Who: Edward W. Hardy
Stopped: Outside the Cort Theatre on West 48th Street
What instrument are you carrying with you today?
EH: It鈥檚 a new violin. It鈥檚 very expensive鈥攎aybe worth around $20,000鈥攁nd I鈥檓 lucky to be borrowing it for an upcoming show, then I have to return it after. I鈥檓 a composer and musician, and the violin luthier and I are really close so he lets me try out his instruments all the time.
What kind of things do you notice when you鈥檙e playing a special violin like this one?
EH: Balance. Dynamics. All violins are different and there are some that connect with me, that feel like an extension of my body, and there are some that don鈥檛鈥攖hey feel more like I鈥檓 playing a box. It makes a huge difference.
What kind of music do you like to compose?
EW: The last show I worked on was The Woodsman (New World Stages), which I wrote the music for. I was also the music director and violinist during performances.
Music is so important in that show, as there is almost no dialogue. You must have relished that opportunity?
EH: To be able to tell a story through one instrument and to convey all these emotions, and love scenes, suspense, and drama鈥攊t鈥檚 really fun. I take pleasure in writing music that is parallel to what the play is telling you; almost so that if you close your eyes, you can still tell what is happening. That鈥檚 what I love to do.
Do you only compose music for the violin?
EH: Mainly, yes. Sometimes I write for other instruments and singers, and eventually I will start writing my own musicals鈥攚hich will have a violin primary but will also be for an orchestra and singers onstage. [The music I compose is] drawn from my own background in classical music, and my Latino and Black heritage. I鈥檓 influenced by Afro-Cuban jazz, blues, and Latin music.
How long has classical music been a part of your life?
EH: Since I was seven years old. I don鈥檛 remember not playing violin. When I was younger, public schools in New York City didn鈥檛 have much of a budget for music education; the violin was the only instrument available to me so I gravitated towards that.
The classic arts tend to be domain of the more privileged. Having gone to a public school, did you feel like you had to work harder to maintain this hobby and passion?
EH: People who are more privileged might have a history of violinists in their heritage. I鈥檓 the only musician in my family, which makes it a little difficult with questions like: 鈥淲hat College should I go to?鈥� or 鈥淲here should I be playing?鈥� It is difficult, and there are a lot people telling you not to [pursue it] because it鈥檚 so hard. Sometimes it can feel discouraging, but I鈥檓 someone who鈥檚 very driven all the time, especially in the face of negativity. It鈥檚 rare, in theatre, to see someone who looks like me and writes music, so that also drives me.
What are some moments in your career that you are particularly proud of?
EH:: The Woodsman. Also, the next piece I鈥檓 working on: it鈥檚 a play-within-a-play about Edgar Allan Poe called 4 Days With Edgar Allan Poe by Edward Medina. He asked me to be his partner-in-crime after seeing my work in The Woodsman. I鈥檓 so happy and excited!
What else are you working on at the moment?
EH: I have a few works that I鈥檓 composing music for. One is called The Pearl Diver by E. Thomalen; it鈥檚 a musical tale about a young Japanese pearl diver and a fearful sea dragon. I wrote Japanese music for it and I am the music director and violinist in the play.
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