Her Story
About Nina
I was a child prodigy - both of my parents were piano professors at Fisk University in Nashville, so I really didn't have much choice in the matter. They decided what my career was going to look like. I played my first concert in 1969, and performed as piano soloist with the Nashville Symphony in the early 1970s. I studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where I auditioned when there were 3 openings in the piano department and 72 piano players came to audition for those 3 openings, and I received one of them. Since Curtis didn't have a degree at the time, they just offered a diploma, so I received a bachelor's from Temple University, and came to New York for my Master's at the Juilliard School, which I received in 1982. I had my New York debut at Lincoln Center in 1987, which received a rave review in the New York Times - I would say that's my most notable professional achievement. I've been traveling the world ever since, concertizing. Coming from Nashville, it offered an opportunity to escape from the South and to be able to come to New York, which was a lot more liberal at that time, and also became a gateway for my work in Europe. Beyond performing, I've also produced films and have two books of memoirs out that received awards. My typical day depends on the schedule - if I'm scheduled for an engagement, that involves a lot of preparation and practicing. If a publication comes out, then a lot of the energy goes toward the promotion of that work. With filmmaking, if a film is having a premiere, you devote a whole year to the film festival circuit and promoting the film. I spend quite a bit of time abroad and live in Vienna part-time - it's really like a second home. I started residing there in the 1990s, and the art scene there is just so rich and full. The government supports the arts in a way that I wish the government did here, which makes it possible to attend concerts, have access to instruments, and be a part of the arts world in ways that are really restrictive here by comparison in the United States.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, in spite of the racism and sexism I have endured. Naysayers eventually retire or die, so I needn’t give them the power to affect my feelings toward my own work.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to acquire as many people as possible - keep meeting people, keep making friends, because you never know what one person could do for you, or who one person could introduce you to. As a classical musician, most of us are very isolated because we spend so much time practicing, but it's important to have people in your network and to be as sociable as possible.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be careful about men who insist on “auditioning” you in private. Make sure that someone else comes with you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As revealed in the new documentary “Dear Lara,” conductors and teachers have been molesting young students/performers with impunity. Men still primarily control who gets work and who doesn’t. We need more women in decision making positions in performing arts organizations.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
One must be disciplined to be successful. A strong work ethic can lead to a sense of independence. Trust is also important, but only trust those who have earned your trust.
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