FROM BOW TO BRUSH
AND BACK
By M . J . Hudon
WITH ARTIST / MUSICIAN , RANDALL VEMER isciplined , hard-working , and humble , doubly talented musician and artist , Randall Vemer is a study in perseverance . After spending many years as a musician , a medical issue robbed him of his ability to play his violin . He refocused his energy toward painting and embraced a classical style that allowed him to remain close to his musical roots by painting images from the orchestra .
Through hard work and a bit of a medical miracle , Vemer was able to return to his violin and now teaches both music and art .
I had the pleasure of speaking to him and enjoyed his now slight , and self-described , “ hokey ” Missourian accent . Full of humor and charm , Vemer ’ s attention to detail and amazing focus were apparent even over the phone . It was easy to see how this gentleman was able to work within two types of art and not only become proficient in them but master them as well .
MJ : Randall , please tell us where you grew up ?
Vemer : I grew up on my family ’ s farm in central Missouri . I was part of the fourth generation living there and the unspoken expectation was for me to eventually take over the farm . There was no pressure , but the problem was , my mother put a bow in my hand when I was 10 years old and that violin just changed my life . I fell in love with the instrument and the world it opened up for me , as well as the beauty and magic of the thing . So that ’ s kind of how it happened .
MJ : When did you decide to become a musician rather than a farmer ?
Vemer : Probably as a high school student after a couple of summers at National Music Camp in Interlochen , Michigan .
MJ : Where do you live now and how did you end up there ?
Vemer : I live in Portland , Oregon . After high school , I went to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music . It was there , in my senior year , I walked by a bulletin board and saw an ad for an audition for the Oregon Symphony . During the Korean War , my dad had been stationed in Portland for four years . I had grown up hearing about it anecdotally , so I hopped on a plane and went to the audition . I wanted to see the city where I was born and do what I thought would be a “ practice ” audition . I didn ’ t think I would actually get the job . It was supposed to be a fun little adventure , but I ended up being hired on as principal viola !
When I won the position of principal viola I was as surprised as everyone else . I was all of 22 years old and despite having
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