Every year, before Pro Vita begins, Berkshire has a special guest who comes to campus and performs. This year, the school had the incredible opportunity to welcome Hannah Cohen, a young violinist and studio musician who is the niece of Ms. Pitcher! Hannah has been on tour with Zach Bryan, performing with him during his ‘Quittin’ Time Tour at Denver Mile High Stadium, and The Oakland Coliseum, Hannah has also performed at Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, Symphony Hall, The Beijing Concert Hall, The Beacon Theatre, and on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. I had the opportunity to speak with Hannah about her experience at Berkshire, upcoming music, and what the future has in store for her!
Biondo: How did it feel performing for students and teachers, something you don’t typically do?
Cohen: It was really cool to perform in a school setting; it was a different crowd, and I was not just interested in listening and watching, but explaining the why and how of the instrument. A lot of the time, when I perform, I don’t get to talk about anything or give any details about what I’m doing at the moment, or give the backstory of why I’m performing. That was super cool and fun to be able to share with everyone!
Biondo: What message do you want to leave with the students?
Cohen: I hoped to leave the students with the message that you should first be your biggest advocate. Second, jump on opportunities, surprise yourself, and take risks because you don’t know where in your career you’ll land. Push yourself into scary territory because you really don’t know who you’re going to meet or where it’ll take you in life.
Biondo: What is making music with Zach Bryan like? What does the process look like? And what’s a fun memory from the studio?
Cohen: Before I met Zach, I was doing a lot of classical music where I had sheet music I could read off of. Going into the studio with Zach, I had never experienced working with someone who would tell me their idea or sing me a line, and I had to create in the moment. It has been so interesting, and the same as playing in the band! It was a very collaborative process that was new to me.
Biondo: Looking ahead, what’s something you’re excited about? Musically, artistically, or personally?
Cohen: Musically, I’m looking forward to the shows lined up this summer. We will be playing at the Hyde Park Festival in London, and the people who have played on that stage are insane, so I’m very excited to be a part of that history! I’m also excited because I’m getting more recording opportunities with artists. Some are up-and-coming, and I’m excited to see where their career takes them. I’m personally very excited because I’m getting married in a month!
