Musician. Triathlete. Perfectionist.
As a viola player for a world-famous symphony orchestra, Katy Mattis had to get over feeling like “the ugly stepsister.” That’s because when she began her career, Mattis explains, nobody played the viola – it was where violinists went to die! But that didn’t stop her from playing her heart out for her entire 40-year career as the associate principal violist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra before retiring in September.
Growing up in San Diego, Mattis became serious about playing the instrument and by high school, she’d spend more than four hours a day practicing. From there, she attended the University of Southern California to study music performance.
In 1977, at her very first professional audition, Mattis beat tremendous odds (only 150 students out of 13,000 graduates would find jobs playing any kind of instrument with an orchestra) to be offered a place with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Her first performance for SLSO was a shock to the system. It was under the Gateway Arch in 100-degree weather with 100% humidity.
“As I was playing I thought to myself, ‘I won’t spend more than a few years here!’” Mattis recalled with a wry smile.
But she found a forever home in St. Louis and with the orchestra, where she met her husband, Mel Jernigan, a bass trombonist. Although the couple divorced after 17 years, together, they raised their son, Tommy, now 27, and daughter, May, who is 24.
I HAD A WONDERFUL TEACHER WHO TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE JOY OF MUSIC.
My family had a rule: All the kids had to take an instrument. But I’m the only one who stuck with it. I just loved music. When I was 15 years old, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra came to San Diego where I grew up. They played Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and hearing the opening trumpet call transplanted me to another universe. I knew what my calling was.
THE VIOLIN IS LIKE FINE CHAMPAGNE; THE VIOLA, A RICH CABERNET.
The viola is bigger and lower-pitched than the violin, so we don’t often get the big melodies. Instead, we play a supportive role, which suited my musical personality. The violins typically
have the exciting solos that create fireworks, while we play with deep feeling. We’re the glue that holds everybody together.
I WAS THE UGLY DUCKLING WHO TURNED INTO A SWAN.
As the youngest of five kids, I used music to get attention. My mother was a music teacher who would accompany me on the piano. She was very proud of my career, especially that I went on European tours. The orchestra is like a family that lets you feel connected to so many intelligent, talented musicians.
YOU FEEL SO GOOD RUNNING TRIATHLONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE OVER.
In my 30s, I found out my cholesterol was high so I had to start exercising. Since I liked running in high school, I gave it a try. And I just took off! It relieved stress from a stressful job and the solitude helped me think better. I liked the intensity of racing, as well as the camaraderie with other runners. Through the years, I’ve competed in my age group, earning about 100 trophies in everything, from 3K races to marathons to triathlons. But today, my focus is to be fit, not to be fast.
IF YOU’RE NOT GETTING BETTER, YOU’RE GETTING WORSE.
To perform classical music, you must be a perfectionist because you’re never as good as you want to be. The workload is so much more than people can imagine. And you are always trying to improve. In order to maintain your musical fitness, you have to work on your physical fitness, too—your muscles and your tendons. In a way, we are like athletes—and like them, we have to perform through the pain.
I WON’T PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING I’M NOT.
Some of my friends will not even wear shorts because they hate their knees. But my attitude is to find happiness whatever comes your way. So I let my brown hair go gray, like a Targaryen from “Game of Thrones.” I set my own expectations—that’s why I’ve given up on dating…I’m not willing to kiss any more toads.
