{"id":10004,"date":"2020-08-09T23:48:17","date_gmt":"2020-08-09T20:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theremintimes.ru\/?p=10004"},"modified":"2021-04-19T10:55:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-19T07:55:29","slug":"interview-with-lina-gervasi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/?p=10004&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW WITH LINA GERVASI"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We continue a series of interviews with the finalists of THEREMIN STAR \u2013 the international theremin video competition dedicated to the centenary of theremin. Today we bring to your attention an interview with a theremin performer from Italy \u2013 LINA GERVASI<\/strong><\/p>\n

Masha Theremin: <\/strong>Lina, thank you very much for\u00a0 the opportunity of the interview\u00a0 with you for Theremin Today. We all really appreciate your participation in Theremin Star competition and everyone was very disappointed when Theremin Star was forced to move your video from the race in the end of the final voting. So, about this and many other things that really inspire you, I would like to talk with you today.<\/span>
\nWhat is the music for you? How did it happen\u00a0that music became your profession? In what moment you for the first\u00a0time felt that you are very talented person?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lina Gervasi:<\/strong> Music has always been part of my life, since I was child.<\/span><\/p>\n

My\u00a0very\u00a0first musical experience dates back to the 90s with the participation in the selections of the\u00a0Zecchino\u00a0d\u2019Oro\u00a0(an\u00a0italian\u00a0national singing context, for children). I was very young but I still remember the joy\u00a0of performing in public\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0sweetness of\u00a0Cino\u00a0Tortorella dressed as\u00a0Mago\u00a0Zurl\u00ec\u00a0(the TV presenter).<\/span><\/p>\n

Before knowing\u00a0and\u00a0approaching\u00a0the beauty of the\u00a0Theremin\u00a0music, I grow up\u00a0through a solid path of musical training. I graduated in transverse flute under the guidance of Maestro Salvatore Vella (First Flute of the Bellini\u00a0Theatre\u00a0in Catania) and subsequently I\u00a0got qualified to become a flute teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0won numerous national and international competitions and I\u00a0had\u00a0an intense solo, chamber and orchestral concert activity. Over the years I have attended\u00a0courses and masterclasses\u00a0of high artistic improvement and\u00a0courses on\u00a0musical\u00a0propaedeutics\u00a0and musical informatics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2011 I have been a state teacher of transverse flute at Comprehensive Institutes with a musical orientation and currently\u00a0I\u00a0teach at the\u00a0San Francesco\u00a0Comprehensive Institute, in\u00a0Gela\u00a0(CL). \"Lina<\/span><\/p>\n

Masha Theremin :<\/strong> l know that the part of your time you devote to the work with the children. Would you, please, tell us about this. What is the age range of your students?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lina Gervasi:\u00a0<\/strong> Since 2011 I am a state teacher of transverse flute at Comprehensive Institutes specializing in music and work with children aged between 11 and 14 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

I think my role is\u00a0a job\u00a0of great importance because we\u00a0have to strengthen\u00a0up\u00a0the future of these kids\u00a0by\u00a0collaborating\u00a0together with other teachers.\u00a0The purpose of a good education on sound, music and art in general in school is to improve the\u00a0different perceptive, productive and interpretative skills,\u00a0by\u00a0always keeping in mind that we\u00a0are\u00a0working with this kids\u00a0not to create professionals, but\u00a0single\u00a0individuals capable of understanding the world around them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Music has a very strong motivating power:\u00a0I believe that its strength consists in being able to totally involve the pupils,\u00a0by\u00a0becoming a formidable «tool»\u00a0in order to be able to achieve various\u00a0objectives, not only the musical ones but also and above all the educational ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today awareness of how important it is to pay attention to the psyche, which in this case we could also call the «soul» of the\u00a0learning boy. Teachers must help him grow harmoniously,\u00a0as\u00a0a significantly increasing process.\u00a0Experiences, observations and verifications have highlighted how artistic-expressive-musical activities are an excellent way to overcome and \/ or improve children’s linguistic and relational difficulties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Educating in musical and artistic language means satisfying a need of man, satisfying a common need, equal for everyone at\u00a0all latitudes, universal as\u00a0language\u00a0is\u00a0and\u00a0like\u00a0its message of sociability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the cause of the vocal, expressive, rhythmic and motor incapacities that are often found in many adults must also be found in the insufficient musical and visual education received during childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Masha Theremin: <\/strong>You began to work with theremin relatively recently. Were your first steps with theremin difficult?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lina Gervasi:\u00a0 <\/strong>Few\u00a0years\u00a0ago I\u00a0discovered that I suffer from\u00a0a strong nickel allergy which,\u00a0if not under such a given treatment,\u00a0it\u00a0does not allow me to stay in close contact and freely play my instrument, the transverse flute.<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn’t want to eliminate\u00a0music from my life and so\u00a0I had to find a way to continue\u00a0transmitting my emotions\u00a0through music\u00a0anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Theremin saved me by offering me the opportunity to get back into the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

About three years ago I purchased a theremin and immediately I started to search and read up stuff on it and started work on the practice of this instrument as well. I am very grateful to the one who gave me the determination to start theremin\u2019s studies, Fabio Pesce, Italian thereminist. After this, since there are no theremin schools in Italy, I decided to meet great exponents of theremin such as Lydia Kavina, Carolina Eyck and Ernesto Mendoza.<\/span><\/p>\n

The approach with the theremin was not very simple at all, as is the in-depth pro study of every musical instrument, but despite this I have dedicated and continue to devote many hours to studying theremin to reach my current level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Masha Theremin:<\/strong>What do you think about the theremin? Is it an unusual musical instrument or it is ordinary musical instrument with the unusual way of controlling?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lina Gervasi: <\/strong>The theremin is a truly fascinating instrument because music is designed by the movement of both hands in the air, inside a magnetic field radiated by two antennas that communicate with each other. I think it is wonderful to be able to convert into music, thanks to the movement of the hands, what your mind thinks and your heart sings.<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope that many people can approach the music and the study of theremin, because it is really useful for the development of our musical ear.<\/span><\/p>\n

The theremin is an instrument very sensitive to small displacements not only physically but also dictated by feelings and moods: Sounds are the reflection of what our body expresses. \"Lina<\/span><\/p>\n

Masha Theremin: <\/strong><\/b>Would you, please, share with us your impressions of participating in Italia\u2019s Got Talent and\u00a0 also it is very inteesting to know about your recent projects\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lina Gervasi: <\/strong>Between 2018 and 2019 I\u2019ve been\u00a0on the stage of Italia’s Got Talent, as\u00a0thereminist\u00a0and I got\u00a0all\u00a04 «yes» from the judges Mara\u00a0Maionchi, Claudio\u00a0Bisio, Frank\u00a0Matano\u00a0and Federica Pellegrini. It was an exceptional\u00a0and crazy\u00a0experience and I was very excited because I played\u00a0for the first time, after\u00a0one year of study\u00a0only, in front of the wonderful audience of the\u00a0Teatro\u00a0degli\u00a0Arcimboldi in Milan and on\u00a0national television.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2019 I recorded\u00a0the EP\u00a0«Ode to the Moon» together with \u201cGli\u00a0Ottoni\u00a0del\u00a0Mediterraneo\u201d. \u201cGli\u00a0Ottoni\u00a0del\u00a0Mediterraneo\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0brass\u00a0group made up of musicians who collaborate with the best Italian theatres such as San Carlo\u00a0Theater\u00a0in Naples, Florence Opera House, La Scala\u00a0Theater\u00a0in Milan, La\u00a0Fenice\u00a0Theater\u00a0in Venice, Turin Royal\u00a0Theater, etc.:\u00a0what came out from this collaboration was\u00a0something never seen before in the music scene,\u00a0where the timbre quality of the Theremin amalgamates its self\u00a0perfectly with the brass group sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

I also collaborate with Mario\u00a0Incudine, a multifaceted artist and author among the most representative of\u00a0italian\u00a0World Music and with Maestro Angelo\u00a0Privitera, historical\u00a0collaborator and musician of the famous Italian singer-songwriter Franco\u00a0Battiato.<\/span><\/p>\n

I played, as a flutist and\u00a0thereminist, in two\u00a0of the\u00a0records produced and arranged by Denis Marino: «La\u00a0Piramide», by Luca\u00a0Madonia, the last\u00a0duets\u00a0record\u00a0of the Italian singer-songwriter\u00a0with Enrico Ruggeri, Franco\u00a0Battiato, Morgan, Carmen\u00a0Consoli, Mario Venuti ,\u00a0Patrizia\u00a0Laquidara, Mauro\u00a0Ermanno\u00a0Giovanardi, Giada\u00a0Colagrande\u00a0and Brando\u00a0Madonia; \u201cHomaj\u201d\u00a0another\u00a0album of\u00a0italian\u00a0and international duets by the\u00a0sicilian\u00a0singer-songwriter Daniele\u00a0Guastella\u00a0with numerous guests like: Luca\u00a0Madonia\u00a0(Italy), Rodrigo Rojas (Bolivia),\u00a0Alen\u00a0Veziko\u00a0(Estonia), Ahmed\u00a0Elgeretli\u00a0(Egypt), Anita Vitale (Italy) , Mario\u00a0Incudine\u00a0(Italy),\u00a0Haydee\u00a0Milanes\u00a0(Cuba),\u00a0Jerusa\u00a0Barros (Cape Verde), Leonel Capitano (Argentina), Le\u00a0Voskresenie\u00a0(Russia), Dulce Lopez (Mexico), Leonel Soto (Mexico),\u00a0Mihaela\u00a0Fileva\u00a0(Bulgaria), Giovanna\u00a0D’angi\u00a0(Italy), Lidia\u00a0Isac\u00a0(Moldova), Bernardo Quesada (Costa Rica),\u00a0Pauly\u00a0Zarb\u00a0(Australia), Abigail (Spain) and Edgar\u00a0Oceransky\u00a0(Mexico).<\/span><\/p>\n

The end of 2019 is marked by a beautiful surprise: a recording\u00a0production contract with the record label\u00a0Musica\u00a0Lavica\u00a0Records. With the same Label and under the artistic production of Denis Marino\u00a0again, several singles have already been released (which you can find on Spotify and on all digital stores) and I am currently working on my first solo album.<\/span><\/p>\n

On\u00a0December\u00a02019 we produced a Christmas video clip, born from the collaboration with the actor Filippo Velardi, with the aim of spreading the same message to everyone: — Solitude is a message of Love -. In this video, I played a rearranged version of the White Christmas theme as a\u00a0thereminist\u00a0and flutist.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another single, Schindler\u2019s List\u00a0Theme (by John Williams) was released on the Day of Memory — January 27. The video was sponsored by important national bodies:\u00a0Ferruccio\u00a0Parri\u00a0National Institute, SIEDAS, MEI, Garibaldi\u00a0Theater\u00a0of\u00a0Avola\u00a0(SR) and Municipality of\u00a0Avola.<\/span><\/p>\n

I consider myself very lucky for the professionalism and the high artistic-musical quality of my record label\u00a0Musica\u00a0Lavica\u00a0Records.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0a big family: my producer Denis Marino, the lawyer Claudia\u00a0Barcellona, \u200b\u200blegal consultant of the label,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0sound engineer\u00a0Michele\u00a0Musarra. They\u00a0constantly work\u00a0hardly\u00a0on every musical project, taking care of every single detail that can always make the difference, creating an excellent synergy with the artists\u00a0in order\u00a0to\u00a0achieve the same goal together.<\/span><\/p>\n

During this quarantine period,\u00a0we all were\u00a0forced to stay at home in order to win this battle against COVID-19,\u00a0but the Music did not stop\u00a0at all and as a\u00a0Musica\u00a0Lavica\u2019s\u00a0artist\u00a0I was engaged in various\u00a0national\u00a0initiatives including:\u00a0«l\u2019Italia\u00a0in\u00a0una\u00a0stanza»\u00a0(OASport,\u00a0OAPlus,\u00a0MEIWeb\u00a0and MEI — Meeting of the Independent\u00a0Labels), «Stop —\u00a0PlayArt»\u00a0(Angelo\u00a0Bonello\u00a0and Francesca\u00a0Formisano), «Il\u00a0mio\u00a0presente\u00a0per\u00a0il\u00a0nostro\u00a0futuro»\u00a0(Equilibri,\u00a0tutti\u00a0siamo\u00a0diversi\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Musica\u00a0Lavica\u00a0Records), «Concertone\u00a0in\u00a0Montesole» for the 75th anniversary of the\u00a0Liberation of Italy together with Resistant Material 2.0 (the\u00a0Ferruccio\u00a0Parri\u00a0Institute,\u00a0Siedas\u00a0— Italian Society of Experts in the Arts and Entertainment\u00a0Law, Mei), Web Live «Casa Marcello\u201d\u00a0(Marcello\u00a0Cirillo),»Costruire\u00a0Fiducia\u00a0—\u00a0Musica\u00a0«(Ambra\u00a0Scamarda, Matteo\u00a0Amantia, Andrea\u00a0Bartoli\u00a0and Farm Cultural Park).<\/span><\/p>\n

Also during this period,\u00a0I recorded Theremin reinterpreted\u00a0versions of:\u00a0«Che\u00a0vita\u00a0meravigliosa»\u00a0\u2013\u00a0by\u00a0Diodato, «Love Theme» from\u00a0Cinema Paradiso\u00a0original\u00a0soundtrack by E. Morricone, «Il Mare\u00a0calmo\u00a0della\u00a0sera»\u00a0like duet with\u00a0Gabriele\u00a0Cirilli.<\/span><\/p>\n