SS editor Beau Stucki had a chance to sit down with local composer and music teacher Isaac Gish to discuss the opportunities of St. George, becoming a musician and what makes an artist.
I arrive at Isaac Gish's in-law's house late in the evening. Walking in I am greeted first by a mix of lively music - Isaac is perched on a piano bench turned to face everyone. The piano is opened, but abandoned while he holds his guitar, strumming loudly.
His brother-in-law (and student) queries him on musical theory. "What if I a mix these chords together? What key am I in here? What should come after this?"
Everyone is having a good time and they seem relaxed despite the volume. I set up for the interview at the dinning room table as everyone continues.
"Which chord is this?"
"You can add a g major seven here."
Things quiet down a little and Isaac moves over to the table. His bride of 11 months, Brook, follows linking playfully with his arm. We start to talk a little, but we are interrupted frequently by musical questions shouted across the room. Finally it is decided that we must be alone Isaac gives a final smile to his wife and everybody trudges downstairs, leaving only Isaac and I sitting at the table.
I open my laptop and ready a document. Isaac adjusts his glasses and shrugs his shoulders warmly.
We're in. I open.
I- I was in [LDS] primary around . . . maybe 5 or something. My teacher told me and my mom that I was the best singer. And so I really liked to sing and in all my home videos I am always just singing. And when I was a little bit older and I first started seeing pianos I'd always be able to find out the melody of any song I was thinking and I'd also try and come up with my own little songs.
B- What attracts you to music?
I- It seems to give real insight into a person. I am not as big of a fan of classical music - just hearing people play it - as some people. I really like to hear things that people have made themselves or that they've arranged. I think it kind of shows a side of them that you can't really see from anywhere else. There's just a lot of emotion, a lot of power in there that I think can't really be expressed with words.B- How do you define the music you create? Do see a certain style in your music?
I- I don't really know if I would say that I have a particular style, because the music I write a lot of it changes based on what I have been listening to or what has inspired me recently. I write some music that is kind of rock - kind of alternative rock. I write some music that is just kind of goofy and fun. I write some music that is orchestral, kind of going for a more epic movie score kind of a feel.
I think I do incorporate a lot more music theory and a little bit more knowledge-based . . . how do I put this? I do incorporate a lot music theory and techniques that I've learned from music history classes and music theory classes to make my music more interesting. I think most people when they're listening to a song they don't really know what it is that makes them like it a lot of the time, but having studied music a lot I've been able to learn kind of what it is that makes a song catchy - kind of creating the right balance between repetition and diversity. So I wouldn't say that I have a style that really remains constant.
B- What made you decide that music was the career for you? When did that strike?
I- When I realized that I can't stop doing music for more that a very short amount of time. I try to concentrate on other things, I try to tell myself "Okay, I need to be productive and put and put my creative tendencies aside." I can't do it! I've tried. I tried on my [two-year church] mission; I couldn't do it. I've tried to learn classic music, to learn how to read music better and things like that and I have succeed to some level, but it seems like no matter what in the back of my mind there's always a song I am trying to make. Or there's something that I want to write down - so I realized I should probably go into that because that's that the one thing that I am actually good at. I would end up being a mediocre band teacher in a high school or I feel like I could be a very successful and prominent composer.
Isaac & Brook Gish
B- Is music important then? For society as a whole?
I- Well cognitively it does a lot of wonderful things for people's brains. People in [college] band or orchestra tend to have better GPA's and just seem to do better in many aspects of life. But I can't really say exactly why it is important for society, but I know that people can't really go without it. I can't say why but in every event, in every movie, in every social gathering people just love music and it's - something is missing if it's not there.
B- Tell me about the opportunities you've had hear in St. George - do you think it is a good place for musicians?
I- I'd say that there's a lot of opportunities to teach in St. George - that's what I do for my living. In our culture - in the LDS culture as well, music plays a giant role. So in St. George there's a lot of people that want there kids music; piano, guitar, whatever it is. So there's a lot of opportunities for that, but when it comes to composing and performing the opportunities are pretty limited. You can perform at The Electric Theater and a couple other little venues, but nothing with a crowd that more than, you know, maybe 100 - 200 people usually. Eventually I'm going to try and get to somewhere else where there can be bigger opportunities for composers and musicians.
B- What do you feel has made you into the artist that you are today?
I- Something that I think really defines a musician is the hours and hours that they spend by themselves in their own little world. Not really concentrating on reaching any expectations set by anyone else, but just developing their own musicianship; writing their own music. I've spent so many hours where I'll just take my guitar to some place outside and try to get something down that I've been thinking or I'll just go into my room and just not leave for, you know, maybe four hours, trying to express something through music, trying to compose. I think that time and the dedication that I've had to learn the fundamentals of music and learn what it is that makes music work and what it is that makes people like it. To learn all the music theory and the techniques that really make music memorable - I think all the time I've put into that has made a big difference in musicianship. SS
Isaac sent along three of his tunes for our readers to sample:
