Camille Enderlin is a New York City-based violinist. As an orchestral musician, Camille has performed with ensembles, such as the Binghamton Philharmonic, the Allentown Symphony, Symphoria, the Orchestra Now, The Chelsea Symphony, and the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI). With NOI, Camille played on the recording for a Naxos Records “American Classics” album, which received a 2018 Grammy nomination for “Best Orchestral Performance.”
Originally scheduled to make her TCS solo debut in the 2019-2020 season, Camille will be performing Barber’s Violin Concerto Sunday, October 30th. Leading up to the concert weekend, we caught up with Camille for a quick Q&A session.
The Chelsea Symphony: What keeps you coming back to play with TCS?
Camille Enderlin: The people! I started playing with TCS shortly after I finished grad school and I met so many talented musicians who have served as mentors, colleagues, and friends for years to come.
The self-governing model of TCS and the soloist opportunity is such a unique experience for musicians. I think a lot of people don’t realize that professional musicians might actually never perform as a soloist with an entire orchestra – this is only my second time ever, and the last was over a decade ago! I’m someone who experiences a great deal of performance anxiety, and so I think the fact that I felt confident in doing this concert really speaks to the inclusive and welcoming environment at TCS.
TCS: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?
CE: No specific event or person inspired me to pursue a career in music. Sounds ridiculous, but I really feel like I was taking my first violin lesson at 8 years old and then suddenly I was where I am now! For me the main attraction to violin was actually not the music but rather the challenge of never really being able to fully “master” a piece or skill. There’s always something to improve, and that feeling of never being “done”
TCS: What is the most challenging part of playing this piece?
CE: I’d have to say the third movement because it can easily just become a mess of fast notes flying by. I find it challenging to make sure I’m prioritizing the musical ideas when the technical demands are so high. I’m not typically one to get super attached to my personal interpretations of music, but I really feel like this one just gets performed a little too fast sometimes! I interpret this movement almost like a dance and I hope to share that with the audience.
TCS: What makes this work significant to you?
CE: I love how this concerto made its way into the standard repertoire without sharing the predictable form that many other violin concertos follow. The movements almost seem like they could stand alone separately, and I like that there’s a bit of mystery surrounding the meaning behind this piece.
TCS: What makes this performance significant?
CE: This performance has been postponed twice due to COVID, which makes it extra significant to me because when I think back to the other times I was preparing for this concert I realize how much my life has changed. It’s no secret that the pandemic was difficult for musicians, and so during my preparation this time I’ve not only reflected on how my playing has changed, but also how I’ve changed and grown as a person.
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Join us at 5pm on Sunday, October 30th at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music at 450 West 37th Street for Camille’s performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto!