Guy Mintus is a world-famous musician from Israel, has already visited Kazakhstan in 2019. This time he came with a concert in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries. We talked to him about music, first impressions and plans.
About myself
I was born and raised in Israel. Two of my great-grandmothers were from Iraq, one great-grandfather was from Morocco, and the second was from Poland. All these cultures have surrounded me since childhood, and my music is partly inspired by this diversity.
My passion for music has grown into a serious occupation since I was 13. Then I fell in love with jazz. I realized that I can create my own music, and not just play what is written on paper.
I have devoted a lot of time to studying jazz and its traditions, classical music. Then I became interested in the melodies of the Middle East, first Turkish, then Arabic. As a result, my interests spread to all kinds of world music, be it flamenco or Indian raga. These images fill me and, when I write my own works, find their expression.
Today I perform solo, trio or together with orchestras, I write music for ensembles.
I am also fond of reading books about personal development, listening to podcasts on this topic. I love visual art, food and travel.
About music
Music for me is a universal language, a key that opens doors, connects people culturally. Music is above words.
It's a magical thing in which I can express myself like nowhere else. For me, it's like therapy and meditation. At the moments of performances, I feel reality in its entirety. This is one of the many reasons why I love my job.
The music brought our trio together. Yonatan Rosen and Oren Hardy are amazing musicians, versatile and flexible. We're friends. We like to travel together.
We recently held a concert with a symphony orchestra. We took a few moments from Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies and reinterpreted them in a New Light. I've been working on the project for almost two months. We played it for the first time in Jerusalem. It was an incredible performance, in which classical music, a share of our improvisation and the orchestra merged. I hope we will repeat this experience in the future and more than once.
About Kazakhstan
I came to Almaty for the first time in 2019. I didn't know what to expect from Kazakhstan. But I had a friend here with whom I studied together at the Manhattan School of Music. Her name is Zagisha Kamil, and she is an excellent violinist.
I was surprised by the warmth of people, their sincerity and love for music. Then I performed at the international jazz festival. In the first moments, the audience was restrained, but thanks to the music it was possible to reveal them.
After that we visited a music school. There I played the piano surrounded by children who touched the keys — a kind of creation of collaborative music. It was an incredible experience for me.
I am sure that we will visit Kazakhstan again
In total, we stayed in Almaty for four or five days. During this period, we also spent time with my friend's family. One day we climbed high into the mountains. I had a melody with me, and we played at a height, surrounded by snow. I had a great pleasure and therefore returned to Kazakhstan with joy.
The landscapes of Nur-Sultan differ significantly from those of Almaty. In the capital, I will conduct a master class at the Kazakh National University of Arts. Usually at such events I talk about the attitude to music and self-expression. There is no one topic — I try to feel people and give them what they want. I can call it improvisation.
Our trio will also perform a concert there. It is organized by the Embassy of Israel in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. Let's present the music from the latest album A Gershwin Playground and perform a special song in honor of the holiday.
After that we will go to Almaty to perform at the jazz festival again. And then — New York and a new adventure.
I am sure that we will visit Kazakhstan again. This is an interesting place that we have yet to explore.
