June's Child Mayumi Seiler

Violinist Mayumi Seiler is the founder and artistic director of the Toronto-based chamber ensemble Via Salzburg, an instructor at the University of Toronto and the Glenn Gould School, and one quarter of the Seiler Quartet (with Midori Seiler, violin; Naomi Seiler, viola; and Yuri Seiler, cello). She has a vigorous international touring career  as a soloist and chamber musician. Ms. Seiler has recorded much solo violin and chamber repertoire on the Hyperion, Virgin Classics, JVC Victor, and Capriccio labels.

Born in Osaka, Ms. Seiler lived in Japan until the age of six, when her family moved to Salzburg, Austria. The Seiler Quartet was formed when the sisters were little children and they toured extensively in Europe and Japan. After high school in Salzburg, and formative studies at the University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Ms Seiler spent a couple of years in Germany and then moved to London, England and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She based her busy emerging career there until she moved to Toronto in 1996. Via Salzburg, led from the first chair by Ms. Seiler, was formed in 1999.

Today Mayumi Seiler lives in the Sherwood Park neighborhood of Toronto with her partner Michael and her children Hana and Seiji, Kobe the Jack Russell and two overfed guinea pigs!. Some of her other passions include cooking, tennis, watching Law and Order and attending  her children’s many sporting activities.

Mayumi, suppose you are chatting with some nice person during a long wait whilst traveling.

After enthusiastically telling you all about their career in pest control or medical imaging, they ask about your work. What might you tell them?

I am a concert violinist. I am used to performing as a soloist or chamber musician in front of an audience, but when I have a raccoon in my attic I am very happy that the pest control person is good at what they do, and the medical imaging person can help people stay healthy…..I admire people for being very good at what they do, and also if their heart is in what they do. Whatever their passion is.

What does that childhood photo make you to think about? It makes me think of my childhood in Japan, and how I thought everyone in the world played an instrument. Everyone at the time - my sisters and parents - were musicians . For me it was as ordinary as learning to eat with a knife and fork.

Other musicians or performers in your family? Father and mother met while studying piano at Princeton and Juilliard, all four daughters are professional musicians.

Where did listening to music fit into your life?

We had music in our house constantly, my parents had piano students coming in and out of our home and my older two sisters were playing the violin at the time. They later changed to viola and cello.

First memories of playing the violin?

Getting tuned up by my parents as a  four year old before a big concert with my two sisters in a very big concert hall. The smallest instrument gets tuned first, and mine was a 16^{th -} size violin. I didn't wait for their violins to be tuned. I went on to the stage all by myself and played my 3^rd violin part, bowed before and after, and got big applause. We then played the piece again, with ALL the parts.

I remember my wonderful violin teacher very well. I remember not liking her lipstick and telling her that. I loved the way she taught though. She has followed my career for all these years and still comes to concerts when I play in Japan. I like her lipstick now …

What were your first childhood experiences of making music with others?

In a Yamaha school in Japan and also with my sisters and parents.

Do you remember the point at which you began to think of yourself as a career musician?

I always thought I was going to be a professional violinist. At  the age of about 15 I rebelled, which was very healthy for me. After a few months I was even more committed than before.

Do you remember ever thinking you would do anything else? if so, what were those things?

I always liked languages. Japanese was my very first language I learned, soon German became my strongest, then I loved French, but that was taken over by English. I still want to learn better Italian and learn Spanish. So languages always fascinated me. Cooking and food is also a passion of mine and working with children in homes who have no family to support them is another fantasy I had.

Not necessarily in this order though…

If you could travel back through time and meet face to face with the little person in that childhood photo, is there anything you would like to say to her?  Or ask her?

You are in for an adventurous life…and if you keep practicing, continue loving your music and growing with it,  you'll  perform as a soloist in Carnegie Hall, Musikverein, Concertgebow and other exciting places when you are grown up!

You also will be able to play with your sisters and other fun people who love chamber music and travel the world!

And don’t let your father cut your hair!

Upcoming?

I am taking part in a fundraising concert for the Japanese  Earthquake Relief Fund at Christ  Church, Deer Park on June 16^th, then I have a recital in Ottawa. Also this summer, after the Toronto Summer Music Festival (july 19-August 13), I will be with my partner, my kids and my puppy, along with my younger sister from Germany with her husband and kids by a lake in Ontario for some holiday time! And listen to the loons.

Who is July and August’s Child?

The life of the birthday party!

This poised little comedienne, already with an appetite for primadonna ribbons and bows, is certainly not your typical bathroom diva, and this summer she’ll be part of a Stratford celebration, serenading the life of another beloved Canadian diva.

Think you know who our mystery child is? Send your best guess to musicschildren@thewholenote.com. Please provide your mailing address just in case your name is drawn! Winners will be selected by random draw among correct replies received by August 2011.

Singing “The more we get together – the happier we’ll be!”
1952, Braemore Gardens, Toronto.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! HERE’S WHAT THEY WON —

• Clement Ng (Hamilton) and Stephen Erlichman (Toronto) both won a pair of tickets for Toronto Summer Music’s FORGOTTEN ROMANTICS (July 23 7:30pm), at Walter Hall. The celebrated Vienna Piano Trio joins forces with Christopher Costanza, Mark Fewer, and Mayumi Seiler for a concert of music by Moszkowski, Goldmark, and Spohr.
The evening includes a 6:15 pre-concert talk by Dr. Robin Elliott: Three Studies in Fame and Obscurity.

• Tiiu Klein (Kleinburg) and Glenroy Alleyne (Oshawa) both won a pair of tickets for Via Salzburg’s first concert of the new season at the warm and intimate Rosedale United Church. THE REST IS SILENCE
(October 14) will feature music of innovation, tradition, and inspiration: Debussy and Brahms usher in the voice of Mark Richards, one of Canada’s fine young composers. viasalzburg.com

• Jeff Keff (Toronto) and Kwan-wah Inglis (Toronto) won Via Salzburg’s current recording VIA SALZBURG, VOLUME 3. Mayumi Seiler leads the Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, with guests Brian Manker, cello; Eliot Fisk, guitar;
George Gao, erhu; Jaime Martin, flute; Ronald George, horns; Stephen Cameron, french horn; in works by Handel, Piazzolla, Haydn, Mozart and Gao.

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