From her home in New York City, Ponty opened up about her musical past, present, and future with barnesandnoble.com contributing editor Carol Wright.

barnesandnoble.com: Are you tired of being asked why you didn't follow in your father's jazz footsteps?

Clara Ponty: Although I like jazz very much, it wasn't where my soul was. Classical music was best for my self-expression.

bn: You grew up in Paris and Los Angeles. Does being bilingual in French and English influence your music?

CP: Yes, French culture is strong, especially in the Impressionist realm. I think about grace and beauty when I write, and this is what I draw on for such pieces as "Crystalline," "Bridge of Clear Light," and "Game of Birds." But, my music isn't just impressionistic, it's expressionistic -- drawing from the inside. I go back and forth between these two styles, especially on EMBRACE, which was written around the time of my grandmother's death. She was very dear to me, and I drew directly from this experience, which helped me to mourn and to transcend the pain. Composing is tremendously uplifting medicine for me, opening my heart and senses.

bn: Your debut album was primarily solo, but on EMBRACE, you bring in other instruments and even wordless vocals to create a tapestry of sonic colors.

CP: My compositions lend themselves to color, variety, and the blending of opposites. So I brought in instruments I loved, like the ney flute, Charango guitar, harp, 36-string zither (played by Laraaji), percussion from Africa and the Middle East -- and the voice. Then John Lissaur and I wrote the arrangements, adding strings and ambient sounds.

bn: Did you feel you had to choose between a career as a pop performer, like George Winston, and being a classical concert pianist?

CP: It was never my intention to be the next George Winston. I don't call myself a new age pianist. I've always had a dream to contribute to contemporary classical music. I was performing since I was a little girl, but to persist along that path would have meant continuing as a classical interpreter. Composing is my real means of expression. I really don't miss a thing from my past training in the classical world. On the contrary, I'm more self-expressive than ever.

bn: What music do you like to listen to?

CP: One of my favorite classical pianists is the young Russian, Evgeny Kissin -- very hot! I just saw him in concert and love his recordings. Mitsuko Uchida is another favorite classical pianist. I've also been listening to CHAMELEON by Badi Assad, a guitarist and songwriter from Brazil, and Geri Allen, a female jazz pianist. As long as the quality and the creativity are high, my ears are tuned in.

bn: If you could drop into any moment in musical history, when would it be?

CP: I would have loved to present my compositions at 19th-century Paris salons with Liszt and Chopin, playing for the novelist George Sand and the painter Delacroix. What a juicy atmosphere that must have been!

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