DOMINIQUE HAMMONS- INTERNATIONAL MASTER VIOLINIST

Music is more than expressionism to me. Music is connection and dedication and a portal to opening imagination. That’s why when I discovered Dominique Hammons on social media covering some of my fave songs I just HAD to interview him. This is not a joke I hounded him until he agreed. Enjoy!

©DOMINIQUEHAMMONS

Hi Dominique…how are you…. I am doing good and how are you?  I am so excited that you are sitting down and talking with me. Yes, thank you for having me on your show.

This is honestly a childhood dream come into fruition. I could not play the violin as a kid; it was actually the only time in my childhood that my bubble was burst. When my father told me that I could not play the violin, that it was not my instrument. I tried everything to be able to play the violin, I ended up playing the flute.

It is incredibly hard to get any sound out of the violin, not to mention the classical violin. Not only have you been able to get sound, but you have made what is traditionally known as a classical instrument into mainstream. You have made Covers. So please tell us how this started, at what age were you when you started to play the violin…

Yes, well first… I tried to play the flute and that is a hard instrument. Yes! it is hard. Honestly it is so much easier (than the violin) because all you need is hand eye coordination and your lips. With the violin, it is so much … the rosin and the bow…I have so much respect.

Lol, well it took me a while… I started playing when I was eight years old, and I am twenty-nine years old. So, I have been playing for twenty-one years. It is one of the hardest instruments. The school that I attended offered orchestra. I was not interested in anything else, but I knew that I loved music, and I had to choose an elective. So, I chose orchestra. Although I wasn’t into band. I wanted to try something different.

My grandmother suggested that I try the violin. So, I gave it a shot and I enrolled in the class. I am a fast learner, I started to play the violin, and I just got better and better. I continued with it. I am classically trained and played classical music all the way to college.

What was the first song that you played on the violin…

The first song that I played on the violin was ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. No way… yeah, yeah. That is a classic opening to orchestra. It is definitely a beginner song that most violinist begin on and can play.  Uh, don’t say anybody can play. Hahaha, okay.  

I feel like an instrument talks’ to you. There are certain instruments that connect with your soul. You can tell that you have both intuition, and a lot of practice. Thank you.

Typically, when people think of the violin, you think of your traditional classical music…and all that encompasses. When I found your page, you had ‘We Belong Together’, and a Drake song. It is very rare when you see any classical instrument used in black music. How did you think that the violin was capable of being a part of that genre of songs… because the way that you play it is absolutely phenomenal.

Like I said… I am just a big fan of music in general. I listen to all types of music, Country; Gospel; or Hip Hop. So, as I am learning classical music am getting better at my technique, and the violin in general. Once I stepped outside of that I started doing gospel music.  I started playing at different churches around Texas.

Then I realized that I could play the violin by ear, I can listen to a song and then play exactly what the song is saying. In high school I joined a Jazz Latin Band. And that band taught me a lot and elevated my skills, and different ways to improv on the violin.

It was definitely out of my comfort zone (being in the Jazz Latin Band) because I am so use to classical music. My ear got better training. I then thought since I have gotten pretty good at this, lets broaden myself further. So, I started doing Covers – of Hip Hop songs; Jazz; and Pop. Doing a lot of different songs that people are familiar with, I thought that would get me to that next level. It was easy because I loved what I was doing.

Do you typically have the music in front of you for the popular songs or is it solely from your ear training….

I just kind of do it…like what is your favorite song. The song ‘Happiness’, by the group 1975. That is my favorite alternative song right now.  Okay, if I was to hear that song and if it has a catchy melody…I could listen to it three of four times and then play it on the violin.  What!!! that is insane. There is no sheet music! when you are doing the Covers there is no sheet music? No!... lol.  That is more insane.

I saw one of your posts…where people still think that you are faking playing the violin.  Yeah!!!!  So, how do you manage to stay focused and not respond to that…because it is rude and insulting at the same time….

Growing up I have always had challenges. There were times when people didn’t even think that I should even be playing the violin. So, many people were just mad. In orchestra I was in so many different competitions, I was in so many things. I was usually the only black kid in the room. So, I heard often… ‘how did he get first chair’, ‘oh, he doesn’t belong here’. I have always tuned things like that out and use that as my motivation.

I do not pay too much attention to that, because everyone is going to have an opinion. This is true.  Also, the larger your following becomes the more you will experience negativity.

That is really the most Zen approach to that. I remember when I was a flutist, they would say very similar things to me. I did not have the same Zen reaction that you did. It is something when folks don’t even think that you play (the instrument).

It takes a lot of experience and training. To be honest there was a period that I cared about everyone’s opinion. I had to learn that it was not healthy for me, and it just brings you down. It is something that you learn over time.

How do you select your Cover songs, do you look at solely what you like, or what has been popular over the years…

I really sort of go from what songs have been popular, and what songs are popular today. Most of my fan base is 35 years old and up, so I know that they will enjoy 80’s music. So, I know choosing a song from that era would do well. I honestly like mixing it up. I know kids follow me as well. It comes down to whatever I feel, it comes down to my feeling.

Is there an artist that you dream to just create with….

That is a tough question. You can select five artists…  Okay, number one would be Stevie Wonder, I love Stevie Wonder. Number two, hmmm, now are they alive and dead?  Well with AI now, they can be deceased too. Well, I have always wanted to collab with Prince, I thought that would be really cool. Yes, since he actually uses and plays instruments.

Yes, and that is another thing I would want to collab with artist that actually play instruments. My third choice would be Sam Cooke. I think Alternative Bands use more instruments in their songs, what do you think – like 1975 etc. I never covered that genre, but I am open to anything. I feel like I would be able to do it.

In your videos  you can feel and see your passion, do you have to connect to a song first before you film your Covers…

No, not necessarily. Some songs I do not care for, but I know that everybody else loves it, so I say let’s go ahead and do this. Like songs in the 80’s and 70’s, I get so many comments that those songs bring back good childhood memories. That is what I strive for is to bring some positivity back and into my fan’s lives. Whether I enjoy them or not.

How much do you practice in a day…

To tell you the truth I use to practice two hours a day, but now I really do not practice at all. Every now and then I will pick up a classical book and practice scales. I play a lot of popular music so there is really not a lot you can practice. Now if I was still doing classical music, I most definitely would have to practice like three to four hours a day. That is very Allen Iverson of you – with regards to practicing.  Aahaha, I like that. But it is true, once you have done something for so long, it becomes a part of you. It is a part of me (playing the violin). I think of it like riding a bicycle.

What are you most looking forward to for the remainder of the year…

I am more excited about the events that I have coming up. I am doing more international events. Yes!!!! That is a hair flip moment. Yeah…well I don’t have any hair. We do it figuratively.  Yeah!!!  So, I will be in Germany. I have London, and Costa Rica. I have been to Costa Rica twice now. I will be in Hawaii, Los Cabos, Aruba, and France.

How do you relax, unwind, reconnect with yourself and get Zen…

I play video games. Yeah!!!  Does it help with the eye-hand coordination with the violin. Yeah, you can say that it helps with that. I have a boring life outside of music. I go to the gym, and I am at home. What is your favorite video game to relax…  NBA 2K, and mainly sports games.

Thank you so much, and I enjoyed our conversating…. Thank you for having me I really appreciate it!