Noam Bierstone

1. Age / âge
19

2. Hometown / ville
Toronto

3. Instrument
Percussion

5. Why did you choose your instrument / Pourquoi avez-vous choisi cet instrument ?
I honestly do not really remember why I chose to start I think that I simply really liked it and was very interested in playing percussion. I was already playing violin since I was 5 and I started double bass at 12 but percussion was always the instrument I enjoyed the most.

6. What are your professional goals? / Décrivez quelques-unes de vos ambitions professionnelles.
I would just love to be a performing musician whether it is in an orchestra a chamber ensemble or as a soloist. I have really started to enjoy playing in small ensemble settings and that is something I would definitely love to pursue and I am also really interested in the creation and performance of new music. I think that I would also like to teach at some point in my career.

9. How do you feel you will benefit from participation in the NYOC? / Comment pensez-vous que votre participation à lONJC puisse vous aider?
This will be my first orchestral touring experience. I will be learning great repertoire and performing it in halls across Canada. I will also be meeting and playing with great young musicians who have similar goals as I do.

What are your interests outside classical music / Avez-vous d’autres intérêts à part la musique classique ?
Contemporary and new music Celtic Folk R&B Reggae all kinds of world music Minimalist some hip hop some Indie bands. Basketball traveling comedy cooking visual art and architecture.

Who is your favourite classical musician? / Quel est votre artiste (classique) préféré ?
Shostakovich

Who is your favourite non-classical musician? / Quel est votre artiste (non classique) préféré ?
Too many percussionists: Bob Becker Keiko Abe She-e Wu Zivkovic... the list goes on and then composers: Steve Reich Astor Piazzolla John Cage Paul Lansky

What has recently played on your Mp3? / Qu’écoutez-vous ces jours-ci sur votre Mp3?
You Got Me - The Roots ft. Erykah Badu

If you weren't touring with the NYOC what would you be doing with your summer? / Si vous ne faisiez pas partie de l' ONJC que feriez-vous cet été?
Probably practicing a lot of marimba possibly doing some touring with my Celtic band maybe going to Nice to visit family. I have already planned to go to Germany for a week after NYOC for a marimba workshop with Nebojsa Zivkovic.

What is there about you that you think people might be surprised to know? / Y a-t-il quelque chose à votre propos qui est un peu surprenant ou hors de l’ordinaire?
My first instrument was violin and I did university auditions on double bass as well as percussion.