Stir Q&A: Vancouver cellist Henry Shapard chats orchestra playing, romantic concertos, and his sonic footprint
The VSO musician is the youngest principal cellist of any major orchestra
Henry Shapard. Photo by Allison Park
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents the Valkyries Ride Again! featuring cellist Henry Shapard on November 26 and 27 at 8 pm at the Orpheum Theatre.
HENRY SHAPARD WAS three years old when his parents brought home a 1/16 size cello. Born in Boston and raised in Cleveland, he’s now in his early 20s and is principal cello of Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the youngest artist to hold the role in a major orchestra.
A graduate of Yale University, Shapard previously briefly held the position of principal cello of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra (having been appointed by the RIPO’s artistic advisor and VSO music director emeritus Bramwell Tovey). He learned he had landed the job in Vancouver last March, 30 minutes before COVID shut the world down.
For Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert, the Valkyries Ride Again!, Shapard will perform French composer Edouard Lalo’s 1876 Cello Concerto in D Minor. The program also features symphonic highlights from Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelungen and the German composer’s Flying Dutchman Overture.
Stir caught up with Shapard to hear more about his musical journey, his love of the cello, and the Lalo piece.
Take us back to where it all began. How did the cello enter your life? What is it about this instrument that made you want to pursue a career with it?
My parents are not musical, but they were always very supportive of my twin sister and my musical pursuits—and it helped that my mom loves the sound of the cello! I was not particularly serious about the cello when I was a child—I loved baseball more—but I had an awakening when I was about 11 or 12 years old, after hearing a particularly moving performance by the Cleveland Orchestra.
While I’m a soloist with the VSO this week, my childhood musical dream was always orchestra-centric; that is to say, my biggest thrill is and always has been the power of playing in the cello section, surrounded by people supporting each other and the rest of the orchestra through their musicianship.
Orchestra playing is about self-knowledge, humility, and sacrifice, and the best orchestras are made up of very conscientious individuals. I have to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself that getting to take the stage with the VSO isn’t just a dream but my reality now.
In what ways does the cello challenge you?
The cello has a multitude of roles; in any given piece, it can both accompany and take charge melodically. I find solo playing challenging because you really have to have faith in your own voice—there is no cello section to hide within!
Separate from the challenges and thrills of playing concerti like this week's Lalo, there is the constant battle to stay in good physical shape, to listen carefully, and to aspire to a beautiful sound no matter the character of the music.
What can you tell us about Lalo’s Cello Concerto?
The Lalo is, simply put, an extraordinary piece of music. What jumps out at me most is the lush, dark colours that dominate it; from the opening orchestra introduction, the listener feels as if they are being told a thrilling and maybe macabre story. There are all the usual expressive moments that romantic cello concertos—like its more famous cousins the Dvorak and Elgar concerti—always have, but there's a very personal sensitivity to this one that is unique. It’s also written almost entirely on the cello's A-string, the highest of the four strings, so there is a really clear acrobatic element that I hope the audiences this week find exciting.
What is the story behind your cello?
I play the same cello that I have had since I was 12 years old, a gift from my mom and dad. It's not a Stradivarius—and I wouldn't turn down a Strad if somebody offered!—but I do have quite an attachment to it and I’m very proud to have had it with me through every major step of my musical development, from beginning to dream of a career in music to joining a first-rate orchestra. It has a very direct, bold sound, and I like to think that it is identifiable as my sonic footprint, so to speak. My mom and sister always tell me that they can recognize the sound of my particular cello with their eyes closed.
For more information, see the VSO.
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