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Reflections

Often described as "possessed" and "brilliant," Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg ('82, violin) moved to the U.S. from her native Italy at the age of 8 to study at the Curtis Institute of Music. She later studied at Juilliard with Dorothy DeLay. Her professional life began in 1981, when, at 17, she was the youngest recipient ever of the Walter W. Naumburg International Violin Competition. She has performed with all the major orchestras of the world and has collaborated with Mark O'Connor and Sergio and Odair Assad, among others. The recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize (1999), she is a highly acclaimed recording artist whose many albums are released on the Angel/EMI Classic and Nonesuch labels.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg with Dorothy DeLay in 1981. (Photo by Charles Abbott)

Can you recall a specific Juilliard experience that resulted in an important insight?

When Bernstein conducted the student orchestra. He emitted vibrancy and I reacted very strongly to that. I thought then that music should never be static.

What do you remember about your first day(s) as a Juilliard student?

It became clear to me early on what I would excel at: cafeteria!

When you were at Juilliard, what was your plan for the future? How has it turned out?

As much of a plan as anyone can have in their teens … I thought I would become a soloist, not knowing at all what that would entail. In any case … it turned out pretty well.

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What Juilliard teacher made the largest impact on you and what was that impact?

Dorothy DeLay—very simply, she taught me how to teach myself.

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