5 MINUTES WITH ... DAVID COUCHERON

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's new 26-year-old concertmaster on preparing for his February solo debut

Why did you choose the Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 for your solo debut?

It is a piece that I feel very familiar and comfortable with. I've performed it on many occasions and I've gotten around to really knowing it. There are so many recordings of pieces now, and there's not really any point in playing something that just sounds like somebody else. With Mozart No. 5, 1 can really do something that maybe not everyone has heard before.

How do you make it your own?

I have to try everything - a lot of different fingerings and bowings. I see what feels right and what makes sense musically - how much impact the bowings have to make on a phrase or a piece in general.

How do you prepare for a solo concerto?

Same way I prepare for a recital or a chambermusic concert. You practice, you listen to recordings, and you try to come up with new ideas. Then you practice some more.

Is there a particular artist that you listen to while preparing?

Everybody has their favorite violinists that they like to listen to, but it's important to listen to as many recordings as you can, whether you like them or not. It's important to learn from things you don't like as much as from things you like. Obviously, I have my favorite violinists: David Oistrakh, Jascha Heifetz.

What additional research do you conduct during this process?

The Internet is a wonderful place. You can go there and read about the piece and the composer and what part of his life he would write it in. All that stuff goes without saying. You have to know the piece and in what context it was written for it to be thoughtfully portrayed to the audience.

Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

When I was younger I used to always eat a very big steak before I played. I don't always get the chance to do that now. A lot of performers don't like to eat before they play, but 1 like to play with a full stomach. You use a lot of energy and I want to make sure that I have that the whole time that I'm performing. I like to eat well before a concert.

Interesting, because you would think the butterflies . . .

Yeah. Well, when you have a lot of food in your stomach, there's no space for butterflies.

- R.W.

Visit Coucheron on the Web at coucheron.com.