John

By John & Chad ~ 2013

Coeur d’ Alene

My father was a conductor and my mother, a church organist. As a child of musicians I was destined to be engaged in some sort of a musical endevour. When it came time to select an instrument to study, I made my decision solely on the criteria of whether I had to stand up to practice or if I could sit down.  

After careful consideration I settled down with a mellow cello.

When I first met John, I was awestruck by the gorgeous sound coming from his instrument. My cello never produced sounds like his.

When John agreed to teach at Northwest Academy of Music I made arrangements to take his portrait for our brochure and internet posts.

I wanted to portray John with his beloved cello. I asked him to play something for me so that I could see how he held his instrument. (In actuality, I could hardly wait to hear him play ANYTHING.)

As John began playing I realized that there was no longer a man and his cello in front of my camera. Sitting in front of me, the two had merged into one. I captured this magical union that inspired me as a cellist and as a photographer.