, I think, Christmas. Maybe not Christmas, but once during the year. And I went there also once. And it worked. Well, today it would be complicated. Not having Internet, I don't don't know how we did, but I still have all the letters. It's funny.
Leah Roseman:
That's wonderful. So talk about learning Finish and how that worked for you as being an immigrant there.
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay. Well, this place is not overwhelmed by immigration. So basically, as a French, I was the weird spot in the city when I was crossing the marketplace. You get to know almost everybody. I remember going from the conservatory to my place. In the street, I was able to recognize so many people, which is, you walk in the street in Montreal, you can be in the middle of a crowd and feel very alone. There, that was not the case.
And of course, my English was pretty bad. It's still not good, but it was very bad. So I had no choice to take the easiest way to communicate, so I went for English first. And then Anni was very kind to really help me with that. She had, how do you call that? This Post-It, this small pieces...
Leah Roseman:
Flashcards?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, pieces of paper where she would, every word in the kitchen, you have a plate, you have the fridge, in Finnish all these names so I could see them every day and get to learn them. This chamber music teacher I told you about, Hans Lodders from Netherland, he was married to a Finn also, and he just got a baby, Lowery, when I arrived there. And when I left, he was a year and a half. No, no, no, no, no. Wait a second. No, no. He was three years. But he got to speak almost fluently at a year and a half, two years. And my Finnish was still kind of low, but it's such a complicated language. Very complicated.
I remember driving on the road there, and I had the instructions to follow, the plan and the map, and I had to take one exit. And that name was long as that. I didn't have time to read it on the word sign and I missed it. But it's basically... Well, the feeling I had for during all the time I was there.
Leah Roseman:
For people that are younger, there's no GPS at that time.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, no. Of course not. Of course not. But it's a great language. It's actually a very rich language.
Leah Roseman:
So it's not part of the Indo-European language family. Some people don't realize that.
Frédéric Moisan:
And no, it's a Fino-Hungarian language. And after some research, because I felt I'm terrible with that language, I need to find an excuse not to be able to talk. That's when I heard that there are more similarities between Afghan and Finnish than between France and Finland, and then the language. It's really out of nowhere. There are some common things with Hungarian, also from Basque region and...
Leah Roseman:
Mongolia.
Frédéric Moisan:
Mongolia and Estonia, they have a lot with Estonia. Well, she could talk about that much better than me. But yeah, it's totally out of the European map for languages. Many people think that the Swedish people and all the Norwegian, they can easily communicate together. No, it's another world.
Leah Roseman:
And this Indo-European language family, I know this now but I didn't use to realize, so Persian, the language is spoken in Iran, that is part of the same language family. And in India... Yes, because ancient Sanskrit and languages that came from that are also related. So it's not just most European languages, it's these other languages as well. So it's a very, very huge language family. It's quite interesting. And Finnish, not part of it at all. No connection. Anyway.
Frédéric Moisan:
What?
Leah Roseman:
I'm always fascinated with languages. So the fact that you were able to do that is very cool.
Frédéric Moisan:
What? You learned Icelandic, right?
Leah Roseman:
I studied Icelandic. I didn't learn it.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, but that must be something too.
Leah Roseman:
But it is Indo-European.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
So it's not completely weird. Let's go back to Brittany, because you mentioned in passing your teacher Anne-Marie de Boisgisson.
Frédéric Moisan:
de Boisgisson, yeah.
Leah Roseman:
That how you say her name? Boisgisson. Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, she arrived right at the good moment. I was basically having a career in windsurfing at that time. I was so much into it. 15, 16, 17, the teenager playing the violin is not always the most glamorous thing. It's not I was ashamed of that. It's really not that. But I had so much energy to put that I've been on the water every single time I could. And all my friends are from the same spot as well. We were all in school together. We're all following the wind outside at school by the window, knowing that, "Okay, it's going, there is a storm coming, let's get ready after school to go there." And all year round, because it's not that cold in Brittany, it can get low, but still.
That's not really a sport that's compatible with violin for every single reason. First of all, the cold, the cold water. I had my lesson... I remember that year when she arrived on the Wednesday afternoon. And before that I used to go on the water and come back and I spent hours on my windsurf with, we call that a wishbone. This the thing you're holding. And the grip you have on it when you stay like that in the cold, basically after that, when you take your hands away and you go back home, your hands are still that shape. Doing that, it's a challenge. And I had my lesson after that.
So she's put things right away in order saying that, "Never come back in your lesson in this condition." So I realized she wanted me to do things seriously. And of course she had to, and I had to. So I little by little started to reorganize myself and think, "Okay, that's right. I've been playing the violin since I'm four, and what do I do now? Is it better to quit? Is it better to think ahead and have a plan?" That was actually her point, "If you want to do this, do it seriously or just quit. There is no shame to do that."
And I just realized, no, I actually love what I'm doing. I love the violin, I love music, and it would be too bad. So for two, three years, 15, 16, 17, until I got this famous gold medal, she really trained me. I usually saw her once a week, and then she changed and she would randomly come or I would go in Paris and take lessons. She was very hard with me, very hard. She would even humiliate me in front of her colleagues sometimes, saying like, "You know this guy? Okay. Play your concerto or play your thing." I was not ready enough and that sounded terrible. I felt terrible and I really hated her for a while. And then I realized, and she told me that, "Why do you think I put all this energy doing that for you? Do you think it's free for me to be mean with you?" And so, no, clearly not.
I realized she was basically a second mom for three years and it was easy to inform my parents in a way because they're not musicians and they knew it was hard work to practice. Of course they knew, but the end result is, it's not the same as your own teacher. Then, I practiced like hell for three years and went back to what I used to do before, actually, and got this graduation. She passed away a few years ago, actually, just when I got the job at the NAC.
Leah Roseman:
Okay. Did she know about that?
Frédéric Moisan:
No. She knew I was playing as a substitute. I remember she talked about Zukerman recordings at the time I was her student. When I told her that I was serving with that orchestra conducted by Pinchas Zukerman, she was super happy for me. No, I got the job, and she just passed away.
Leah Roseman:
When you said you went back to what you were doing before, you mean because you were practicing more before you got serious about wind-surfing?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. No, clearly my mom was behind and I had to be for school after school. We all did. But no, I think at 14, 15 I lost track.
Leah Roseman:
Okay. How was Anne-Marie different than the teachers you have when you were younger, like in lessons and the way she approached them?
Frédéric Moisan:
I think she understood very well and rapidly that being hard with me was actually the good way to have a reaction. It sounds bad. It's usually how teachers are in France, actually very often. Not punishing you, but naturally saying what you're doing well and putting the accent and what's not working. Of course, you have to do that, too. I had a discussion with Yosuke a few weeks ago about education. We're talking about our children and I said, "What I really appreciate in North America," I can't generalize for, I just talk about my own experience, but from what I see, and that was the same in Finland, "The teachers are accompanying you and giving you the confidence to work for yourself and not for the teacher, which to me, it's a huge difference." A huge difference.
I think Anne-Marie understood it in a way by saying, "Okay, just quit. If you don't want to do it. It's fine. It won't change my life. It will change your life. But that's your decision. But if you want to do it, do seriously." I started to rethink about, okay, that's right. I'm going in one direction. Do I want to play the violin? Do I want to put all this energy on this? And yes, I want it. I started working for myself. Yeah, I think that's what changed. I was starting to be an adult for the first time, planning ahead for me, not for her, because I knew she would go back to Paris and have her life.
Leah Roseman:
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Were there any fellow students in the Conservatoire who did end up going into law or just doing something completely different?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, with her. She did. Actually, people hated her and I hated her, too, for a while. Many people quit and she was known to be the teacher you don't want to have. Yeah, she traumatized quite many people. It worked with me, but it could be, I get it devastating for some people, and it was. But it was actually at that age, it's a crucial moment where you have to take a decision. In Montreal, for example, when I got there, and same in Finland, many people would go to music thinking that, okay, I have no idea what I want to do in life. Why not trying that? Which is great because in Finland they have the structure and they have the financial aspect of it because there are grants for everyone. So you can try, which is really a great thing. But by trying, I don't think you would take it as seriously as if your money is counted, your time is counted. You can't really change after that. I don't think it's the same mindset.
In Finland and in Montreal, I remember some students coming and not having necessarily the level to go further but doing it. I think it's a great thing because playing music is not necessarily to have a job, and of course not. But at that age, 15, 16, 17, we all have to take a decision, right? My parents were concerned about, of course, what I would do later and am I going be a troubadour all my life. No, no. There is an aspect, I'm still thinking about. Of course, there are some positive things in the education in France and there are some bad things, and same in other systems. But probably something in the middle would be a perfect match.
Leah Roseman:
How about your non-musical education like your secondary school, talking to your partner and her experience in Finland, how is that different?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Annie went to, like you can do in Canada, she went to a school where she had a Music concentration, Art concentration, I think starting very young. We should ask her, but I think 12, 13. The schedule is arranged in that way. You can combine the basic school system with some arts. You have it in France, too, but it's a concentration that's very rare and it's located in just few cities. You're young at that age, too. You want to move away from your parents to study that. Maybe it changed, I don't know. But at that time, I was doing the normal school. I remember I had a great teacher, too, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, who actually conducted Les Violons du Roy last year, I think, or two years ago. He proposed my parents to go to Paris to study when I was much younger and not following the general school system. My parents say no, because it's a very big risk if you do that. You miss the general education, in a way. So no, I went to a normal school.
Leah Roseman:
Okay. I was aware that in Finland, teachers, I think they all have to have master's degree. They're paid a lot more than other countries. Their education system's considered much better, right?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, right. There is much better value for teachers than in France. We hear strikes all the time in France for many different works. Their education system is lacking. A lot of people there, I know they are hiring right now because of ... It's the same in Quebec, actually. Of course, we'd hire people, but also people from other fields just to fill the holes. Yeah, no, no. The education system in Finland is known to be really modern and great. I've been to Anni's school in the French classes few times to talk about France at that time. She didn't graduate yet in high school. Yeah, it's much different. But it's funny because I think with the cultural aspect also of the differences between France and Finland, if you put that system in France right now, I don't think it would work because we're not as disciplined.
Because we've been always trained to follow that kind of system where you work for the teacher, the teacher will punish you if you don't do that. So there is a relation that's ... It just wants you as a student to play the fool or to go forward to push the limit all the time. They're also in Finland as I say, they work for themselves. They know there is actually no reason to blame the teacher. Their class was very interesting. It was a normal class with the same amount of people, but everyone could talk when they want. But there was this courtesy that you wouldn't find in a class in France at that age. Clearly not.
Leah Roseman:
The way that state supports young people, they give them quite a lot of financial support when they graduate high school.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. I got a grant from Finland when I went there. I was a foreigner. Basically, it's free. School is free. Plus that you get a grant for helping you to live. It's a wonderful system. That must cost a lot, of course. But putting the money in education, I think they got it. They got it.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah. Let's talk about your mom, because you were saying she did really help you with your discipline when you were younger and support the fact that you play violin.
Frédéric Moisan:
She was the one who introduced me to music when I was four. I think she understood clearly that music could bring a child, many, many, many things that could complete other, I don't know how to explain that, but she basically understood that art was very important in life and it's never too early to be introduced to art. I started the piano first, and then I don't remember that, but my mom said that at the piano lesson, the teacher had a violin on the wall above the piano and I said, "What's that?" She took it and I started doing a mess with that.
Then, the teacher said to my mom that, "It seems that he's kind of interested into that instrument and maybe he could try that." I was not interested in the piano, obviously, so I started doing this small instrument. She continuously, during all these years, followed me every day. She learned the violin at the same time as me. Of course, like all the parents, you have to, to be sure, from a non-musician's family. And you're interested in what your child is learning, you have to, in a way understand what the child is doing, I mean, and the basics.
Leah Roseman:
Not every parent will do that. I mean in the Suzuki Method, that's expected, but-
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay. In that case, she was. She was very interested into it. When I was practicing something, she thought that it would be important to know what I was doing, so she could help me. She did until a certain level, of course. Then, my grandparents from my mother's side, they were a lot into music as listeners. My grandfather was passionated by music. He would bring me to concerts when I was so young. I remember, it was terrible. He brought me to a concert of Paul Tortelier the cellist. I don't know how old I was, but I had this shorts made of flannel, so it's a kind of wool. It was scratching me all the concert. I just thought about that, please put me outside of this. It's terrible. When I know that I was assisting at that concert and I was just thinking about my shorts scratching me, I want to go back there and change it.
But yeah, I went to see Anne-Sophie Mutter. He brought me to Paris to see concerts as well. He was in the car, he was constantly listening to Beethoven's quartet. That brought me also into this world a lot, coming from an non-musician family. My dad is an entrepreneur selling industrial paint, and he was the one to convince at some point when it started to be serious enough to, okay, maybe I'm going to study that later. Didn't like it first, but then he encouraged me a lot. My mom, until she passed away, she was constantly following and super interested into that. My dad, too, of course. But with that aspect of a mom following her child from the beginning to where he is right now, and they were implicated.
Unfortunately, she passed away almost two years ago. The last time I saw her was in Paris when we played the concert in Île de la Cité. Of course, because of the pandemic, I didn't see her for a while. We had to stay here. It was almost three years, which was the first time in my life because I used to go every summer to visit my family or they would come. But I'm happy that the last time I saw her, it was at the concert and she got to see, I don't know if you were there after the concert, we went to the restaurant and she got to see a lot of our colleagues as well. I was happy for that. Yeah, very happy.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah, it was such a shock that she died in an accident and you had to travel. It was a really difficult rules...
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, this happened two weeks after I got my daughter. It was a rollercoaster of emotions where you have this most beautiful thing in your arms, and then you hear about that. Also, it's very interesting that the last time I talked to her, which was actually a few minutes before she died on video.
Leah Roseman:
Oh my goodness.
Frédéric Moisan:
We talked about, we just got the house. I mean, we were about to get it. We didn't have it, but we had plans. We had view on this house. We bought this house because it was big enough to have our parents, Anni and my parents, to visit and stay longer than when you live in a small flat downtown, and she was so excited. Then, I just told her that, "I have to send you a video. I was dancing with Salme on the Dance Of The Flowers in the Nutcracker. And Salme was, of course, she was less than two weeks, almost two weeks. But I remember she was smiling all the time when I was doing that. So I said to my mom, "I'll send you that. You will like it." I sent the video and realized that, you can see if someone watched it or saw it, and no, she never saw. But the last talk we had was about all this very positive things coming up.
Leah Roseman:
It's her mother that you call every day.
Frédéric Moisan:
My grandma, yeah. Yep. Mamushka, we call her with that name. Grandpapa and Mamushka. My grand dad passed away three years ago, and my grandmother is still alive. She is 92, very good physical shape. Of course, she was devastated. And she's still devastated by my mom's accident. But we talk every day. We send pictures, we call every day. I think she's keeping it together by keeping this close relation. It's not just with me, it's with my brothers, too, she's talking every day. She's taking the lead now a little bit, and it's great. It's great.
Leah Roseman:
I saw that video you had shared with your grandmother where she spoke about the values of bringing up children with nature instead of toys have them play with sticks. It was really beautiful.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, it's for Christmas eve, because that she was interviewed in Le Monde, that big newspaper in France. It was an article interviewing I think nine people who were more than 90 and having kind of a nice life and still doing a lot of things. She was one of them. At Christmas, I received a package with the real paper, with the interview and the pictures. She's so modern. She's so modern. She's first of all, very agile with internet. She knows almost as many things as I do on the internet. All the smileys, she knows them super well, and how to send pictures, files. That's the first thing. Also, you wouldn't say she's 92, honestly. It's really incredible. Really incredible. I hope you meet her. I'm trying my best to bring her here and she'd love to, it's just complicated at that age, I think. I should go and maybe travel with her. But because my mom never, never came here, actually even in Ottawa, because of the pandemic and because of life, she would love to come, not for her, but to see. Let's see, let's see. Maybe I could manage to bring her, I would hope.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah. So now that you're a dad, what do you think in terms of balancing your life as a musician and the way you're bringing up your child? I mean, she's still very young, but in terms of the way you were brought up and so on.
Frédéric Moisan:
Well, it's clearly a life changer. I think the time is the key. Many times, I heard before we had a child that enjoy all the free time you have because it would never be the same, for the best. Of course, for the best. But I always heard that, but I think you have to experience it to really realize it. So yeah, I had to organize everything differently, take every minute, I have to be efficient in my practice. I have to say, it's easier now a little bit. But yeah, last year, it was a mess. It was such a mess, especially with COVID, daycare being closed every second week. But no, talking about Salme is her name, I think she arrived at the right moment because just before my mom died, it's a life for another in a way. And she's bringing, "elle rempli ce vide".
Leah Roseman:
She's filling that hole, that void.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And it's just pure joy. And I can't conceive life now without that. It's The most beautiful thing that could ever happen to me and Anni. I know it's not for everyone, but... I can't describe it. Every morning, I wake up and I'm just like, "Am I dreaming?" Do we really have this beautiful thing that's bringing love and sunshine in our life every day? Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
And she's trilingual.
Frédéric Moisan:
She's almost four languages because we realized after a while that they had this sign language at the daycare.
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. She had to go in a daycare. We were lucky enough to find one because it was difficult. And it's an English-speaking daycare, which is all fine. So, she is most probably speaking English more. I mean, hearing English more than at home because you spend your day at the daycare. It's quite long. The Finnish with Ani, the French with me, and then it's a mess in her head. It's starting to come now during vacation time. It's going much faster, but she would say, for example, "Papa, more." So she has these three languages for... I mean, two for more with these signs.
And she would come up at home with some new signs we don't understand. So we are searching, like she would do that. And I'm like-
Leah Roseman:
Help.
Frédéric Moisan:
"Help." Now I know. I'll do that. And that's play. And yeah, she manages to surf with all these different languages. It's very funny. It's very funny. It can be super frustrating for her because of course, she's willing to communicate. And we were like, it's like playing a game. There with this game where you have to find what the person is miming. But sometimes she was like, "Why don't you understand me?" Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
I took anthropology at McGill, a couple of courses. My sister's an anthropologist, so I was influenced. And I remember a prof talking about, he'd done research about circus families, that these children might be able to speak seven languages. And they would mix up the vocabulary, but they-
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay.
Leah Roseman:
... Would have the grammar and syntax very clear, because we're wired when we learn that very young, word order and all that, which I always found fascinating. So, I learned some sign language when we adopted our second child from China, because I knew that she wouldn't know English when she was at the age to be speaking. So, I had learned some signs and that the first communication we had with her was through ASL.
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay.
Leah Roseman:
And then when she started to speak, it was with the signs she knew. And then we returned to that during the pandemic.
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay.
Leah Roseman:
I was studying with ASL now for fun, which is really... It's a beautiful language. I mean, there's many different sign languages all over the world, but that's the one were using.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, it's funny actually, because I got a book from the library a few weeks ago about sign languages. And I was studying it hardly and going to Salme and saying any signs like it. And she would look at me like, "What? What's that?" And I realized that's signs from France and they're different.
Leah Roseman:
Right.
Frédéric Moisan:
So anyway, yeah. But you are right about the... Probably, it's a mess when it has to come out of her mouth because she picks basically what she can say. But I will like that because I always speak French to her, we decided and we heard that it's for the best too, that we keep our language for many different reasons. But one day I remember, I'm reading her story every night in French, and one day, she wanted that book in the pile. And I took it and it was in Finnish, and I started speaking Finnish and she looked at me. It's terrible. No, no, but she really understands that it's not appropriate to me. So, yeah.
Leah Roseman:
That's really cool. So what was it like for you the change, if we can go back to orchestra when you're subbing. So you were playing in Montréal doing all kinds of different gigs, and then you would come in maybe at the last minute and high pressure, trying to make a good impression.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. That was a tough and very instructing, on peu dire ça? instructive. Yeah, instructive a job to do.
Leah Roseman:
Yep.
Frédéric Moisan:
Very stressful, you're right. Very stressful. I remember at that time, that was Ryan who was taking Meiko's position while she was away for her pregnancy. And it was after Christmas vacation, my dad was here. We're in a cottage and I got a phone call the day before after the vacation time. It was 10:00 PM and it was for coming in Ottawa the day after. And it was Bruckner... Oh no, no, no, it was Nielsen Symphony. And I really was about saying, "No, it's ridiculous." I don't know. I said, yes. I don't know why. And I spent my night not sleeping, just looking at the score with the music. I couldn't play it, it was at night.
Yeah. So at least I knew the music with the score. But no, it was so stressful, so stressful. And of course, having the position makes a big difference. But as I said, if you're playing... I was having my gigs in Montréal, especially with Collectif9 or other ensembles, there is a different tempo all the time. If you're used to that because you've been doing that all your life, it's also very, very rich. When I was in Montréal as well, I used to work for Olivier Perrault, the violin maker, to help him find new instruments or help some customers. So I got to play many different violins and I loved it.
He would also do some tuning, some fine tunings on instruments. And I was here to play and say, "Okay, that's helping that way." So I would experiment with other things. And I was fascinated by that aspect. So all these different kind of works, I think if you have the chance to survive with that because you're waiting for the phone calls basically. And I was lucky enough to have them, but it's super stressful. Of course, that aspect of being ready 24 hours later for a concert is one thing, but the financial aspect is another one.
You can't predict things in advance. Yeah. Of course, the last years before I went to NACO, were much easier because there were some settles. You're always playing with the same ensembles, and they call you all the time. But when I arrived in Montréal, I didn't know any people. Of course, I was a student but you have to get some money. And little by little, it's coming. Yeah. And then starting with the orchestra, it's another tempo where in a normal season before COVID and it's probably getting there again, it's also never stopping. You have to keep it together. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Our colleague, Joanna, our principal flutist, she sent to me many years ago, which I love that it's true image for me, we always have a conveyor belt of music.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yep.
Leah Roseman:
Conveyor belt-
Frédéric Moisan:
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Leah Roseman:
... Like in a store where it's rolling. You put your things...
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, exactly.
Leah Roseman:
That's what it feels like, right?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Yep.
Leah Roseman:
It goes by, and then it's gone, and then it's next the thing.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yes. So, it was a very different way also of practicing, because... Of course, as a sub, you have to learn superfast the music and put things together. Nobody knows that you've been called 24 hours before. So I have so much compassion for subs, so much.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
Especially with Collectif9 for example, where we had a show put together that we would recall, that we would tour with, it's a different kind of practicing. It's like practicing a concerto. You have time, of course it's hard music, but it's different. It's much different. And you get to know every single part of who's playing what, and there is no conductor. It's not the same. It's very chamber, so it's not the same. I don't say, I don't do that with the orchestras, not necessarily having the time to do it all the time. And when I started playing with NACO, I didn't have that much symphonic experience. Of course, I've been subbing with orchestras. But when you say this conveyor thing and you play this Brahms symphony. I don't know when Eddie or Karoly says, "I've been playing 600 times Nutcracker." And that's the first time for you with one rehearsal.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
Of course when you played it three, four years, it seems almost easy. But the first year, yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
So also a lot of compassion for subs and for the new members.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah. And what's it like being on the other side of the audition screen?
Frédéric Moisan:
Oh, I have to say, I liked it and didn't like it in a way. I liked it, because... Of course, you have the chance to choose for a new colleague and it's very exciting. Also, a lot of responsibility in the decision. We're not always all agree, and you have to defend what you think. And also the stress that... Because my audition was five, six years ago, it's still super fresh. When we started-
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
... The audition, I could feel the pressure. And I'm sure you do too, right? It's a lot of pressure for every participant. Yeah. So a lot of empathy for that. But no, it's very interesting because you've been there before personally, and then you hear what people are doing in the same process. And yeah, it's very interesting.
Leah Roseman:
In Europe, are they using screens the same way?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. I'm not sure if it's at the final. I'm not sure. But yeah, before that, yes.
Leah Roseman:
So, I think almost every orchestral player I've interviewed on the series, we have discussed screens, but some listeners may have missed those discussions. So just to briefly say, in order to have more diversity and equity in the last generation or so. Orchestras, we use a screen so we do not see who's coming. We have no idea of their-
Frédéric Moisan:
Yep.
Leah Roseman:
... Experience or education or anything. We just go based on what we hear.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, definitely. And I don't see how a process could be more fair than that. Of course, you can debate on is the best player in an audition, the best fit in an orchestra. That's another topic. But for the screen and the process, no, it's super fair. And so many people also in the jury that coming from different sections.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, it gives a lot of equity. Yep.
Leah Roseman:
When I joined the orchestra, there were four people on the committee and now there's 12.
Frédéric Moisan:
Really? Okay.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, no, it's a great process. And I will really like their experience for that. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Do you have advice for people practicing for auditions in terms of the way you approached it?
Frédéric Moisan:
I think my advice would be... Because I heard that so many times, "I will audition for a place"- It's what I heard-" I would audition for a place just for the experience and training." Well, in my opinion, I don't think people not so ready, but they just want to have their experience. It's a stressful situation where you can be a little bit traumatized in a way. So, I would put all my energy to make it valuable.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
Definitely. And yeah, record yourself as much as possible because you are your - "tu es ton pire enemi" when it comes to-
Leah Roseman:
You're your worst critic.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Exactly. I mean, also play for other people of course, because they're good too. Sometimes we forget, we can hear the recording and don't even hear actually anymore what's missing. For sure, I would make the audition process as seriously as possible preparing for it. Learning what's happening in the excerpt, not what you're playing because you can really hear when people know the context. That was very interesting. I found it very interesting. Sometimes you could hear that, okay, there is something happening here. If you know it, you wouldn't do that. Yeah. And good luck.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah. So have you changed your routine in terms of keeping in shape since you have more limited time now?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, I've been starting to put things together, honestly the last month since things are a little bit more stable. Last year with my mom passing and Salme is arriving. All this COVID mess, I was a little bit off track. Just before that, I would take every single minute and go and practice as fast as I could what we have to play. Now I would organize differently, plan a little bit more ahead of, okay, I choose that passage that's critical and I have a plan for the next days.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
And before that it was a little bit more, the panic. I would just start the beginning with no plan and it was too stressful. No, but clearly I have less time for sure-
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
... Like all the parents, of course. And would just have one, I can't imagine with more.
Leah Roseman:
Do you have certain technical things you do?
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, I went back to the Schradieck, the Sevcik the shifting-
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
I now remember which opus this is, but I have this one I'm practicing. I have this Galamian Scales as well, but I took my old Flesch scale book back and I realized that, "Oh my god, it's so dense," like when you go... I used that until I came in Finland actually. And you just go through one tonality and it takes you so much time. That it's good, it's good sometimes to go back to that. And I have another one that I'm doing now. It's the Dounis, this crazy tenth that you're filling just to stretch a little bit. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
But it's good, it's good to do that again. It's really good. And during the season, it's hard to keep that routine. It's super hard. Now I don't have much time. I found that why I had the time to do it before and why not last year?
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
I've distilled my technical routine down to a very short thing that's works for me. But actually that Sevcik book, I've recently gone back to it. Because I hadn't been teaching that book for many years because I hated it as a kid, but I've been teaching it to some students, and I'm having them play them in different keys as you're supposed to, which I didn't do when I was a kid.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
So now, every day I play a different one in a different key, which is good.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, that's good. Yeah. It's easy to start the Schradieck for example, and you put your metronome and you go through the book and it can take you three hours. I mean, if you want to do all this repeats, but of course not a way to do it every day, but sectioning. It's what I said before. Now things are getting a little bit more easier, and I have more fresh head. I can plan more in advance. And now was a little bit less stressed that, okay, that's efficient for now. And tomorrow, I will do that. Yep.
Leah Roseman:
So, you did your doctorate at Université de Montréal and you did it on Sibelius's violin concerto, the original version.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
So you did some pretty interesting research as part of that.
Frédéric Moisan:
It was such a subject that was coming naturally, of course because of Finland, because this concerto is to me one of the greatest one. And because of that very mysterious aspect of the original version that's been hidden almost, because the rights were not open to play. There was only Kavakos who was the only one to be able to record it, because he won the Swedish competition. The most interesting aspect of the research was to be able to see the manuscript in Helsinki and see on the paper the differences. And before I got the chance to do that, I tried to rewrite the passages by year.
Leah Roseman:
Wow.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, but it was so difficult. But I don't know if you're familiar with the original version.
Leah Roseman:
Nope.
Frédéric Moisan:
Okay. It's basically the same concerto with 10 more minutes and more complicated, more technically difficult. And there is another cadenza also added. The first small cadenza you have (singing), it's accompanied a little bit. Yeah. So this kind of thing is interesting because you could think that, okay, maybe it's kind of stable, there is the symphony behind it. The way you play the new version by knowing the first one can help you taking a decision on your version, on your adaptation.
So then I got the chance to go to Helsinki in the archives, and I had my white gloves and I opened it. And it was such a wonderful experience. First of all, the manuscript had a lot of drawings. Sibelius was drawing pine trees, birds, a sunset, in some places some passages. So you can enter his head and the mindset he had at that time, or he would suddenly take the pencil and scratch all this passage. And I was trying to see what was behind, I couldn't. So I don't know if I can say that. But normally, you're not supposed to have anything with you. You have white gloves. Of course, no camera, nothing. But I wrote the cadenza back when I went back and forth. I took some small pieces of the cadenza and was able to have it complete. Yeah, my intention was not to open a business with that, so it's all fine. But no, it's a wonderful concerto. I never got the chance to be able to play. That was my plan first, because I played the Sibelius Concerto at my final recital with orchestra, and of course the plan was to play the first one. But authorizations are closed for... I (don't) know when this will be open again. But it would've been great. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
So Sibelius, he studied violin very seriously when he was young. Maybe you could speak to that story for people that aren't familiar.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. He was a violin player, and I think he was having a lot of dreams about violin playing. He wanted to be a soloist or a great player. And then his violin career stopped a little bit abruptly. I think he got a comment from someone from Vienna who told him that basically, "You're not that good." In the writing of Sibelius' concerto or violin pieces, you know, he's been dreaming to play that, I'm pretty sure, himself.
The funny story also about the first version of the Sibelius Concerto, that when it was first played, it was played by someone who screwed up. It didn't sound good. The critique was terrible. Then it went back again... That's why he changed it. It was because of the player. It was because of the player. But he changed it, made it more simple, cut a lot of passages. So I think there is this... Because there is a big biography of Sibelius from, I don't remember his name. It's a great book if you're interested in his life, but it's that thick, and it really shows the frustration he had of not being able to play what he was writing. Fascinating composer, history.
Leah Roseman:
What were your nerves like? I've never played a concerto with orchestra. What was that like compared to playing in orchestra? Which we get nervous, but in a totally different way, I think.
Frédéric Moisan:
I had the chance to do that before, in Finland, actually. It was a small competition at the side of the region. So I got to play that. I remember that first time I was petrified a little bit, and then I got a chance to play it again in Montreal before that two or three times. Suddenly this first experience helped me feel actually good, and realizing that you're really not playing alone. You are a little bit... As an orchestra musician, "t'es englobé par l'orchestre autour de toi" they're supporting you.
No, it's definitely stressful for one aspect of the projection. You feel like you should give so much, and the first reaction is like to play to art, but I loved it. I really loved it. Especially with this concerto. Well, yeah, my mom... Was my mom in the concert hall? I'm not sure. I'm not sure. But all my friends were there. It was a great experience because I felt that all the people in the orchestra, because they were my friends too, and in the audience, because most of them were my friends too. They were here just to give a positive energy. So it was very supportive. It's not like you go in a city, you play with an orchestra you don't know, with an audience you don't know, and you just have to prove yourself, prove people that they didn't pay that much money for nothing. No, it was not the same context. It was not, no.
Leah Roseman:
Did you aspire when you were a child to be a soloist as a profession?
Frédéric Moisan:
A little bit until 14, 15. You remember that story about 15, 16, 17? Yeah, a little bit because I think in the French education system, it's going that way all the time, which is ridiculous. Nobody, I mean, there are just few people who will do that. The orchestra playing is not "n'est pas mis en valeur"
Leah Roseman:
It's not valued.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, valued, which is really ridiculous. So of course, probably all of my friends at that age were dreaming of playing, do that as a career of playing concerto with orchestra. But you were like that. Of course. It's not as easy as it looks like.
Leah Roseman:
One thing that struck me about your story from the beginning about your teacher, Anne-Marie, was that she was giving you two options, either get serious or quit, which is really terrible. But maybe she's saying it's not worth my while for the type of teaching I do, but most music students don't go on to work professionally.
Frédéric Moisan:
No.
Leah Roseman:
Hopefully they can continue to be music lovers and continue to play. I think too many people quit too early, because they don't have the third option of, "You just do it a little bit casually because you love music." As a teacher, what is your perspective on that? And as a parent, too.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, right. No, no, no for sure, Anne-Marie had a way of teaching that was really not conventional. I said she was devastating for some people because they quit. I think it worked with me just for these two reasons. The first is that I started to realize I had to work for myself. And the second one was also to prove her that she was wrong, which is not a good motivation, but in a way, it's a motivation because she humiliated me. I told you once, playing in front of all the teachers just in the classroom, and I found it so terrible. You should really not do that. I would never do that. But that day I... Oh, no, I really wanted to prove that she... "No, you can't do that. You won't do that, again." As a teacher, I would encourage everyone to play music, some art or something that open your mind.
But we have to say that also playing an instrument is a lot of work. If you want to do it seriously, it's a lot of work. So yeah, there is a balance to find. There is a good balance to find. But don't you think that you find all the satisfaction in the playing by pushing a little bit yourself in a way, and then managing to achieve something you've been dreaming to play? Like playing a piece, it's a commitment. We all ask students to practice every day, better to practice every day a little bit, than playing two days in a row for eight hours. But it's a commitment to do that. But no, I would never be like Anne-Marie de Boisisson, never. If someone asked me, and this happened, we started together, and she was full of ambition. Full of ambition. She was 16, I think, at that time, and she was not actually having the technical skill to go in that direction.
But she asked me, "So do you see me as a professional musician?" And I said, "Honestly, I don't think so." I said, "You can work hard for that. Of course. And I would never say, don't go there in a way. But if you ask me right now, I don't think it's realistic." It cost me a lot to say that. But in a way, I would've liked someone to tell me that also at some point, if this was the case, because you know, you have all the energy, all the financial aspect behind it, you have the... I don't know, what do you think?
Leah Roseman:
Yeah, I mean, you mentioned financial. I think that's huge. I think if people have a lot of support from their family that have money, and they can have the luxury of pursuing something that may not lead to earning a living, I mean, that is part of it, it's kind of the white elephant in the room, right. And in some places like the States, it's ridiculously expensive to get an education and instruments, buying a violin, buying a bow, very big financial commitment. If it wasn't for that, then of course, and there's so many different styes of music. As classical players, we have to be able to master all the four octaves of the violin for many styles of music. You don't have to, it's completely different technique.
Frédéric Moisan:
But you're right. I mean, the example I said about Finland who has this wonderful system where every student, no matter the subject you're studying, has a grant. It's a free school. There is no pressure, there is no inequalities between, who has parents who can pay for that, or so of course you can try and you can experience it, and that's really amazing. But in a country like France or in a country like, I don't know what, well.... Lucky you, if you have rich parents, but otherwise it's going to be complicated. Especially in France, I mean, once the wheel has turned, you can't go back in.
Leah Roseman:
No?
Frédéric Moisan:
No, no. When I was in Montreal in the university, I did my masters first and then the doctorate, but I learned that I could do another master in, for example, marketing. Okay. That's something maybe changed in the last two, three years in France, but it's not something that's possible. You have to go back from the beginning.
Leah Roseman:
Oh, okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Maybe you have equivalences between medicine and biology or that kind of thing. But from music to marketing, I doubt really.
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Especially because music is not in university.
Leah Roseman:
Right.
Frédéric Moisan:
No, I was going to say about fly-fishing, because that's an aspect. That-
Leah Roseman:
That was the one thing. So yes, I wanted to ask about fly-fishing. Also, one thing we didn't talk about, do you have any... I'm fascinated with the traditional culture of Brittany, the whole Celtic aspect. And I was wondering if you knew anyone who spoke the language, if that was-
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, my grandmother does.
Leah Roseman:
Oh, okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, that was forbidden at her age. At school, they were obliged to speak French, but they secretly of course, continued. We had this talk with my grandma a few weeks ago, actually because of Salme. Yeah. So no, there is such a strong cultural revival in Brittany, in maybe the last 30 years. All this fest news, for example, that's the traditional dance parties. They're everywhere now. It's kind of cool as a young person to go there.
It used to be different, but now it's very quiet. I remember I've been many times... There are a lot of similarities with Quebec music, traditional of course, because of all the worlds between the two. I'm not a specialist on that music. But yeah, by listening to some Quebec music, I was sometimes pretty sure it was from Brittany and it was not. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
So people might be interested to realize that Great Britain like "Grande-Bretagne" it's because it was people... Like the people in Brittany came from the UK and they left when the Anglo-Saxons invaded so long ago. So it's Celtic people. So this is many thousands of years old civilization and this language, it's really pretty far from France, from French.
Frédéric Moisan:
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm not speaking it. I know a few words, but we all know words in Brittany, because a lot of geographical places are named in Britain, for example, "Penn Ar Bed" means, "The end of the earth," which is a place, Brittany is pointing towards the ocean. Yeah, it's the end of earth. I know quite many words, but just because of that, just because of that, and the Celtic aspect makes it very unique in France.
Leah Roseman:
Did you learn traditional songs in school or-
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, they are. It's funny. I found a book... Actually, no. My dad found a book for Salme, it's a song book where you can listen to the music at the same time. It's traditional songs from Brittany. And yeah, I knew them. I knew them.
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, I knew them. Just basic ones.
Leah Roseman:
So let's close out this conversation with fly-fishing, it was one of your passions.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. Okay. Well, I think it's there... All these outdoors activities are related to the same meaning. It could be fly-fishing, it could be mushroom picking, it could be windsurfing, it could be hiking. Actually, they're all an excuse to get outside, first. I love to sail with some friends. I love to fly-fish with some friends or go mushroom picking with some friends. But I have to say alone, it's actually what motivates me the most. I love being there when I'm the most stressed. I just think about this moment where I arrive very early in the morning. I just enter the river and be just in the middle, in the stream, and just listen to what's around me. I don't think there are better places in on earth when you need to resource. I think fly-fishing is mostly an excuse to spend that time egoistically there. Of course, I love fishing and I love making flies. I love all this aspect, but if I take some fish, it's great. If I don't, it's not a problem just because of that.
Leah Roseman:
So the flies, it's like you're imitating insects landing. So it's different than bait fishing.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, it's landing or under the surface also in different stages. That is why it's very interesting also. I won't go too deep into that, but well, basically you have to understand your environment. You are there as an observer first, because you have to understand what type of insects are in that ecosystem right there at what time of the year. They are different depending on the time of the year. And then you have to replicate them as close as possible from the original version. So it's very interesting because it's super complex, but complete. You feel, by implicating yourself into this world that you're part of it because you understand what's surrounding you.
You understand that some birds, well, I'm not so much into that, but basically there are some birds eating this. All these insects are actually the root of this system, and I replicate them. I try to, and then that satisfaction of catching a fish with what you started from nothing is really great. I don't eat fish. So if I really wanted to get some fishes, I could throw a net in the river. It's forbidden, of course. But the intention is to understand the process, and start from this understanding to the final insect that you created. The right one that the trout is eating, because the trout is selecting at that moment of the day, which of these dozens of insects are there. So you have to find it.
Leah Roseman:
So are you releasing them or does Anni eat the fish?
Frédéric Moisan:
I will eat them. Well, I keep some if someone wants to eat one, but no, I won't kill one for nothing. Of course not. For people who are worried about that, I use hooks with no barbs... So yeah-
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
... and they're very tiny.
Leah Roseman:
Did you grow up eating fish by the shore? It seems weird. You don't eat fish.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. My grandparents from my father's side had a shop of selling fishing equipment. They've been fishing also all their life. My dad too. I don't know why I don't eat fish. Maybe I've been traumatized by eating so much fish when I was younger. No, it's really not my cup of tea, no.
Leah Roseman:
Okay.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah. But the aspect also that I like in fly-fishing, and especially in the flying ties, is that you make a product that's finished, and once it's done, you put it in the box. When you wake up the day after, it's still in the box and it's still the same fly. Compared to music where you practice all day and you wake up the day after. Sometimes it's not the product you've put in the violin case before. I think we all have this... I've been talking with a lot of musicians who had the same feeling. Some people they like to create furniture or they like to do something concrete just because it's so satisfying and reassuring to have this small thing you put there and you know it'll always be the same. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
I relate. And in fact, I was talking to a fellow sourdough baker in the orchestra who said, "You have a beginning, a middle, and an end" and that's how I feel about my bread too.
Frédéric Moisan:
Yeah, right. You do that. Yeah.
Leah Roseman:
Yeah. Well, thanks Fred. This has been great.
Frédéric Moisan:
Thank you, Leah. Thank you very much.
Leah Roseman:
I'll see you in a few days.
I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. Thanks for following this series on your favorite podcast player and sharing your favorite episodes with your friends, all of which helps, find new listeners. I have lots more episodes coming in this season three, with a fascinating diversity of musicians and their stories and music. Please consider either buying me a virtual coffee as a tip or becoming a monthly supporter. The link is in the description. Have a great week.
