The Nature of Music: An Interview with Pianist Seymour Bernstein

Spring, 2018. It still feels like winter outside when pianist Seymour Bernstein and I come together for an interview in his New York City apartment.

© 2011 Seymour Bernstein. Photo credit: Jiyang Chen

Seymour’s life is vast and rich; and thus describing who he is poses a unique challenge. A pianist, composer, teacher, and friend, Seymour has also published books on musical technique and self-discovery; served in the Korean War; was the focus of Ethan Hawke’s documentary Seymour: An Introduction; and actively he posts videos to his YouTube channel of his playing and interpretations, even creating short films.

But what do all of these accolades say of who he is as a person? Writing on this theme in With Your Own Two Hands, Seymour says that who we are most deeply resides within our talent. Talent is our expression of our self, of our spiritual reservoir, into the world. Knowing this, as we further nurture and refine our talents in life, so too are our relationships brightened and days rendered more meaningful.

“I think solitude is a very important thing. To befriend, you have to befriend it… If you have an aversion to being alone, then you ought to befriend it and give it a chance.”

So without further ado, I would like to present our interview. If you’ll forgive the audio quality of the video, and have some time to sit and listen, perhaps with a cup of tea, by a window, I think you’ll enjoy it. Though music and creativity sit at the center of our discussion, much is said about life, love, intention, and the world beyond.

This interview was recorded in connection with Beaumonde Interactive Marketing Agency & Creative Studio, as part of an exploration into the nature of creativity and storytelling.

For more from Seymour, visit: his Youtube channel, his website, and consider viewing the documentary by Ethan Hawke called Seymour: An Introduction.

Enjoy this blog? Check out my interview with It’s Always Sunny composer Cormac Bluestone here.