By Tracy Marie Wamarema
“In today’s world, [artists] can afford to think outside the box and curate a career for themselves that includes their artistic passions and is financially viable,” said Christina Wright-Ivanova. Leading by example, she has built a career in classical music that bridges performance, mentorship and global collaboration.
Growing up on a remote island called Guernsey, a part of the Channel Islands, the arts and culture scene was relatively small. “There was only one piano teacher working on Guernsey at that time,” Wright-Ivanova recalled. It was her mother that nudged her in the direction of music and specifically, classical music. “My mother deeply shaped my musical passions and curiosity from a young age,” said Wright-Ivanova. This passion was further nurtured when she moved to Vancouver at age 12 and found a mentor in her piano teacher, Susan de Burgh. “My career evolved out of many hours of joy, tears and frustration at the piano,” said Wright-Ivanova. More than just piano, choir and band lessons, Burgh also imparted life lessons which would later shape Wright-Ivanova’s approach to her musical career. Through these formative years, Wright-Ivanova learned to embrace the creative process and allow herself to be uncomfortable along the journey. “Of course, the final result is key, but without passion and understanding for Process, there may not be enough joy to sustain a long career in the arts,” she said.
According to Wright-Ivanova, the process of becoming a performing artist requires the same “lifetime commitment to the craft” as one would expect of an Olympic athlete or a distinguished scientist. One of her favorite quotes is from Martha Graham saying an artist is never fully satisfied and it is that very “blessed unrest” that allows for the creation of more art.
“This is our daily work– to keep the channel open, to listen and to dig deep into the most complex aspects of our humanity in order to understand and to collaborate,” Wright-Ivanova said.
After earning her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Wright-Ivanova carried this belief across performances in the U.S. and throughout Europe. In 2008, she participated in a government-funded classical music program supporting the youth in Venezuela. “It wasn’t particularly flashy like many of the concert halls in the U.S. or Europe,” said Wright-Ivanova, “but it was so memorable to work with these amazing young musicians who were full of passion and excitement.” Those three months in the El Sistema program reminded her why she continues to play: “for the communication between people, crossing borders and breaking barriers.”
As Wright-Ivanova continues to mentor young artists from across the globe, she imparts in them not just the passion for classical music but also the method of incorporating it into their lives. Similar to her career, which mingles performance with teaching and arts administration, Wright-Ivanova shares that art careers can be interdisciplinary and in fact, they should be. “The Arts don’t have copyright over Creativity, just as the Sciences don’t have copyright over Structure,” she said. The two are intrinsically linked and the best artists incorporate them both.
This passion for bridging gaps and working with young artists led her to the United Arab Emirateswhere she recently started as associate professor and head of performing arts at the American University of Sharjah. The diversity offered by AUS was a large factor in her decision to move. “One element of being a musician that is helpful in life is the capacity to frame the understanding of a nation in their music, to the point where you almost can feel like you understand the people through their music,” said Wright-Ivanova. Starting with the UAE, she hopes to share classical music with the world. It is this conviction that continues to guide her.
“The performing arts are not only an escape from the realities of our lives,” said Wright-Ivanova. “They are critical to inform our understanding of people, communities, collaboration and the deepest parts of our humanity.”
