Filip Pogady is, undoubtedly, one of the best violinists of his generation. His love of music, combined with an exceptional versatility — he has been highly praised for performing a wide range of music genres ranging from classical to modern rock — have gained many followers his way. In his early twenties, Pogady moved from Vienna, Austria to New York City to pursue his dream of becoming a professional violinist. What made him pursue a career in one of the most challenging industries — and cities — in the world? Read on, as he unveils his story.
The Beginnings
“I was a little bit forced into it at first,” says Filip, whose journey with violin started at the age of seven. Growing up in a family of music appreciators — both of his parents were amateur pianists — a belief that music should be a part of his education was instilled in Filip at a very young age.
Although piano was the most accessible instrument in the house, Pogady’s nonconformist nature called for him to be different. “I saw a violin on TV one day and thought it was cool,” he recalls. It just so happened that a violin, which belonged to his second cousin, was still in the family, so Filip began taking violin lessons instead.
Pogady’s talent was quickly spotted by his music teacher and further nurtured by his parents. After being accepted into one of Austria's top music conservatories at the age of eight, he was on his way to what were soon to become his first accomplishments.
Young Pogady during his first violin lessons. Photo credit Fillip Pogady
First Successes
Filip’s daily practicing routine, driven by his enthusiasm and strive to be the best, started to quickly pay off. After participating in Austria's nationwide music competition, “Prima la Musica”, three years in a row, he was awarded an astonishing first prize each time. But it was not until his solo debut with an orchestra in Vienna, at the age of eleven, that he was certain this was his calling.
“I remember standing on a huge stage of the Konzerthaus in Vienna after my performance — I was eleven years old. There were hundreds of people applauding and screaming. It was such a confidence boost,” Filip recalls. “I felt like I was on top of the world! I never questioned doing anything else in the future since then.”
After his first successes, Filip became consumed with classical music and violin performance. His dedication was quickly recognized by one of the most respected violinists in the world, Pinchas Zukerman, who personally invited Pogady to pursue his masters degree in violin performance at Manhattan School of Music under his guidance.
The Subway
Violin has come to define Pogady as a human being. “When I sound good, I feel good. When I sound bad, I feel bad,” he says. He enjoys the endeavor of figuring out better ways of playing and sounding, but there is so much more to it, he says. “Not only you need to learn how to play physically, but you need to give it a soul — a personality.”
Although Pogady has played in some of the most renowned concert halls and has appeared on many popular TV-shows, he reveals that some of his most memorable moments come from playing in the New York City’s subway.
“I was playing music by Bach on 168th street in Washington Heights one time; I was there for about an hour. At one point I noticed a homeless lady sitting on a bench listening to me perform the whole time. After I finished playing, she came up to me and gave me a dollar. But it was not a typical $1 bill,” Filip recalls. "She gave me a one dollar worth of coins – It was, most likely, everything she had. I didn’t want to take it at first, but she insisted. ‘No, I really enjoyed it. It was beautiful’ she said.”
Pogady was so humbled by the encounter that it left him with tears in his eyes when leaving the subway that day. “That experience reminded me that big concerts are great, but those kind of moments are the ones that will stay with you forever.”
Don't Think About Plan B
It is undeniable that music and creative arts are among the most challenging professions to succeed in nowadays. However, Filip stresses that violin performance has always been his Plan A, despite admitting still having a long way to go to achieve his career goals.
“I've always believed there would be a way to make it somehow. I believe that having Plan B shows lack of confidence.” He adds: “If you do something you love and you do it well, people will notice. It may take longer than you want, but at least you will never have regrets on your deathbed about never having tried.”
So what piece of advice does he offer to those who are still searching?
Stay True to Yourself
“Try new things,” he says. “If I hadn’t tried playing violin as a child, I would have never known this was what I enjoyed doing.” Discovering your interests and likes is the first step to figuring out your purpose, he suggests.
Also, stay true to yourself and be encouraged no matter what.
“I feel that if I settled for something else and, for example, decided to be a doctor, I would be unhappy because I would know that I had a different purpose in life. I would feel like a failure no matter how much money I would be making.”
He acknowledges that our career choices are often motivated by money and the amount of risk they involve. He believes that life is about striving to live up to our highest potential rather than settling in for “comfortable” jobs instead.
One could conclude that Pogady’s journey to finding his passion has been fairly easy: he got exposed to music at a very young age; he was enrolled into a music school by his supportive parents; and he was able to complete his masters degree with a full scholarship.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
Although the family support was definitely helpful, he would have never been able to accomplish his dreams without his curiosity for music and, most importantly, without the hours — and I mean HOURS — of studying and practicing violin performance.
Filip is a true inspiration that if you really want something, and are willing to work hard for it, anything is possible.
Be sure to check out Filip’s website and follow his social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) to catch his next performance near you!
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