Simmering Scorpio Interview: Matt Treviño Heats Things Up

We are thrilled to have singer Matt Treviño join us at our next season concert, Simmering Scorpio. He will be performing a set of fiery, highly Scorpio songs (to give you an idea, one is titled “My Songs are Filled with Poison”). Michelle Schumann got a chance to chat with him about the benefits and setbacks of being a Gemini artist, and how these Russian “Songs and Romances” are “ALL about” deep voices and Scorpio vibes.


Michelle Schumann: This season is all about horoscope signs… can you share with us whether you have any of the quintessential traits of your sign? Do any of these traits impact your music making and performing?

Matt Treviño: I am a Gemini through and through. The quintessential points being the duality; Ying and Yang. I see two sides to everything and am very easygoing because of it. This makes rehearsals with me easy (I hope!) with my spirit always being one of cooperation and teamwork. I definitely have two sides, however. One is fun-loving—the life of the party and someone easy to talk to. This makes me a fun person after the show and during the rehearsal process. But often I can turn to the other side, where I want nothing more than to crawl home and not see anyone. Luckily, I can manage these two sides and they work quite well with my professional life. Another common trait of the Gemini is being excited about learning and taking on new projects. This is true for me as well. I love to learn and talk things through. But I also tend to let things fall to the wayside, and this is a problem I need to keep tabs on. I can easily get bored and want to move on to the next thing—not the best trait when you need to learn a piece of music by a certain date!

MS: November is all about Scorpios, who have the reputation of being super emotionally charged: fiery, unpredictable, passionate, and melodramatic. How do Alexander Borodin’s “Songs and Romances” align with these traits?

MT: They’re perfect! Russian music, and these wonderful Borodin pieces in particular, often display a fiery and impulsive emotional state. Whether they be deep and passionate love, betrayal, bitter resentment, or a tumultuous death—these songs are ALL about the Scorpio!

MS: You’ve mentioned that you love singing Russian rep. What is it about that repertoire and the language that is so attractive to you?

MT: There is something about the meter and sound of the language, and the gravity of Russian poetry and prose that work perfectly with the low voice. The musical and emotional colors feel so natural to me and my singing. I liken it to certain instruments just sounding better playing certain styles: guitars playing rock, trumpets playing jazz, cellos playing Beethoven… basses singing Russian!

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