Meet the Student: Q&A with Dillon Scott

Dillon Scott, from Lansdale, Pa., entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2022 and studies viola with Roberto Díaz and Edward Gazouleas. All students at Curtis receive merit-based, full-tuition scholarships, and Mr. Scott is the Mark E. Rubenstein Fellow.

What drew you to the viola, and what aspects of the instrument and its repertoire are you most fond of and why?
In third grade, my elementary school had a presentation introducing us to string instruments. Because I have always had the tendency to want to be different, I chose to play the instrument that most of the people around me and I had never heard of before-the viola. I fell in love with it shortly after that because of its human-like character and its rich dark tone. I particularly love the viola repertoire because it is much more contemporary, which gives us the opportunity to collaborate with living composers and also allows us to be more adept at understanding and interpreting more modern styles of art.

This is your first year studying at Curtis. What have been a few memorable moments you’ve had over the past semester, studying with Roberto Díaz and Edward Gazouleas and performing with your colleagues at the school?
Curtis has always been my dream school since I was nine, and so far, my experience has surpassed all my expectations. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Mr. Diaz and Mr. Gazouleas. They work so well together and are helping me become a better violist than I could have ever imagined being. One of the biggest highlights of this semester so far was learning the Sierra viola concerto, a piece written for my teacher Mr. Díaz, and getting to meet the composer himself. I was then able to perform it and post the first video recording of the concerto on YouTube. It has helped me take my first steps into creating a career that is centered around highlighting the music of underrepresented composers.

Congratulations on your recent prize in the 2023 Sphinx Competition Senior Division. Tell us about your experience performing in this prestigious competition and what the honor means to you.
I am so honored to have been awarded the 3rd prize at the Sphinx Competition. It was truly inspiring to compete with and be surrounded by such promising young talent that will go on to change the face of this industry. The Sphinx Organization has already done unprecedented work regarding diversity in the arts, and I am thrilled to be a part of their network now so I can play my own part in fulfilling this vision.

Read more about Dillon Scott’s 2023 Sphinx Competition Senior Division award HERE.

What do you hope for the future of classical music?
I see nothing but bright and brilliant things. I see somewhere in the future that we will get to the point where we can find the balance between honoring and upholding the traditions of the past as well as acknowledging and exploring the ideas of the new. I see us breaking down barriers and stigmas by including the racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities that have historically been excluded from enjoying this art. Once we make this accessible to any and all who wish to take part, then this industry will become even more of a cornerstone in the arts and society and will be able to thrive and flourish in the centuries to come.

Who are your favorite musicians, and what interests do you have outside of your musical studies?
There are so many people that I look up to. I greatly admire certain young and up-and-coming violists like Jordan Bak, Timothy Ridout, and Matthew Lipman because they are helping to expand what it means to be a viola soloist. I also really have such admiration for artists like Leanard Bernstein, who spent most of his career educating and exposing new audiences to the power of classical music. Finally, I also have so much respect for artists like Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who use their platform to promote change, therefore, reinforcing the idea that to be an artist is also to be an advocate. Outside of music, I like learning about history and sociology because I find the world and the people that live in it to be fascinating. I also really enjoy reading science fiction and building models.

Photo credits: 1.) Banner and second image courtesy by Nichole MCH Photography. 2.) Photo of Alexandra Switala, Dillon Scott, and Njioma Chinyere Grevious courtesy of The Violin Channel. 3.) Photo courtesy of the PYO Music Institute.