Zuill Bailey

When I play Bach, I will occasionally open my eyes
and see that the majority of people that are listening have their eyes closed. 
They’re feeling a special place that Bach really epitomizes.

Bach’s life and the output of music that he graced us all with is still unprecedented. 
Exploring the violin for the first time, that had never been done. 
Certainly exploring the cello for the first time.

The cello is essentially a single-lined instrument
and Bach was the first composer to truly to expose
the magic of what a cello can do.

Bach was able to create multi-voices and multiple harmonies
with an instrument that is essentially able to play one line.
The cello was a church bass until that moment in time. 
That’s an innovator.

The cello that I perform on is one of the rarer examples
of cellos predating the Bach suites.  
It’s thrilling to think when I’m playing this cello
that these sounds were around during Bach’s lifetime.

I play these suites for my children. 
They are singing dances. 
They are movement pieces. 
I am amazed at the pure joy that one can feel
with these dance rhythms.

It doesn’t surprise me at all that Bach was known
to shake every bone in his body when conducting his own works.

Zuill Bailey, website