Published Oct. 29, 2008 by The Current Sauce
Light filters in through the windows of Andrej Kurti's studio in the afternoon, splaying across the blue plush lining of his open violin case.
A small icon decorated with an Orthodox Christian image rests against the neck of the exquisitely carved wooden instrument. The low, clear sound of a nearby euphonium rehearsal seeps through the walls.
Kurti leans back in his chair at his computer, catching a breath after his hectic day of back-to-back violin and viola lessons and long rehearsals with the orchestra.
His concert, scheduled for Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall, will feature music by Bach and composer Eugene Ysaye, on whom Kurti wrote his dissertation for his doctorate. The classical pieces certainly reflect Kurti's skill, but his vast repertoire includes more than just sonatas. Kurti, a professor of violin at NSU, has been featured as a recording artist for more than 45 albums on electric and acoustic violin. Dozens of posters and photographs are taped against a wall in his studio, displaying his past performances and future plans.
One of the images documents Kurti on the day before his 30th birthday, when he chimed in on an album produced by Blue Griffin Records to perform music by Pink Floyd and Queen.
Kurti, now 36, said he has donned braids to play with a hip hop label and tuxedos for more classical fare. When the spotlight is turned off, Kurti wears blazers, T-shirts and slacks, a red braided bracelet and a small silver earring in his left ear.
Some students identify him by his strong, lilting accent and social personality, which he attributes to his Serbian upbringing.
Others recognize his energy during halftime performances with the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band. This year's Led Zeppelin show would be incomplete without his duet with saxophone professor Paul Forsyth.
One thing remains certain. No matter what genre of music with which Kurti experiments, he said he is sure of his destiny - violin performance.
A native of Serbia - Srbija, as Kurti spells it - Kurti inadvertently determined what would become his artistic future when he was merely 4 years old.
He was sitting in his parents' kitchen, listening to music. Imitating a violinist, he rested a cutting board on one shoulder and used a spoon as his bow, moving it in time to the song.
His parents saw his potential and decided the next step was to enroll him in lessons, Kurti said.
When Kurti was just 16, he traveled to Russia to study violin performance at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
Kurti came to the U.S. and continued his education at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., then came to NSU for a job interview and said he instantly loved the town's polite, laid-back charm.
"There is something to Natchitoches, with all of these bed and breakfasts, and the craziness about the Christmas lights," he said. "I thought I was in a Walt Disney movie or something."
Now in his fifth year as a professor at NSU, Kurti teaches private violin and viola lessons to NSU students and works with associate professor of bassoon Douglas Bakenhus to help out with orchestra performances.
He acts humorous and energetic in class, but remains intensely focused.
In orchestra rehearsal, he often illustrates the way he imagines a particular phrase by standing up and demonstrating with an invisible bow, using his facial expressions to further the image.
His voice takes on the timbre of a decisive violin tone as he "ya-da-da-dahs" his way through the tricky intervals in a song.
In his studio, Kurti manages 19 students from places including Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Honduras and Venezuela, and is expecting two more international students in January.
Kurti occasionally asks his students to evaluate his interpretation of pieces before a performance.
This kind of feedback improves his perspective about the music, Kurti said.
"Sometimes they are shy, but then I tell them, like, 'Look, if I was you, what would I change?'" Kurti said. "And they make some good points."
Kurti said he looks forward to playing Ysaye's music, which he considers complex and very challenging.
"It sometimes sounds like there are two or three instruments playing at the same time," Kurti explained. "Very advanced. Crazy, but beautiful."
The concert, a 45-minute collection of solo violin sonatas, reflects the versatility not only of Kurti's musical gifts, but also of his role at NSU.
"It's a dream job," he said. "It's like, you teach one-on-one lessons, talk about music all day long and then have three days off the week to travel and do concerts and everything. It's awesome."
For a man who has traveled the world as a performer, Kurti seems content with staying in Natchitoches for the time being.
Lessons don't limit him; he still performs from time to time with different rock and classical groups in the area. The posters on his wall are a testament to his experience and a clear representation of the talent NSU has attracted from all over the world. Kurti loves to travel, and he said he would like to see his family more often, but for now, he said he plans to stay put.
"I know that my destiny is music, but where, I don't know," Kurti said. "I never want to push the universe."
