11 Questions with Eric Jacobsen
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Great Neck, Long Island.
What made you realize that music was your path?
I like to give people the idea that I came from a musical family, that I always knew I loved music from an early age. But really, I went to a sleepaway camp and met people that I genuinely enjoyed being around. That lit a fire under my butt and inspired me to be a better musician. And after getting better at my instrument, I realized how amazing music is. But at the beginning, it was more about the people. It took a while after that to actually figure out how incredible music itself is. It was an organic process.
Impossible Burger, beyond burger, regular burger, or turkey burger?
All great, but when a regular burger is good, is there anything better?
Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you're most proud of?
Anytime you’re on stage, it’s just as much of a learning experience, just as exciting, important, and fun. Of course, I could point to our concerts with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and Dawn Upshaw all at Ravinia over the course of five days as a pinnacle moment, but at the same time, any concert that I do, gives me the same satisfaction of communicating with people. Particularly these days in a world where we haven’t been able to be on stage as often, it’s even more immediate and clear.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I would definitely say my brother (Colin Jacobsen); my cello teacher Harvey Shapiro; Frans Brüggen, the great Dutch conductor; Carlos Kleiber because he’s so beautiful; and Anner Bylsma.
Your work revolves around innovation and collaboration, how are you continuing to implement this and push the boundaries?
If you don’t look in the right directions and ask the right questions, you’re not going to get the right answers. Every single year, programming changes - things ebb and flow. You want to translate that with an audience as quickly as possible and you want to find different people that’ll feed into the fire and excitement that you want to share with people.
As a co-founder of The Knights, what has been your most rewarding experience with the group?
The continued shared joy of music making with the group is everlasting. Being on tour, being in New York, reading chamber music - it’s just a love for this great tradition and how we honor it. The people are the most beautiful part of it.
What inspired you to record a holiday album?
Because there are never enough potato latkes in the world.
What ‘s your favorite part of The Knight’s new album, “The Knights Before Christmas”?
The diverse musical selections.
What’s the next thing for you & The Knights?
The opening concert of our 92Y residency with an amazing program of Jessie Montgomery, Schubert, Vaughan Williams, and Gottschalk.
If you could have dinner with any 3 musicians living or dead who would they be ( why? )
Beethoven because I’m curious. Mozart because he’d be funny. And Taylor Swift with my wife, Aoife.