by Mike Telin
When asked, most musicians are able to pinpoint an event that led them to make the decision to pursue music as a career. For bassist Xavier Foley, it was in 2006 when at eleven years old and in the sixth grade, he shifted his attention away from his teacher Miss King’s discussion of nouns, adverbs, and clauses, in favor of making a bow and arrow out of a paper clip and a rubber band. Click here to watch a video where the Marietta, Georgia native explains all. And yes, it’s quite funny.
Since that fateful day, Foley has gone on to become a First Prize winner in 2014 at the Sphinx Competition and Astral Artists National Auditions, as well as a winner at the 2016 Young Concert Artists Auditions. On Friday, June 16, the Curtis graduate will make his ChamberFest Cleveland debut during two concerts at the Bop Stop. The evening will feature songs by Kurt Weill sung by mezzo-soprano Lauren Eberwein and George Benjamin’s Viola, Viola, as well as Foley’s own works.
I spoke to Xavier Foley by telephone after he had just finished performing community engagement activities.
Xavier Foley: I was playing at an elementary school for two classes of fifth graders as part of a William Penn Foundation residency. They gave a generous grant to Astral Artists, who I work with. It was an eventful day, but we had fun.
Mike Telin: I’ve enjoyed listening to your YouTube channel.
XF: Thanks. I’m always glad to know people actually watch those.
MT: What can people expect to hear at your Bop Stop concert?
XF: It will pretty much be what I have on YouTube — a few of my own works along with some standard string repertoire that I like, I just need to pick it.
I will include selections from my Star Sonata. I’ve never performed the 4th and 5th movements in public, so those will be premieres. I’m literally in the process of re-working the ending.
MT: I saw that you studied composition and performance with Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson. Did you do a double degree?
XF: No, I don’t have a composition degree, I just compose.
MT: How have Astral Artists, Young Concert Artists, and the Sphinx organization helped to advance your career?
XF: They give me the experience I need in order to progress as a performing artist — the more I play, the more I learn. I’ve been fortunate to get these opportunities and I take advantage of them to the fullest extent that I can. That’s one reason I’m especially excited to perform in a venue like the Bop Stop. Every time I perform I can only hope to do my best, and when that isn’t enough, I learn from it and improve.
MT: When did you become enamored with video game music?
XF: I’ve always been attracted to video games that had a good soundtrack. And now, the sounds that I hear when I compose mostly come from my childhood and gaming as a young adult.
MT: Given your diverse musical interests, what type of career do you hope to have in the future?
XF: I get asked that a lot, and I haven’t come up with the best answer. I can tell you that I like doing two things, creating and performing. So whatever opportunities allow me to do those two things to the fullest — I will take that opportunity with pleasure.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com June 13, 2017.
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