Hello fellow Pink Quarantinos, we are excited to share with you a new weekly series called “Meet Pink Martini”, a deep dive into the many interesting and unique individuals that make up our “little orchestra”. While the band is on this unfortunate but important tour hiatus, we thought everyone could use a little distraction from their quarantining, so we asked our musicians and crew some fun and interesting questions to share with you all. The responses have been a great glimpse of the personalities of our brilliant musicians and crew members who spend up to six months a year on tour, bringing our music all over the world.
First up today is our exquisite and studly violinist Nicholas Crosa. Nick joined Pink Martini in 2005, and has performed on every studio album starting with Hey Eugene. He started playing the violin at age 6, was galavanting around the country making appearances with orchestras by the ripe young age of 11, and won prestigious scholarships to study at the world-renowned Juilliard School of Music. His rich and exuberant tone is a cornerstone of the band’s romantic sound.
1. If you could have seen any musician in concert, dead or alive, who you never got to see live, who would it be?
-Niccolo Paganini
2. What is your favorite Pink Martini song to perform?
-Hmmm, no favorites but I do love to perform Clementine.
3. What Pink Martini song gets stuck in your head?
-Well, we usually end with Brasil, so…
4. If you could have a side gig in any current band, which?
-Music nowadays… hard to pick. I am partial to last century’s bands.
Call me old fashioned…and bring me one while you’re at it!
5. If you had a robot that could do one household chore for you… what would it be?
-Clean up after me. I am a bit of a disaster.
6. If you could instantly be fluent in any language, which?
-Basque
7. What was the first concert you ever saw?
-No idea but I seem to remember the Chucky Cheese animatronic band as a fond/scary early memory!
9. If you could have one dish from any restaurant appear instantly anytime, which?
-Ricotta and Sausage pizza from Big Nick’s in NYC!
10. What music would you choose as a soundtrack to your most triumphant moment?
-Serenade for woodwinds in B flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
11. What’s your favorite sweet/dessert?
Haha, is this a trick question?
12. What illustrated animal or object would star in your children’s book?
-I really can’t think of anything good. A marshmallow keeps popping up in my head and it won’t leave!
13. Are you on the party bus or sleepy bus?
-Both scenes seem to abound on whatever bus I’m on!
14. If you could safely tour any ancient civilization, which?
-The one buried under the miles of ice on Antarctica!
15. Tell us a good knock knock joke?
-knock knock,
Ask Phil.
He’s got the good jokes…
16. If you were instantly skilled enough to have any one other occupation in the world besides musician, what would you choose?
-Master of the Universe
17. If you had complete creative control, what book would you like to turn into a movie?
-Journey to the Center of the Earth
18. What’s the most fun thing about being in Pink Martini?
-Seeing almost every corner of this amazing world we live in and performing for the loving audiences with the beautiful and talented people in the band that I now consider my family.
19. How did you choose your musical instrument?
-At age 6, I wasn’t given that many choices..
20. How are you keeping sane and calm during this crisis and these weeks of quarantine?
-Quarantine?
I almost don’t notice it except for the cleaner air and cooler temps. This is pretty much my normal routine when we come back from tour. I am accomplishing a lot of home improvements and embarking on many creative endeavors though!
My deepest sympathies to all who have been devastated by this awful sickness and by the crisis in general. Let’s hope it is resolved as soon as possible.
Peace and health to all,
Sincerely,
-Nick