Music in the Key of Love

Epilogue

TEN YEARS LATER

Excerpt submitted by Jane Carroway for Rolling Stone:

This writer will admit that she's been looking forward to this interview more than any other, excepting perhaps when she interviewed Pete Santangelo last year.

Graham Stevens, classical pianist extraordinaire, has been on this reporter's bucket list for at least the past three years. Of course, he's worth interviewing on his own, but it doesn't hurt that his partner in life is Cressida Parker, author of Musical Complications, the exceptional first novel about a young woman who falls in love with a concert pianist. She (and he) are the first to admit that the novel is at least partially autobiographical.

Today, this writer is at their apartment, a brownstone on the Lower East Side, close to where they lived when they met, though it's worlds apart in cost and luxury. There's a garden, a beautiful back yard space, and they own he entire three stories. Their old neighbor, a woman named Mikey, is their housekeeper and nanny.

Graham Stevens is that most amazing creature, the crossover artist. He is a classical pianist, through and through, but he's somehow managed, because of a combination of charm and talent, to appeal to people who never believed that classical music was their vibe (this writer included). It doesn't hurt that he's very good looking. Yes, readers, a classical pianist who looks like a soccer player crossed with a Hugo Boss model. Whoda thunk?

The classical pianist in question is on the floor of his home right now, playing with his six month old daughter, Lyric. Lyric looks nothing like her father, but is rather a petite little girl with dark eyes like her mother, Cressida, a little maternal mini-me. The baby is sitting on her father's chest, trying to pick the buttons off his shirt. She has two little teeth which she shows often when she smiles or laughs.

RS: What do you think is your appeal? Why do you think you've managed to cross over into the mainstream, when for so long, classical music was seen as snooty, or just a dusty genre for old people?

GS: Who knows? Maybe my age? I'm not even thirty-five yet, so that helps. I like to think my music has a certain accessibility, an openness, that maybe another performer's wouldn't have.

(At this point, Cressida, who isn't technically part of the interview, interjects)

CP: I'm sure his looks haven't hurt him in that department. There are very few concert pianists out there who look like him. I mean, I think his posters sell just as well as his concert tickets.

(Good point)

RS: Classical musicians are notoriously prickly and hard to live with. You two have been together ten years, which is a long time for any couple, let alone a concert pianist. Any secrets?

GS: We went through a lot of stress and soul-searching to be where we are today. There were times when I thought we might not make it. And we made a lot of sacrifices, early on in our relationship, especially Cress, I've got to hand it to her. Right after we met, I won a scholarship to study in England for a year, and we had live with an ocean between us for eleven months. There was no money for her to come, we were just too poor. It was the most horrible time, to love her and miss her so much and to not be able to see her. Then, even after I came back, it wasn't like we suddenly had all kinds of time and money, you know? I have a brother in an institution, and it cost us just about everything we had at the beginning. So it's been a hard row to hoe, but everything we have now, including Lyric, we have because we made some hard decisions back then. And I couldn't ask for a better partner than Cress. She is amazing, every day, as a mother, as a life-partner, as a person.

RS: It's been rumored that you might play Beethoven in a biopic of his life. Is there any truth to that?

GS: Yes. It's daunting, but I've accepted the part. It will be unusual in that it will be the first time someone's portraying him who will actually play the music. Now it just remains to be seen if I can act, doesn't it? (laughter)

RS: (delicately) Uh, I don't recall Beethoven being a particularly handsome guy—how are they going to deal with how, um, photogenic you are compared to him?

GS: (embarrassed) I wouldn't know. I think with Beethoven it's more a matter of expression than anything. I've been practicing my Ludwig glower, see? (He lifts his head and looks in this reporter's direction with his brows drawn. He still looks pretty hot, TBH)

RS: When will this happen?

GS: Filming begins in Vienna next month, as a matter of fact.

RS: And you'll be separated from your family again? Is this one of the sacrifices you were talking about?

GS: No, actually, they can come with me. My schedule will be hectic and crazy, but Cress and Lyric are pretty independent, aren't you Lyr? (the baby drools at him) They'll travel around Europe and see the places only I've been able to see until now. I'll join them when I can, but they'll be fine on their own, too, I think.

RS: How much do you think your upbringing has had to do with your success?

GS: A lot. I didn't have it easy growing up, and it really motivated me to try hard. I don't know how good I'd be if my life had been cushy and happy. I might be a stockbroker or plumber or something. The fact that music was literally all I had made me grab onto it for dear life.

RS: You seem very happy, at a good place in your life.

GS: Yes, I was desperately unhappy for a long time, just kind of hating everyone. Then Cress came along, and showed me that it didn't have to be that way. And now we have her (makes googly eyes at his daughter), and hopefully more very soon.

RS: Is there something we should know? Something you want to tell our readers?

CP: I knew you wouldn't be able to keep it a secret. God, Graham, not even Mikey knows yet!

GS: Yeah, sorry. You knew this about me a long time ago, so don't complain. The fact is that we're expecting another addition to the family in about six months. (grins)

RS: You seem pretty happy about that.

GS: I'm over the moon. We waited a long time to have kids, and now I'm going to enjoy the hell out of them. Yeah, life is very, very good.

This article will appear in its entirety in the May issue of Rolling Stone.

THE END