Meet the Student: Q&A with Double Bassist Christian Luevano
Christian Luevano, from Denton, Texas, entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2022 and studies double bass with Harold Hall Robinson and Edgar Meyer. All students at Curtis receive merit-based, full-tuition scholarships, and Mr. Luevano is the Albert M. Greenfield Fellow.
When did you begin your musical studies and what led you to pursue a career as a double bassist?
I started playing bass at the age of five, which is somewhat unusual in bass playing. My mom is a professional musician, and she wanted my older brother and me to play instruments growing up. She gave me a choice of violin, piano, or singing, but expected I would play piano like my older brother. However, I chose to play the violin. She didn’t want to hear beginner violin in the house, so she had me start on bass instead (I was already very tall, and I’m 6’7″ now). For a long time, I played bass without questioning it, however after my freshman year in Texas All-State, when we played Rite of Spring and my experiences that summer at the Perlman Music Program, I realized that I really loved playing bass and wanted to make a career out of it.
What have you enjoyed the most about the Curtis experience, both in the classroom and on the stage?
To me, the best part of being at Curtis is being a part of the amazing bass studio here. I’ve gotten the chance to study under two of my long-time inspirations, Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. They both have so much knowledge and experience on the experience and complement each other’s teaching so well. Not only are they great teachers, but they are also both genuinely great people to be around. The other bassists here are such great musicians and friends, and I couldn’t imagine my time here without this studio. I’m looking forward to performing more on stage with my colleagues here in the future.
What is your favorite repertoire to play and who are some of the musicians you idolize and look up to?
My favorite repertoire to play tends to be whatever I’m working on at the moment, but I also really love playing in an orchestra. Edgar Meyer is one of my big idols, as I’ve grown up listening to a lot of his music, but I also love listening to Itzhak Perlman and Chris Thile. I also am constantly inspired by my colleagues here at Curtis, especially in the bass studio. Outside of classical music, I really enjoy listening to Earth, Wind and Fire, and Steve Morse.
Listen to Christian Luevano’s feature on NPR’s From The Top from May 9, 2022, before he began his studies at Curtis.
What do you hope for the future of classical music?
I hope that people will continue to support and care for classical music, as I believe that it is truly a complex and beautiful form of art. However, I think that as musicians, it is our job to keep finding ways to make this music relevant to others, and I hope to do this in my career.
When you’re not practicing or performing, what other interests or hobbies do you have?
Outside of practicing and performing, I really enjoy being active. I’ve been an athlete pretty much my entire life, and I enjoy working out and hiking as well. I also love to try different foods, and I’m a very big fan of Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Breaking Bad.
Photos of Mr. Luevano by Nichole MCH Photography.
