Meet Beck Vontver | Musician, Artist & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beck Vontver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beck, what matters most to you?
Listening. Listening to your body, mind, and soul.

I listen to the sounds around me when I feel overwhelmed by thoughts, and it tunes me in to the calm of the present moment. I pay attention to how it feels to breathe into my belly, and if I have any tension in my muscles that’s preventing me from taking a nice deep breath. I listen to music and I feel so happy, and so overwhelmed with emotion at times that it makes me cry.

I listen to the words of my friends and family, and I try not to judge what they say, or plan my response as they talk. I listen with my ears, my eyes, my hands, my feet, my nose, and my heart. I listen to my emotions, I listen to my thoughts and the different personalities inside my head. Listening is my most precious practice and an infinite resource of knowledge and perspective. It is responsible for most of the joy and beauty and success I have had in my life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is a gradual process of growth. I follow my interest and my excitement to decide what I want to focus on.

Sometimes my interest is in learning a classical piano piece and intuitively improvising, playing with the melody or the chords without changing the overall mood. Sometimes it’s writing stream of consciousness poetry in my notes app, then rearranging and editing the ideas to form a new set of lyrics for a song. Sometimes it’s starting a painting or series of drawings and developing the work over a few weeks or months, making small additions/adjustments as I go.

The qualities I value in my work are expressiveness, detail, balance, and harmony.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh this is fun! My favorite spots in NYC.

I would take them to the restaurant I work at, Vinegar Hill House, for some delicious food and drink. We would definitely hit Mezzrow Jazz Club for some classy piano music and fancy vibes. We would take a walk around Ditmas Park, near my apartment in Flatbush, and enjoy the peaceful suburban vibes and great flowers and trees. Finally, we would go to Chinatown in downtown Manhattan and get some Chinese food at 456 Shanghai Cuisine or Deluxe Green Bo.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have incredible parents.

My dad is uncommonly gentle and sweet. He faces life with vulnerability and listening ears. His emotional openness inspires me deeply, and always will. He introduced me to playing music by giving me a drum-set for my first birthday, and we have continued jamming ever since. He produced my first solo piano album last Christmas!

Mom. She is my hero. We are very alike, in our quick-wittedness and creativity. We argue sometimes, but I think we feel very similar about things at the end of the day. She is a crazy talented artist, and a well known children’s book author. I would not be who I am today without her encouragement, affirmation, and care.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckvontie/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0zFS5hR0eRBFiJoqELJ0WQ

Other: Link to my EP, “Submarine Machine Girl” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4GYiOr4FK4Zi1xCUOgrFJs?si=LaI6ZTVoQLCGLjZ3JQpxyg&nd=1&dlsi=caf787559cf54816