Name: Vijay Meunier
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Year: Junior
Major: Music (Classical Guitar Performance)
HC (Her Campus): What made you choose your major?
VM (Vijay Meunier): Well, I’ve always known that I wanted to play guitar for the rest of my life, and performing is my element – it’s where I feel most comfortable – so it wasn’t really a choice, I just knew that was what I was going to do.
HC: When did you start playing guitar?
VM: I started taking guitar lessons with my dad when I was eight, and we both took lessons together. He stopped when I got better than him, but I kept going.
HC: So did he just play guitar as a hobby?
VM: He always wanted to learn how to play guitar, but his parents never helped him get lessons and it just kind of went to the wayside for him. So he wanted to learn when he was older, and it just seemed like good way for us to have a father-son activity together.
HC: Do you have a favorite musician, or someone you listen to for inspiration?
VM: I guess, last year, part of the research that I did in my own playing and my own writing was on a Venezuelan composer named Antonio Lauro. He was really my inspiration that year because he combined the music of his country, all these Latin rhythms and idioms, with a very intense understanding of European classical music and counterpoint and harmony. He really was one of the composers in my mind to elevate the classical guitar to the level of a truly virtuosic and masterful classical instrument. That’s one composer I’ll always cherish because he legitimizes my instrument and helps me to grow and learn so much about music. But there are so many answers I could give here, because I really love classic rock too, and electric guitar, and guitarists like Duane Allman and Jimmy. And I love Steely Dan, that’s a band I like.
HC: What are some of your other hobbies besides guitar?
VM: You know really, music is my life, and I guess it’s just a funny question because to me, when I’m in class at the music school and I’m practicing, it doesn’t feel like work. But it’s cool because in a way music can be both my hobby and my work, and I don’t think that’ll ever change. But also some other things I enjoy doing are biking, and I love tea and coffee…and just any fine ethnic food, or beer and wine, good stuff like that. And I love books.
HC: What’s your favorite book?
VM: That’d have to be Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
HC: What do you hope to be doing after college?
VM: I’ll be doing a doctoral degree eventually, but even after my undergrad I hope to be touring and performing as much as possible. I just want to be on stage playing guitar, that’s it.
HC: What’s a major accomplishment that you’re proud of?
VM: I’ve gone to a lot of guitar competitions and I’ve managed to get first prize in two of them, so both times were really amazing to me and let me know that all the work I’ve done over all my life has been worth it. But also, I would say one of the accomplishments that had the most effect on me was [winning] this scholarship in Texas called the Texas Young Masters Scholarship. For three summers they paid for me to travel outside of the country and within the country to do different music festivals and study from some of the greatest guitar teachers and players there are, so that was really an incredible learning experience for me.