portfolio and everything in between

journalist turned pr person

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Culture Shock and Chuckles: The Dutch Diaries of Indonesian Students – Episode 1

About twenty years and (suspiciously) twenty kilograms ago, I myself set foot in the Netherlands as a wide-eyed foreign student, ready for adventure. As a young foreign student, diving into life abroad was a wild ride. From day one, I faced the challenges of adapting to a new culture: navigating customs, languages, and norms. The initial excitement quickly gave way to confusion (and…

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Navigating Dutch Bureaucracy: Your International Student Survival Guide

Welcome to the Netherlands, where tulips, windmills, and stroopwafels await. But before you embark on this Dutch adventure, it’s time to confront the less picturesque side: Dutch bureaucracy. Fear not, my friend; with a touch of humor and a pinch of know-how, you’ll master it like a pro. Let’s embark on your journey of “I’m-an-international-student-and-Dutch-bureaucracy-can’t-stop-me.” Embrace…

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How I learned to love the Dutch language as an international student

Amsterdam in November When I first arrived in the Netherlands as an international student a lifetime ago, I had no idea what to expect from the Dutch language. I knew it was related to English and German, but I also heard it was full of strange sounds and expressions. I decided to take a Dutch course at the university, hoping to learn some basics and maybe make some friends. Little did I know…

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Let them fail

I was about to start writing this piece about student’s inquiring mind when my 8-year old daughter out of the blue asked, “Mom, do you know that many deep see creatures are transparent?”  To which I answered shortly because I wanted to start writing right away,” Sure.” Not getting the clue that I was not up for a discussion, she continued,” Okay, but do you know why?”Knowing that giving her the…

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Indonesia: Polarization in Politics: All a Cebong or Kampret

Indonesia: Polarization in Politics: All a Cebong or Kampret

These days, it is hard to separate polarisasi politik from the everyday life of Indonesian citizens. This phenomenon – having a personal and emotionally charged negative feeling about those in the other political camp has risen sharply before the upcoming presidential election in April 2019. People experience it every day, from conservative media, social media, to Friday speeches in the mosques,…

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A Conversation with Tasmin Waley-Cohen

Described by the Guardian as a performer of "fearless intensity",  the recipient of 2016-2017 ECHO Rising Stars Awards Tamsin Waley-Cohen joined by pianist Huw Watkins released a new CD exploring folk-inspired Bohemia from before the First World War. It features works by Antonin Dvořák, Josef Suk and Leoš Janáček. Primephonic’s Rina Sitorus had a chance to talk to Tamsin about it.

Congratulations on your newest recording, Bohemia. What is the idea behind it? Thank you very much. I’ve always really loved the music of Antonin Dvořák, and Leoš Janáček. In fact some of my earliest memories of playing chamber music was playing Dvořák quartet. The idea actually sits at the beginning of a series of albums I’ve done over the past few years, which between them, tell the story of the twentieth century. I wanted to do something which comes before the 1917 album. Although the Janáček is the latest work on this album, written right before the outbreak of the first World War, I wanted to do an album which in a way encapsulated the incredibly cultured world of central Europe, which was completely lost after the first World War.

How would you describe your collaboration with Huw Watkins? Huw and I have been working together for many years. I premiered his Concertino when I was 15. He is my long time partner in violin and piano recitals and chamber music. We’ve recorded quite a lot together so it was only natural that we recorded Bohemia together. Actually it was his idea to include the Suk pieces. They fit perfectly. The works are very beautiful but quite strange and unexpected. There’s something about them which is a bit uncomfortable. They fit very well with the idea of a world that is disappearing. What are the highlights of Bohemia that people may not yet be so familiar with?

Well, I think in fact the Dvořák sonata is almost never played, it is quite early, from before he had achieved his great fame. It has this almost fresh naivety about it and I think it's very charming. Many people may not know that. And the works from Suk are a gems which are not played at all these days, but they were very popular 50 years ago. Another highlight could be the four romantic pieces by Dvořák which he wrote later on when he went back to his country house in Bohemia. He was writing these melodies inspired by the music of the countryside.

Are you happy with how the recording turned out?

As a musician you’re always learning and improving. It doesn’t mean that something I did last year was not good, but I might do it differently.The thing with recordings is that they are snapshots of a few days. You put your heart and soul in these few days, you do your best in a recording. Of course later there will be things which I want to change or do differently, but I do feel that this is a very good representation of the works. I absolutely stand by what we did. And since recordings will be there forever, I’ll always make sure that I know from every note what I want and why I want it that way. And it comes from a lot of thoughts, analysis and reflections, so nothing is happening by chance.

I’m also very happy to work with producer Nick Parker and engineer Mike Hatch. They understood what we wanted, something tactile and intimate to go for the warmness of Janáček for example and tenderness for other moments.

How do you prepare a recording?

It is very very important to have a very good preparation. A lot of practise and rehearsals. For me it is just as important to perform the pieces on stage and sort of living that experience. I think you should perform it at least five times, but ideally more. And remember to record yourself before you go into the recording,  so you are producing what you’re hoping for in your mind’s ears.

Do you still get nervous?

Yes of course. It is a different nervous feeling between recording and stage performance. You are recording for three days, but every take is different. It's more about this adrenaline that goes through you in these whole three days. Stage performance is about adrenaline rush for a shorter time. For me it’s a positive thing. It should lift up the performance and bring extra energy to the stage. I don't see nerves as a negative thing. Of course you need to know how to relate to it and manage it.

Could you tell me about your next projects?

My next recording plans are actually with my quartet, Albion. We have recorded four sets of Dvořák quartets. There are 14 of them  and we are doing a sort of exploration of the cycles. I really love the music – it’s the kind of music which gives you joy and energy.

I’m also working on the complete violin and keyboard works by CPE Bach on modern instruments  with James Baillieu. This is quite a big project. Apart from the many different pieces, it is also about entering into another world that is very different from any other composer. It's a wild and emotional style of writing. You can really see it on people like Schumann. The works are very very expressive, very virtuosic and very exciting to play. I played it in concert recently. The recording will be released as a double disc in 2019.

Also, I just recorded with the Czech Philharmonic a new concerto from an English composer Richard Blackford which they commisioned for me. The whole concerto tells about the Greek myth of Niobe. The violin plays the part of Niobe and it's very theatrical as the whole concerto is very dramatic.  She basically showed off that she had 14 children, then she was punished and turned into a rock. We discussed a lot about Niobe and its relevance today, as she was punished for her boastfulness about her children. I think women all over the world still experience this unfair punishment for stepping outside of restricted boundaries. I think it’s very much a modern story that we can learn a lot from. The album will be out in summer 2018.

What about the Albion quartet, what is the story behind it?

It was officially just formed 18 months ago. The quartet consists of me, Emma Parker (violin), Rosalind Ventris (viola), and Nathaniel Boyd (cello). You know, for a string player, playing in a quartet is like the holy grail. I’ve always loved the idea but  it is very difficult to find four people who really share the same vision because it is such an intimate platform. You have to have shared ideals of music and much respect for each other. Actually we have known each other for years.  We met in the chamber music scene and we would just do projects. At some point, we said to each other: let’s do this seriously.

Quartet playing demands much more compared to a solo work. It needs so much refinement, nuance in interpretation, togetherness in a group, not only in how you change your sound, but also in the articulation and intonation as well. Quartet has always been a big love of mine, I’m happy that now I’m playing in one. We will be playing at Concertgebouw Amsterdam in April 2018.

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An Interview with Liza Ferschtman

Dutch violinist Liza Ferschtman, considered as one of the most important violinists of her age, is known for her passionate performances, collaborations with modern dancers and innovative programming as an artistic director. Primephonic’s Rina Sitorus had a chance to talk to Liza about her latest projects and how she crowdfunded her Mendelssohn recording.

Your parents are Russian musicians and you were born and raised here in the Netherlands, does the combination influence your musical development in some ways? Some people say that I must have a strong connection with Russian repertoire and I say I don't (chuckles). Of course there is some Russian repertoire which feels closer to me. Take for example Prokofiev: I treasure his works dearly for his storytelling, his incredible way of using ‘colours’ and his expressive way of describing things. Of course you can still argue that I am fond of Prokofiev’s works because of his Russian ways, or it is just simply great music? Another example is that I don’t have a special connection with Tchaikovsky. Some people will say they hear ‘something’ when I play his works, but I don’t know, I can’t be sure.

Although with Shostakovich it might be a bit different. My father (cellist Dmitri Ferschtman) played a couple of times for him. In that sense, there is a passing of knowledge, that makes his works closer to me. Still, I might know more about his works but that doesn't necessarily mean that I automatically play them better. 

What do you consider to be insightful moments in your artistic work and/or career?

When I was 14, I was a talented child but not something out of the ordinary, or at least that was what I thought. I was doubtful if I should continue. That was why I joined the Iordens Viooldagen competition with the intention that I’d stop if I was not good. What is the point of playing music for others if you’re not good at it (chuckles)? But I won the competition!

And it is also me who always questions the thing I do. I can't say what I’ve learned from my parents concretely, but I know that their extreme love for music was also passed on to me. It plays an important role whenever I'm faced with some choices and my choices would always be based on the love of music.

What is a good performance in your opinion?

I perform because I want to share. I love a piece and I want people to hear it. To me the audience is very important. It is a good performance when the audience and the performers ‘breathe’ the music together. It is magical! Musicians can try to do something on stage  by themselves but it comes alive only with the audience.

You’re really at ease with communicating directly with the audience. Has it been that way since the beginning?

It is something that develops over time. On some occasions, not always, I like to talk to the audience. Music has the power to speak for itself, but in this fast-changing world where it is so common that many people no longer have an in-depth knowledge of music and music history. It is not necessarily a problem, but as a performer, it then becomes your job to give more insight about the music. It doesn’t have to be a lot, you just want to get people’s attention in that sense. Especially when the music is complicated. That can also ‘open people’s ears’ to make people more willing to take in the complicated works.

You’ve reached a certain level in your career now but there’s still a long road to go. Is there any certain direction that you are planning on taking? Repertoire-wise, programming-wise, recording-wise?  

Yes and no. I feel I’ve reached the point where I can confidently say that I’m good at what I do. There won’t be many changes in repertoire although I need to start choosing more carefully.

My strength is sometimes my weakness that I’m good in a lot of things. And I like getting out of my comfort zone by for examples working with modern dancers or playing very classic repertoire. I know how much I’ve grown as a performer, but say that are playing a concerto with an orchestra, and two days before you are still on stage with some dancer. Then a chamber music concert here or a solo recital there. I say it is beneficial  for my musicianship, but it also means that you are doing a lot at the same time. Sometimes it takes a lot from my rested state. If I would need to concentrate on one thing, that would also mean that I need to make some sacrifice.

But for me it's more about working with more inspiring people and musicians, not necessarily to become a bigger star or something.

Could you tell us about your latest recording?

I’ve recorded Bernstein Serenade and I’m going to be recording Korngold Violin Concerto soon. The CD will be out to celebrate Bernstein’s centennial in 2018. I remember clearly when I heard the serenade for the first time. I was in my twenties and I heard it on the radio, and as soon as it was done, I ran and bought the score. Unfortunately I had never had a chance to perform it and to really learn it.

And then, some years ago I was asked to replace a colleague to tour with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and they were about to perform this half an hour serenade. I had it in  my closet so to say, but not really in my repertoire. I had only a week to dive into it, but I really loved it! I had an amazing time during the tour. So I learned that the piece really fitted me. It is so beautiful how Bernstein based the composition on Plato’s famous Symposium, where different philosophers speak about love. Every movement is like the philosopher speaks about love from different angles. The piece has an emotional depth and really incredible beautiful melodies while at the same time it has this typical Bernstein swing and humour. I really think it doesn’t get performed nearly as often as it should.

The combination with Korngold is that we saw Bernstein as a West Side Story composer, but he has a very serious side too. And Korngold is well known to American audience as a film composer. I grew up watching The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk with Errol Flynn, not being aware at all that the music was written by Korngold. Later I realized that I’ve seen many films with Korngold’s music in it. I became acquainted with his chamber music as well and finally I got to play his concerto, I fell in love with it.

If you had to choose, which recording(s) were you most proud of?

Well, it is not fair to ask, but let me tell you about the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and String Octet recording. It had been recorded so many times already that at first I didn’t see any reason for me to record it. It is a piece you learn when you are 15, there are always teachers involved. I’ve always loved the concerto but it was always tainted with opinions and all these layers of how it should be done. It took me a long time to make it my own. When the process kicked in around three years ago, I was so amazed that this piece that I had been carrying around with me for around for 20 years suddenly felt new.

Then I knew I had to record it. It was a very quick process. I called Challenge Classics, but they didn't have the budget planned for it. So I crowdfunded it partly with some private sponsors. It was very empowering. I added a live recording of Mendelssohn's Octet which we made at my own Chamber music Festival in Delft. It was a daring thing to do since it is not an easy piece. I had incredible colleagues around me and I was proud of the result. I am very happy that a lot of people feel the same way, they feel like they hear something that they haven't heard before in these well-known works.

You are the artistic director of the Delft Chamber Music Festival, what have been the greatest challenges so far, given the current financial/subsidy situation in art world in the Netherlands? Or is it getting better compared to say 5 - 7 years ago?

Of course we still have to find the right funding or sponsors every year, but there has been a positive trend in the last couple of years. People recognize that the festival is presenting a high quality programming, not just putting some nice musicians with nice pieces together. I work with themes systematically. I put a lot of effort so the audience can see and feel the theme, by adding different elements or art forms whenever possible. We are also very lucky that we have a beautiful town as our base, that is attractive to audience and performers alike.

When you always put a serious effort and always look for new ways to present your content, not just as gimmicks, people will notice. It pays off. We have a steady support, which we still have to work on every year because it is a ‘different’ festival every year, but we’ve built our reputation for it.

What is next year’s theme?

I’m working on it. At the moment I’m thinking about the general idea of LOVE. I’m talking to a lot of people at the moment. I love the process where I can dive into the philosophical point of view of a theme. I love to invite the audience to become active participants where they also ponder about the questions. I don't always have the answers but sometimes the questions are more important than the answers.

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The Reformation of Indonesian Film

The Indonesian film industry has suffered for many decades due to excessive censorship, lack of funding, and lack of exposure outside the country. However, thanks to a wave of new talent, the country’s films are beginning to arrive on international screens and impress at festivals around the world.

The history of Indonesian cinema

The first domestically made film in Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies) was Loetoeng Kasaroeng, a silent film that made its debut in 1926. This was followed by the production of 21 films (silent and sound) between 1926—1931. The industry grew fast; 41 films were released in 1941, mostly romance films combined with music and martial arts.

With Darah dan Doa (1950), Indonesia had its first film produced by Indonesian production house Perusahaan Film Nasional (Perfini). Written and directed by Indonesian director Usmar Ismail, the film is often considered the country’s first national feature film. Festival Film Indonesia (FFI) was first held in 1954.

Entering the New Order

With the New Order (Orde Baru) ruling between 1965—1998, the heavy censorship under President Suharto’s dictatorship kept the film industry from growing. The government believed that Indonesian cinema should only screen films that could offer educational and cultural purposes.

In the late 60s and early 70s, government censorship of national films loosened slightly, leading to the production of erotic films such as Djampang Mentjari Naga Hitam (1968) and Bernafas Dalam Lumpur (1970). But at the end of 1972, the heavy censorship returned, cracking down hard on the film industry, especially in terms of productions depicting sexual content.

The 1980s saw a revival of the Indonesian film industry, with 721 titles made in the decade. Unfortunately, many of them were quickly and cheaply produced rip-offs of better action, romance and horror films. Yet the industry still managed to produce gems by legendary Indonesian directors such as Teguh Karya, Arifin C. Noer and Sjuman Djaya. Eros Djarot’s Tjoet Nja’ Dhien (1988) was the first Indonesian film ever to be included in the feature category at Cannes in 1989. One of the most domestically successful movies was propaganda film Pengkhianatan G-30-S PKI (1984) from Arifin C. Noer, which the government ordered must be played on national television every year.

Struggling through the 90s

Due to the rise of imported films, the emergence of private television stations producing cheap soaps, government censorship, and high production cost, Indonesian film industry came to a halt in the 90s. Only 33 films were produced in 1996, falling to just seven films in 1999. The lack of quality as well as quantity of Indonesian films in 1990s led to the discontinuation of FFI.

In spite of it all, director Garin Nugroho kept getting his films screened and won awards at prestigious international film festivals. Scooping prizes such as Best Young Director at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival and Young Filmmakers Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festival, he became one of the few success stories of this era of Indonesian film.

Slow recovery

The reformation era—the period after Suharto’s overthrow in 1998—brought with it not only a political reformation, but also a cultural one, and has been characterized by greater freedom of speech. Filmmakers began to confront the rough realities of life in the country, and started to experiment with different approaches and themes. The film Kuldesak, released at the end of 1998, represented a crucial bridge between the two eras. An omnibus with four interlocking stories shot by different directors, Kuldesak spoke to the new generation of moviegoers in a way that no other Indonesian films had done before.

The 21st century has seen Indonesian contemporary action films such as Serigala Terakhir (2009) and The Raid (2011) become the new favorites. Comedies, dramas (especially those with religious themes) and children’s films also became popular. Riri Reza’s movie for children, Laskar Pelangi (2008) is still the most successful Indonesian film in terms of audience, with over four million viewers attending when it was screened in the cinemas. Perhaps most importantly, FFI resumed in 2004, after a 12-year hiatus.

Indonesian film internationally

In recent years, more Indonesian films have received recognition at international festivals. Guerilla film Postcard from the Zoo impressed at Berlinale 2012, and What They Don’t Talk about When They Talk about Love, directed by Mouly Surya in 2013, was the first Indonesian film to be in competition at Sundance Film Festival. Mouly’s latest film, Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts, also met critical acclaim at Cannes 2017. Indonesian documentaries began to reveal what life was like in the country to international viewers.

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts poster | © Kaninga Pictures

The future of Indonesian film

Under president Joko Widodo, the government has taken steps to revamp the industry, including allowing foreign investment and realising the economic potential for drawing tourism through movies.

In an international world where knowledge and information is easily gained and shared, it seems like the Indonesian film industry is still struggling to throw off the history of censorship and strict guidelines that drove it to near extinction. However, changes in guidelines and the emergence of new talent has led to renewed hope in the revival of Indonesian cinema.

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An Interview with Eugene Izotov

Perfection doesn’t exist, because your idea of perfection is constantly evolving. It is impossible, but you can try to get closer every time.” Eugene Izotov is the first Soviet-born musician in history to hold a principal wind position in any major American symphony orchestra. Appointed by Michael Tilson Thomas in 2014, Izotov is currently the principal oboist of the San Francisco Symphony. Primephonic’s Rina Sitorus chatted with him about oboe playing, instrument envy and ‘ perfection’ in classical music. 

Why the oboe? It is still the same question I ask everyday (laughs). My father and uncle are musicians: my dad a violinist, my uncle a pianist. Growing up, they didn’t want me to become a musician because according to them it would be too hard for me. Yet when I was 4  or 5 years old,  I started showing what they called the symptoms of becoming a musician, I was good with rhythm, I would sing in tune, and so on. When they saw that I was really interested, even from such a young age, they said, okay maybe he will become a musician, but not as a string or piano player, maybe he can choose something easy like a wind instrument.

So they took me to Gnessin School of Music in Moscow. I remember vividly, hearing the sound of an oboe for the first time felt like a lightning strike. It was so beautiful and magical. And when I looked at it, I just felt the need to posses it. I said right then and there that I wanted to play the oboe. Well they said, oboe, how hard can it be (chuckles)? So with my father's blessing I could become a wind player.

Was that also the time that you decided to play music for the rest of your life? 

Ever since I can remember, I never considered doing anything else but music. I didn’t even understand why people would choose other professions if they could be musicians. Later as I grew up and found out about the world and other things outside music, it became a decision that I need to re-affirm. I’ve been a professional musician for 25 years. In the end, it comes back to the realization that music is something which gives me a continuous purpose in life in a way nothing else does.

What was your greatest challenge when you just started? In which way has it changed throughout the years?

I guess the biggest challenge was to really prove to myself that I have the talent to make it and how to realize it. As a kid, you would play in front of your parents and they would say it was wonderful, no matter what. But when you get to do the actual training next to other talented students, you’ll learn that the world is full of these talented people.

Throughout the years, the biggest challenge I’m facing has changed very drastically. Obviously I’ve enjoyed a successful career so far, so seemingly I have what it takes. Now my point of reference is the word ‘perfection’. As you grow older, you learn more about the music. You learn about the sound, the nature of orchestra playing, the demand of the composers, etc. So, perfection doesn’t exist, because your idea of perfection is constantly evolving. It is impossible, but you can try to get closer every time.

What is your reflection on the idea that the tradition in classical music is all about perfection?

I’ve noticed that there are some conductors and individual musicians who believe that they have found the key to the truth. They believe it gives them some kind of artistic superiority, if you will, and all they do is showcase it. I think it is a wrong way to refer to the word ‘tradition’. Tradition to me is when you know where you are coming from, you learn it, you allow it to become a part of you, then you build on it and you continue. When tradition becomes a process of creating and recreating the same thing over and over again, it becomes an artistic inflexibility. You will basically do the same thing every single time. That contradicts my identity as a musician.

Some of my most joyful experience as a musician is in searching for something I haven't found before. And I am so happy that I'm playing in the San Francisco Symphony, because  I think the city of San Francisco itself is based on searching and being open minded. It's scary sometimes because you don't know what you’ll find, but at least you're not afraid to look.

You know, finding the truth is irrelevant because it's not the purpose of music. People come to feel something, not to be told of something. People come to experience something – it is not a lecture or anything like it.

If it is not about finding the key to the truth as you put it, what is the most important thing in music to you?

There are two most important things in music: one is how you feel during a performance, and the other is what stays with you after a performance. It can’t ever be the same, people come to be part of a performance, be as performers or as audience, this relationship is recreated every single time and it can’t be the same all the time.

What stays with you after a performance?

It depends on the performance. For example, with 9/11, the orchestra was playing Shostakovich’s Symphony No 11. It was amazing how the music of Shostakovich about an series of actual events from a hundred years ago, could precisely express what we needed to hear in 2001. It gave us the opportunity to come together, to feel the anger and to support each other. The feeling was so powerful and it stays with me.

You wrote about the American Dream on your Facebook status in July. How important was it for you to make it in the US at that time? Was there an ‘or else’ scenario?

Yes, I had to make it. When I came to the US in 1990, Russian wind playing was not at the same level as strings or piano. Growing up, I was really impressed when I heard American wind playing. I wanted to learn to play like that. That was my main reason artistically to continue my education in the US.

And as for the or else scenario, I’m actually from the Soviet Union. At that time, there was a mandatory military draft: there was a war in Chechnya. If I hadn’t come here, I would have to go to war. A scary alternative. I would much rather make music than make war obviously.

As an oboe player, do you have instrument envy? 

Are you kidding me? All the time! (laughs). I have clarinet envy, piano envy, voice envy. I sometimes just steal their pieces. I’m aware of my instrument’s abilities as well as its limitations.

My biggest instrument envy is the human voice. That is just the world’s greatest instrument. You see, one of the best advantages of playing in the best orchestras is that you get to sit next to the best musicians. I’ve learned so much from the greatest singers.

Could you be more concrete of what an oboe player can learn from singers?

When we are playing, we always have the same problem, not all of us, but we can't hear ourselves from the audience seats. Rehearsals are first done in a pretty private setting. The singers get to sit near me, sometimes next to me. Because with a lot of operatic writing (especially for oboe clarinet flute), sopranos start the line, the oboe continues, and then it goes back to the soprano. It is a dialogue which needs to be closely rehearsed. Then in the theater, we’ll be separated. It is then I will hear how the voice sounds when it travels, while I’m playing. Sometimes we musicians are so obsessive about what we are doing on stage that we forget that there is a distance between the stage and the seats of the audience.

So, I get to see how the voice is carried and interacts with music.  How it changes its resonance, its smoothness, its personality, and its power.  I’ve learned how to imitate that from singers. It has been serving me really well in oboe playing. Some of the best compliments I get is that my playing is vocal, that I can emulate the sound of a singer. It is the most valuable compliment for me.

Which repertoire do you feel most identified with? 

Prior to moving to the US I had never heard anything from Mahler. Now you can’t go to any  major city without hearing Mahler’s music being performed somewhere. I moved to the US on July 7. Then I found out that July 7 was Mahler’s birthday. I heard Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 during one of the most horrible moments of my life. In order to continue my study and stay in the US, I had to pass the English exam which I had failed once. I had one chance left. The music gave me so much hope that I felt as long as I could be near it, I could get to anything. Then I passed the exam  and I could stay. The music of Mahler has always played a big part in my life. I'm not saying that I don't like anything else, but since then the fire has always been burning inside of me.

What are your upcoming projects? 

The symphony is one big continuous project for me. And generally speaking, if I'm not playing, then I’m teaching. In the summer time, next to teaching at San Francisco Conservatory, I’m also with the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo Japan. I’ve been going there for 16 years. It was the last creation of Leonard Bernstein, such a pity he could only stand up there for one summer before he passed away. Since then it has become a really important international music center. I also teach in the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. I will also play concertos and featured solos. The music director of the Pacific Music Festival and a good friend of mine, conductor Valery Gergiev, has asked me to do 6 or 7 performances throughout Japan with the PMF Orchestra.

What about solo recordings?

I’ve had a pretty busy past few years. I really need one summer where I can devote my time to solo recording. I would really love to do it. One thing I notice from my OboeSolo channel on Youtube is that every time I publish something, I will get up to 3000 hits in two, three days. I can’t imagine selling 5000 CDs in such a short time. So when I make a new commercial recording, it remains to be seen in which format, because the technology changes so rapidly these days.

The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra recently released the Schumann Symphonies 1-4, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.

Schumann’s music is very dear to me – there is such a genuine and even fragile tenderness in his writing, it has always touched me since the first time I heard “Dichterliebe” when I was a child. Also, Schumann’s language is very open and melodic, which speaks closely to my Russian heart. I was very happy to be a part of our Schumann Symphonic Cycle – it gave us a completely different set of challenges from repertoire like Mahler, Strauss, and Copland. I think these recordings demonstrate a special kind of vitality and versatility of the San Francisco Symphony. We certainly enjoy the great triumphant moments – they are always exciting to play, but to me it has been even more remarkable to be a part of performances where the orchestra had the courage to expand its dynamic range, particularly playing in softer dynamics, and to create intimate and almost haunting moments of quiet.

Eugene Izotov in conversation with Primephonic's Rina Sitorus

Foto by: Corry Weaver

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An Interview with Christoph Prégardien

German lyric tenor Christoph Prégardien talks to Primephonic’s Rina Sitorus about the perfect combination of singing, teaching and conducting, alongside his 40-year career and upcoming project(s) with Challenge Records. Prégardien is praised as one of the most distinguished lyric tenors of our time, with extensive repertoire that includes the great baroque, classical and romantic oratorios and passions.

How do you manage your vast repertoire and how do you choose what to perform?

I had a family very early on so I wanted to have a certain income. So I decided to be a member of an opera company, which is very normal for a young singer. Very soon after it felt like a prison, so I decided in my mid-thirties to take matters into my own hands. It was perfect timing since record labels were starting to record repertoire for CDs, the new medium at that time. So I had plenty of opportunities to record many things, firstly oratorios and later on, lieder.  

From that I learned that it is important to have imagination and fantasy in building up your programme. This is possible in the field of chamber music and song. If you try to plan a lieder programme, you can plan nearly everything as long as you follow some rules in tonality or dramaturgical order of songs or storytelling. That is why I always like to build special programmes.

For example, I’ve done this programme for the first time in 2009, Between Life and Death by the composer Carl Loewe, which I also recorded for Challenge. It started with Bach – going to Mahler, to Schubert, to Schumann, to Leuven – and we even put two opera arias into the programme. There are obvious connections between, for example, Komm, süßer Tod BWV 478 and Symphony no. 2, Movement 4, Urlicht by Mahler. You come from C minor to E-flat major and the text shares the same idea of a beautiful death, so this is a perfect combination even if the composers are separated by more than 200 years.

Would that be possible to achieve by singers without your years of experience?

The market is totally different today, but it was already changing when I started. The singers after the Second World War had good possibilities to make the career they wanted, because the market was not so open. Nobody came from Asia or Central Europe to sing or play instruments in Western Europe, so the whole opera market was only open for the Western Europeans. Today, it is very difficult for young singers to start because the competition is immensely strong. Singers come from all over the world and the quality of music education has also been raised immensely.

What have been the highlights of your career so far?

Difficult to say. I remember singing my first evangelist role in St Matthew's Passion in 1982. I was very nervous beforehand. Or singing my first Tamino in 1987, or Die schöne Muellerin and Winterreise the first time, these are the highlights of my career. If you ask me for personalities, there are encounters with great musicians like Gustav Leonhardt, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Philippe Herreweghe, Ton Koopman, John Eliot Gardiner and many others.

And what about challenges?

The biggest challenge is the pressure of maintaining – or even surpassing – your previous performance! This is the pressure you feel when you get older and I don’t mean when you turn sixty, I mean already in your forties. When you are at certain places for the second time and you were great the first time, people just expect you to be better, or at least as good as you’ve been the last time.

For a sustainable career, I think it is important that you meet the expectations of the audience. It is easy to be at that particular place the first time. Looking back I say it’s easy, but it is way more difficult to return after five or six times and people still expect such miraculous performances from you because you had been great three years before.

How far do you let critics influence you?

In the first 15 years, I was very keen on good reviews, because it helped your career. And of course everybody gets bad reviews every now and then, but there was one time when I was so angry at one critic and I just stopped reading reviews altogether. I don’t give reviews too much weight anymore, especially not in this stage of my career. I think my career doesn’t depend anymore on reviews. People who want to listen to me or to give me a contract, should come to a concert or a live recording and listen for themselves to figure out the things I can do and what I can’t do.

Though I should point out that some people might look for a certain thing in my voice since now I’m 61. I’m very positive and so is my audience. My voice has changed a bit, into a more baritonal range with a darker colour, but I’m singing the same repertoire as I did 20 years ago and I think I’m still doing it quite well. I know what I do and I know what I’m able to do, and the biggest critic of me is myself. I listen to my live recordings, radio recordings, and I’m honest with myself. As long as I think my voice is good, I will keep on singing. I also love teaching and conducting. I guess the combination of both makes it perfect.

Singer, turned teacher, turned conductor. Was it intentional? 

I started to give master classes quite early. I found out how much I liked working with young people and I am especially interested in the technical aspect of singing. I was not a natural singer. Somebody who has a great talent in producing great sound since the beginning doesn't necessarily know what he or she is doing. When I was 19 or 20 I had to really build up my voice since it didn’t work well right away. I was a tenor but I didn’t have high notes. I never had this naturalness since my voice is more of a baritonal tenor voice, which suits the works of Schubert or Mahler more. So, for Bach or Mozart I had to work very carefully on my vocal ability to be able to sing the parts. I think this, and experience I had from my four teachers, has given me a technical foundation that I know what I’m doing when I’m singing.

What about conducting?

My wish to conduct came quite late. There were times when I was not happy with some productions, especially with Bach's music. I was not content with what the conductor was doing. Well, not the great ones of course, but some of the not-so-good conductors don’t have a plan for the orchestra, choir or the soloist, whereas, a plan should give unification to the whole performance. Then I met Stephan Schultz of Le Concert Lorrain, a French baroque orchestra. We had had a production of St Matthew’s and St John's Passions where I was singing the Evangelist role. I asked if we could do a production of St John’s with me as conductor. He liked the idea, so 2012 was the first production.  

I prepared myself very carefully. I took conducting lessons, I worked with Fabio Luizi and Marcus Creed. I worked with Marcus because he is a very important choral conductor and with Fabio because he’s a very good orchestral conductor.

I tried to be professional and it was quite a good success. In the first tour we had 13 concerts of St John’s and we did St Matthew's in 2015 where we had 15 concerts. And for the 70th birthday concert of Philippe Herreweghe in Brussels, I was allowed to conduct the Collegium Vocale Gent. We played An die Sonne, Die Geselligkeit by Schubert, next to Warum toben die Heiden by Mendelssohn. To stand in front of this great choir and great people in the audience was great!

I’m going to have a production with the Netherlands Bach Society. I’m also going to conduct a Mozart Requiem with a symphonic orchestra in 2018. I hope it will keep on going… I’m not changing profession, I will go on singing as a tenor with some baritone roles every now and then. The good thing about becoming older is that you can try out things and you mustn’t care.

You’ve got around 150 recordings under your name. What’s cooking at the moment?

There is one album released by Challenge on 6 October with me singing, Michael Gees on piano and Olivier Darbellay on horn. We start with Benjamin Britten’s The Heart of the Matter. We combine it with repertoire from the 19th century like Schubert, Conradin Kreutzer, Franz Lachner, and pair them with the quite unknown like Edgar Mannsfeldt or Carl Kossmaly.  

Any interesting projects for the future?

I’d love to record Schumann’s Dichterliebe again. I recorded it around 20 years ago. I have sung it so often in concerts and my approach to the work has changed and I’d love to re-record it. Maybe in combination with some lesser-known pieces by Schumann and Richard Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder, which I’ll be performing for the first time early next year. It would be great to have those done!

Can you imagine a life without the stage?

I have to imagine a life without the stage, I have to think about it. I don’t want to die onstage or when I’m still an active musician, yet at a certain point as a singer you have to finish (being) on stage. I can probably go on as a conductor, and definitely I’ll go on as a teacher. I have two small children and I love to be at home and enjoy my wine cellar. I’m a great wine enthusiast and I love cooking. There are a lot of great things I do outside the stage. I am just a normal man (chuckles).

Christoph Prégardien in conversation with Primephonic's Rina Sitorus

[rinasitorus]

Energy and Poetry: An Interview with Tasmin Little

Tasmin Little has firmly established herself as one of today's leading international violinists. An exclusive recording artist for Chandos Records, Tasmin just recorded two further discs for Chandos. The first, the World Premiere of Roxanna Panufnik’s Four World Seasons written for Tasmin, coupled with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, was cheered on by Gramophone for its virtuosity. The second disc, a disc of Franck, Szymanowski and Fauré with pianist Piers Lane is praised by audiences and critics for its ‘impassioned performances’, ‘yearning melody’ and ‘energy and poetry’ (The Observer).

Not only triumphant in performing and recording, Tasmin is widely known as a champion in her musical outreach missions to people everywhere, young and old, regardless of their social background or knowledge of classical music. As Seth Godin writes in his book Tribes, “Tasmin Little is leading a moment. She is investing time and energy in a committed, consistent effort to spread classical music. She didn’t just upload an MP3 file. She regularly visits prisons and small towns and schools to perform. She adds value to her site in addition to the music. She’s not a dilettante; she’s a leader.”

Tell me about your Franck, Faure & Szymanowski recording? Did it turn out as you had expected? 

I absolutely loved making the recording of the Franck, Fauré and Szymanowski – all of the works with the exception of the Szymanowski sonata had been in my repertoire for a great many years and so it was a joy to have the opportunity to put down my thoughts on disc. No recording ever turns out 100% the way you imagine but there are times when you can come very close to what you hoped for – and this album is happily one of those occasions. 

How critical are you of your own work? I am hypercritical of my playing but I enjoy the recording process because it gives me an opportunity to evaluate how I am playing and work out ways to improve my interpretations. How would you describe your collaboration with Chandos? I am really enjoying my relationship with Chandos and they are a hugely supportive company. What I particularly value is the opportunity to record some standard repertoire alongside the more niche works and unusual areas of repertoire. Obviously Chandos and I share a great passion for British music and so this is reflected in many of the albums that we have made together. Is there any musician or conductor you’d love to collaborate with? Any dream repertoire? One of my favourite conductors is Charles Dutoit – I hope one day I will collaborate with him as he is a real hero of mine. His recording of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe is my desert island disc of all time. How did you start playing the violin? Was there any special moment when you knew that becoming a musician was a thing that you were going to pursue? I began playing the violin quite by chance when I was ill with chickenpox at the age of six. To alleviate my boredom I taught myself to play the recorder and once I was better I started the piano and violin. The moment I picked up the latter instrument I knew I simply had to make this my life. Obviously when one is six years old, one assumes that anything and everything is possible (!) and it wasn't until I started my teenage years that I began to worry that I may not be able to make my dream of being a soloist come true. Happily with a lot of hard work, dedication and some lucky chances, I have been able to fulfill my childhood ambition. What do you think you would become if you didn’t become a violinist? If I hadn't have been a musician, I would have enjoyed being a psychologist, particularly working with children. In 2008, Tasmin started a project entitled 'The Naked Violin' where she recorded a new album to be made available as a free download from her own website. This recording of Bach, Patterson and Ysäye (including spoken introductions to each work) provided an opportunity for anyone, anywhere to experience her music and classical music in general. 'The Naked Violin' and Tasmin’s outreach workshops ‘No Strings Attached’ have reached over 12,000 school children and thousands more adults. It went global in 2009 and she has taken the project to China, America, New Zealand and Australia. What was your learning point from the whole Naked Violin experience? Did it somehow change you personally and/or musically? The Naked Violin project is one of the most exciting things that I have done in my career. I feel particularly happy that I received so much fabulous feedback from people who said that I had given them a way into classical music. I always believed that anybody can appreciate classical music and this project gave me the opportunity to put that into practice. Musically and personally, it was a very rewarding experience. Not too many classical artists have come up with such idea. Were there any other ‘unconventional’  projects you’ve tried which we haven’t heard of? Other than this project, the other things that I have done that I feel proud of are the artistic curatorships of two festivals, both of them in the home towns of my parents! I put together a week-long festival in Bradford called "Delius Inspired" and managed to persuade the director of Radio 3 to broadcast the whole week of events so it became a really national festival! There were concerts, exhibitions, films, talks and a whole music education programme where we reached a huge quantity of school children within the week. As a direct result of that school programme,  a special music school was opened to give local children the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. I felt that my festival had had a major impact on the community. A few years later, I was artistic director of Spring Sounds festival in Stratford-upon-Avon for 3 years. During this time I commissioned my great friend Roxanna Panufnik to write a colourful work for violin and orchestra entitled "Four World Seasons". It was a huge success and I recently recorded it for Chandos coupled with Vivaldi's Four Seasons. What would it take for you to stop playing the violin? What would it take for me to stop playing the violin? Quite simply it would be if I felt I could not continue to play as well as I have done in the past. I always want to feel that I am learning and improving – I guess the reality is that there will come a day where that is no longer possible… but if and when that day arrives, I will simply find another way to involve myself in music! Maybe through education or festivals or maybe there is a seed developing inside me for another project. Tasmin Little in conversation with Primephonic's Rina Sitorus

[rinasitorus]

An Interview with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

“Life is not a straight line.” primephonic’s Rina Sitorus speaks to the gregarious French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet about his not-your-everyday musical journey in a very engaging and horizon-expanding conversation.  

How did your journey start? You chose piano when you already had your diploma from the Paris Conservatoire. Were you not ‘too late’ to make the decision after studying oboe, percussion even some electronic music?

I was a student of Pierre Sancan at the Paris Conservatoire. Not only did he give me precious information about the approach of the works of Ravel, Haydn, Beethoven, etc, he also taught me how to practice and to enjoy practising. He had a very rational approach of piano playing. He was also very open minded, for example regarding jazz and improvisation. Back in the 80s you could not play two chords of jazz, but Sancan was different...

I remember when we were alone in the class, he was even improvising himself. At times we even had two-piano improvisations. Not always, but sometimes. That was really a turning point for me. And 15 years later, I met this wonderful late (Hungarian) pianist Zoltán Kocsis. Having to play a thousand of concerts with him has also shaped my piano playing.

Although… I didn’t have the feeling that I had to make choices. I was definitely not thinking in terms of career. For example, I learned to play Prokofiev No. 5 because I adore it. When my colleagues were learning Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky or Prokofiev No. 3, not only because those are great works, but also because audience like to have them performed, I was learning the pieces I adored. If i had a chance to play them, fine, if I didn’t, fine (chuckles). Just as I dared to play Stockhausen’s Klavierstück for my debut in New York and Paris back in 1987, when even for that time Stockhausen was considered as very avant-garde.

Such a nonchalant  approach, do you think it will still work in today’s classical music scene?

It is true that the situation has changed now for young musicians, it gets tougher and tougher every time. The environment is very competitive these days. Yet, sometimes I think young pianists are almost too focused on career or thinking in commercial terms.

Now that I’m busy with concerts and recordings, I still think to myself every morning how lucky I am. I have never planned my career too meticulously. Not at all, not at all.

You were Sir Georg Solti’s (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director 1969- 1991)  ‘latest discovery’.  Could you share with us how it happened?

Again, it is interesting because we can speak a bit about the luck factor in life. I think everybody who is really successful in any field, has to do with pure luck. But, in order to get the pure luck, you need to work very hard and you definitely have to have the right kind of mind.

When I met Sir Georg Solti by pure luck in a shop in Switzerland and when he was coming to Paris a couple of months later and asked me to play for him, I jumped on it, I made sure I was mentally ready for it. What I mean by that, is that the luck factor has a lot to do with speaking to other people as well. If you were for example an introverted type of person, your chances of having such luck in your life are reduced.

Back to Solti, it was incredible. Five years before (in 1992), I was at the Esther Honens Competition in Calgary, which I won. The director of the competition was Andrew Webber. Andrew asked me, where do you see your career in five years from now, and I was absolutely speechless, I had absolutely no plan and no clue. Who would’ve guessed that I’d be playing for Sir George Solti five years on from that time? (chuckles).

I played for Solti several times in Paris and at his home in London. Each time it felt like a master class, an incredible exchange. Then in June 1997, Solti agreed to add me as his soloist for concerts in January 1998 that include Bartok’s Piano Concerto No.3. It was so sad that the maestro died in September. I never got to be on stage with him, but I had the great fortune of spending many musical afternoons with him. It was enriching: personally, musically and also for my career. You know, I’m very proud, his widow gave me one of his two tailcoats. I’m not wearing it so much anymore, because Emanuel Ungaro designed a wonderful costume for me, but I still cherish it with all my heart.

No meticulous planning, meeting the maestro by pure luck, has it always been so carefree for you the whole time?  

Here is the funny thing, please always remember that life is not a straight line. I was struggling with functional dystonia for three years when my right hand was afflicted. If you are, for example an athlete, you have an army of physiotherapists looking after you every day, but for us musicians it is different. At least for me at that time it was. I was incredibly fortunate to meet a person who could cure me, Philippe Chamagne. It was difficult to face, also mentally. I just started my career, I just started to join competitions, then I realized I couldn't play two octaves in a row, haha what do you do?

So as Solti always told me, nothing will happen when you give up, it is the only thing which is absolutely sure. And there’s always room at the top, there’s always room for excellence. So I chose not to give up.

What motivated you at that time?

Seriously, I was ready to give up entirely. What's the point? In this case, you have to search deep inside yourself, to see what motivates you. What I was sure about, if I ever overcome this challenge, was that I would become a better pianist. So I worked very very hard to get better.

After that, I could play 4 or 5 Prokofiev concertos in two nights in 2000! I was not even tired. I would be now, of course…(chuckles).

Have you become more critical towards yourself after all these years?

Worse! In one sense it’s a good sign, but in another sense it leads to a lot of frustration. Music is an endless search. It can always be more beautiful, there’s no limit. The proof is, if a composer so satisfied with his work, he’ll stop composing. On another level, it’s the same with us musicians, we want to be closer to the intention and to reveal to the audience all this beauty that we can see, which the public not yet can see, so we have to transmit them.

Do you prefer live performance or recording?

Pierre Boulez told me that every concert is a mini miracle. Because literally anything can happen. I wouldn’t call it a communion because it makes it sounds so religious, but when so many people are intrigued, moved, or challenged by this particular organisation of sound in time, which is what music is, the power is very strong.

On the other hand, I also like very much the perfection you have in the recording environment. I love recording process, I really follow it from A to Z. I listen to all takes whenever time allows. I also like the intimacy of a recording studio. The intimacy you have with the music, with the composer. Of course there’s no contact with people, but also in a way, you play for nobody but you play for everybody. Because even more today than in any other time, most people listen to music alone with their wonderful headphones.

For example, the music of Debussy fits very well in recording scene, because Debussy himself said that his music should be shared between four eyes only. It can easily be lost or destroyed in a big concert hall, because it is as if somebody was whispering to you, you need to hear all the details.

Do you still feel the difference in the audience in different places?

A great concert is never without a great audience, and they all express themselves differently. In the Netherlands, everybody stands up. In Japan, everybody is incredibly quiet, they clap like crazy at the end. In the US, if they like something, they shout bravo and make a standing ovation. In Brazil, when they are happy, they shout your name!

Could you tell us your most memorable audience reaction on your show?

I remember one time when I was playing in the US, the 12th Debussy Etude. I was explaining a bit to the audience about the work. One of the etudes is based on tonalities coming from different distances. It is a very quiet piece, very slow, nothing virtuoso. I remember, when I played, people were clapping. It was the first and only time that people clapped before the piece was finished. Then I realized, people clapped because they finally could make the connection with my explanation.

Another memorable thing, when I was in Seattle, I was playing Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 4, it’s not a very successful piece for the audience, as most people are just lost after it's finished. But I really like it very much. It was after their football team had won the Superbowl. The orchestra kindly gave me a jersey signed by all members of the orchestra. So I played the concerto, I bowed and I came back on stage wearing the jersey, and everybody went wild. I said to myself, savour this moment, because never again you’ll have such a warm applause for your Prokofiev No. 4 Concerto (laughs).

You can’t be separated from your spectacular recordings of Debussy. Why the complete piano works of Debussy?

It is also something interesting, because it seems very normal for everybody to assume that because I’m French, I have affinity with French music. This is completely wrong. When I was learning with Cansan, I was close to Ravel, not to Debussy. I had the feeling that I missed something. The greatness of Debussy was hidden for so long from me. Only much later in life I finally got the lightning effect. And from that moment on I worked a lot on Debussy. I got emotional and I felt like I had so much to catch up on.

You are recording exclusively for Chandos. What’s coming up next in the series?

I’m in the middle of the complete Haydn sonatas, I have another six albums to record. I just finished the Beethoven sonatas. We’ll be starting a new Mozart series with Manchester Camerata. Actually I just received the second album today.

And how was it?

Hahaha, can’t you tell I am in a very good mood? It’s really very nice.

What can we expect from the Mozart and Haydn albums?

This Haydn volume 6 is special. I stopped between volume 5 and 6 for a long time because I wanted to concentrate on finishing the Beethoven sonatas. Altogether, the late Beethoven sonatas are in a completely different language than the Haydn sonatas. So when I came back to work on it, I came with a new enthusiasm. I hope you can hear the enthusiasm and the freshness.

With Mozart, what we are trying to do with the conductor Gàbor Takàcs-Nagy is to bring as much operatic character as possible. As if there is some mini operatic drama in the music. We played with a reduced orchestra. The Manchester Camerata was playing like little devils. They had to match the power of a full orchestra. They played with such intensity and I was happy to hear the result this morning.

….And in spring there’ll be the Greek concerto, with the wonderful English conductor Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. And there might be some other solo albums. I’ll also record Beethoven concertos with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra where I will play and conduct the orchestra.

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet in conversation with Primephonic's Rina Sitorus.

[rinasitorus]

An Interview with JoAnn Falletta, The Explorer

I guess the fear for me is that there’ll be some great composers who I will never have found!

Hailed as a “leading force for the music of our time”, for her work as a conductor, communicator, recording artist, audience builder, champion of American composers and distinguished musical citizen, JoAnn Falletta serves as Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony and Principal Guest Conductor of the Brevard Music Center. A leading recording artist for Naxos, her discs have won two Grammy Awards and ten Grammy nominations. JoAnn speaks to primephonic about how recording turned her into a discoverer and what keeps her inspired.   Congratulations on your newest recording with Naxos: Richard Strauss’ Ariadne! Thank you. I was very happy because for us it was also a chance to record a new Strauss piece, a new version of the Suite of Ariadne auf Naxos. The music, and Le Bourgeois gentilhomme is so beautiful that we were honoured to do this project, it was like a dream project. It was an unusual Strauss. It was Strauss with a small ensemble because of how it was presented in Hoftheater Stuttgart. It really highlighted a small group of our musicians in a very dramatic way. Lots of solos and wonderful individual playings.  A kind of chamber orchestra on a very high level. 

How did it start?

We had been challenged by Naxos to find a repertoire that is not too often recorded. It is a big challenge of course because everything is recorded. It forced us to look for things that other people don’t know, especially me because that is my job to find this repertoire. 

It has given me the possibility to look in different places, find names people don’t know, look at the scores, listen to the music and make choices like Vítězslav Novák, Josef Suk, or Ernő Dohnányi.

Our audiences have loved it because they get to hear this great music that nobody else knows. Our musicians have loved it because they’re playing music they haven’t heard before and in some cases they are just astonished by how wonderful it is. And of course other people who buy these recordings can make this discovery as well.

And to work with Klaus (Heymann) has been a joy for me. We go back and forth with ideas almost constantly. Many of them we don't do (chuckles). And when we find something we both like, it is very exciting.

Is there any difference for you between conducting in a recording and live audience?

It is very different. In the live audience we take chances, we don't pay too much attention to things that could get a bit bumpy or not gathered, because we’re making music and live music in a way is very free.

In recordings, we are extremely conscious of perfection. And we make sure that we do everything in the most polished way possible. And we always record after concerts so that we have the freedom of living the music for a week, playing it two or three times in concerts. So by the time we recorded it we are already comfortable with it and we can take chances in the studio too because we’ve been working so hard with it.

Having recorded more than 100 albums, what has changed in you?  

It’s even more than 100 for me, from the time before I worked with Naxos. We also have our own private label where we record for our home audience. There we might do Tchaikovsky or Brahms symphonies and those are live concerts. With Naxos we’ve really learned so much as an orchestra and I as a conductor because I am conducting works which are scarcely played. I have to find an interpretation, pacing and architecture which are valid for these works and that has made me a better conductor.

Is there some kind of ritual before you get into the recording? How do you prepare?

I always come a couple of hours early. I like to be the first one there and to be with the engineers or producers as they’re setting up, usually with Tim Handley. He and I talk about what is important to me in the particular disc we’re working on, be it the tower of the ensemble, the sound quality or the interpretation. I’ve got a lot of notes with me of anything that needs to be worked on. If you see me before the session, I’ll be wandering around on the stage, talking to every musician about what went fantastically well in the concert or something that we need to be careful of, something to be careful not to rush here and there. It is a very close relationship. And I love it that Tim always plays what we’ve been recording during the breaks. So the musicians go into his room and listen to themselves playing. It is a very collegial way of working together. Everybody feels free to talk about their solos, or which version they like the most. It's their recording too and they live with it forever. They need to feel happy about it too. Tim is also very generous in that. These recordings are a sort of benchmark of our history, they serve as an aural history for the orchestra.

What I also find important is to be relaxed. When we are on stage we have a very limited time. When I’m relaxed, the musicians are relaxed. Of course we have to work fast, but we also try to be very focused in a calm way.

How do you conduct all these different orchestras, I mean, can you always introduce or squeeze in all of your ideas into each performance?

It depends on how flexible the orchestra is. For example this recent project I did of the works of Franz Schreker with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. It was wonderful. They didn’t know this music but it was in their binocular. I was able to bring about the nuance and shading which is personal to the orchestra. It's not always the case, but we try as much as we can. It's going to be a different performance with every orchestra. I have also worked in Spain with a different type of orchestra. Also wonderful, they have their own personality. It's like meeting a new person, with a different point of view. It is very intriguing, and in the end very joyful.

What kind of conductor are you, according to your musicians?

I think they’ll say inclusive. Because I try very hard to be inclusive so that they can be as free as possible. I like to have an atmosphere – which  of course I’m shaping - where musicians can come through as individuals. I’m hoping that they’ll say I’m an open conductor because I’m open to the sound of the orchestra and to their way of playing.  I like them to have the possibility to be themselves.

How did your musical journey start?

Since I was young I have always been fascinated by music. Finally, my father bought me a guitar as a present for my 7th birthday and arranged a music lesson the next day. I have never thought of myself as anything other than a musician since that day. Everything about music fascinates me. I started as a little girl knowing that music is a very important thing in my life. I feel lucky that I found that. I was always sure and I’ve never questioned anything.

Does it bother you, occasionally being the first woman to conduct this orchestra or the first woman to do this or that in classical music world?

I don’t think about so much anymore, well maybe when I was young.  That has really passed now and it’s just making music with the orchestra. It is very comfortable even in foreign countries where they don’t have too many women conductors, they seem very open and relaxed about it.

I really would like to hear your opinion on this one: why are there very few women conductors of international renown especially somebody of your calibre?

I think, when most people think of a conductor, whether they are musicians or not, they think of someone as Herbert von Karajan, or Arturo Toscanini, who was a great tyrant in a way. They think that is what a conductor is. With that idea in mind people are less comfortable with female conductors. We hear a lot that women are not strong enough, they are easily distracted by families, or even that the orchestra will be distracted by a woman conductor, of what you wear. You know, all these silly things, but in the end, we still have an image of a conductor being an autocrat and it is not what a woman is thought of as.

Yes, of course the conductor still has the ultimate authority and has to make all the decisions, but I think the manner in which many conductors work is less aggressive, a bit more collegial and that opens the door to women conductors. People slowly change, you know classical music is very traditional. In the sixties there were very few women in the orchestra. We never played pieces by women. And the last to change is women conductors.

Do you make it a personal struggle for you somehow?

I try really not make it a big deal. Because if one is trying to prove something, it gets into the way of making music. Maybe there is always prejudice somehow somewhere in some level, but I find focusing on what is important and meaningful is really helpful.

You are a music director of two remarkable American orchestras and a frequent guest conductor, next to other engagements.  How do you keep yourself inspired and more importantly, not too exhausted?

I personally find the choosing of music itself endlessly fascinating. And always interpreting, always learning about it, never becomes dull. That to me is so refreshing. And working with musicians I find very energizing. They are coming to play with great talent and great skill, and you see when they play that they are very involved. So their passion, their personal commitment to me gives me energy. Travelling is the only part that is tiring for me. But the actual conducting itself and working with music and musicians is very energizing.

Do you miss spending more time with family?

I do. I sometimes feel very tired. But it's interesting. Say I get off the plane in Europe and I have to go right to rehearsal, and at that moment I’m thinking, I can’t do this, I’m very tired from not sleeping in the plane. But within 20 minutes of conducting the orchestra I feel fantastic. And after the rehearsal, after the three hour of work I feel like a new person. There is just something about it that is giving me the strength and energy to do it. It’s from doing what you love.

But I still find what you do and how you do it extraordinary.

I feel very lucky. To work with an  orchestra is amazing. These are people who are fantastic players, with a lot of experience, great background of music, and a great love of music. What can be a better team than that?

You started with guitar. If you had to choose, which one would it be? Conducting, going back to guitar or mandolin, teaching or even something else?

I think it would be conducting. The fascination for me with conducting since I was ten was the vast repertoires. The idea that you have the brilliance and perfection of a Mozart symphony and then the extraordinary music of Strauss and on the other end of romantic music. I can never not live in the world of this great treasure. This to me is one of the great heritages of western music. Sometimes I play chamber music for my own pleasure, but mostly I conduct.

What would it take for you to stop conducting?

Let's say I was too ill to conduct, I’d say to myself I’ve had a fantastic life in music I have done so many thousands of pieces of music with so many different orchestras so I’m grateful for that, but I hope that I don’t have to stop soon (chuckles).

Is there any project you haven’t attempted yet and would still like to do?

There are some works that I’d like to explore in more detaile, more of Bruckner symphonies. I haven’t done all of them. More Shostakovich symphonies and of course some new music. Olivier Messiaen is a composer I’m very interested in and have done very little of his work of, so I hope to be able to incorporate those. Of course there's always more music and world premieres too. This week I’m doing a US premiere of a Chinese piece. I never know, I’m always very open to new interesting projects. Like this Schreker project with Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, it came out of the blue, I was so glad I could do it. Not something I’d thought about but it was a perfect project.

What kind of challenges does JoAnn Falletta face?

I think the challenges are more from being a music director. You’re also responsible for the financial health of the orchestra, next to marketing, promotions, raising money. It's a lovely thing but can be overwhelming as well.

What are some of your most meaningful achievements?

The Naxos discs have always been very meaningful for me. The concerts at Carnegie Hall, bringing both orchestras there and had concerts there have always been very meaningful to me. Guest conducting for the first time in many places like in Berlin, have always been meaningful. Doing all the Mahler symphonies. Each one was like a mountain in my life, never to be forgotten. There are so many wonderful things happening from working with the orchestras.

The excitement hasn’t changed in all these years?

Yeah, I feel like the next week is a great adventure. Next week I’m working with young people in Michigan. They are discovering Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade for the first time. I’ve done it many many times. The idea of have helping people of 16-17 years old play it for the first time is so inspiring. Every week to me is a great adventure as long as it's music.

Ever thought of crossing to other genres?

No, not really, because to me there's still so much to discover in classical music. That’s partly thanks to Nazos because of their encouragement to look below the surface, look for things people still don't know. That turned me into some kind of a discoverer. I guess the fear for me is that there’ll be some great composers who I will never have found! That will be sad because the ones that we have found have been so special.

Any last words for the readers?

I’d like to emphasize how much Naxos have done for me personally. They have opened the window to new music and they’ve gotten the voice of Buffalo Philharmonic all over the world. The orchestra would not really have the presence they have without Naxos. Many people don’t come to Buffalo but they’ve heard our sound. I’m very grateful for them.

JoAnn Falletta in conversation with primephonic's Rina Sitorus

Image credit: Mark Dellas

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Rumah Tusuk Sate Beraura Perlawanan

Sebagai seorang pengamat sastra ala-ala, saya senang sekali ketika diminta Joss Wibisono untuk tandem dengan Lea Pamungkas jadi pewawancara pada acara peluncuran dua novelnya, ‘Rumah Tusuk Sate di Amsterdam Selatan’ & ‘Nai Kai’ di Amsterdam.

Kumpulan cerita Rumah Tusuk Sate di Amsterdam berawal dari keinginan Joss untuk memberi ‘panggung’ pada sejarah perlawanan pemuda Indonesia melawan Nazi di Belanda jaman verzet (bergerak) di Belanda. Menarik bagi saya karena justru kisah fiksi Joss ini yang membuat saya kepingin mengenal lebih jauh tentang Irawan Soejono, bukannya dari buku menterengnya Harry Poeze yang menurut Joss sedikit banyak menginspirasi cerita ini (santer kabar yang mengatakan cerpen ini akan dikembangkan jadi novel). Sementara buku keduanya, Nai Kai, bercerita tentang perbudakan di Indonesia pada jaman VOC, diceritakan dari sudut pandang seorang penyanyi opera beken di Eropa di paruh pertama abad ke-19.

Yang menarik, Joss sempat menceritakan tentang verzet-nya sendiri akan Orde Baru. Berbeda dengan empat cerpen lainnya yang memakai EYD, Rumah Tusuk Sate di Amsterdam Selatan, ditulis dalam ejaan Suwandi. Menurut Joss, hadirnya EYD menciptakan generasi muda yang ahistoris, karena mereka (sengaja dibuat) tidak tertarik menggali pengetahuan sejarah dari referensi lama yang memakai ejaan Suwandi. Kenapa tidak semua ditulis dalam ejaan Suwandi? Sambil mesem-mesem Joss menjawab ,”Yaaaaaaah nanti malah ndak ada yang baca.”

Meski Joss setengah mati meyakinkan bahwa kedua novelnya adalah fiksi, pertanyaan yang diusung kedua novel tersebut sama sekali tidak fiktif. Menyoroti soal zedenschaandaal (skandal susila) di Indonesia tahun akhir tahun 1930an, dimana penangkapan dan persekusi atas kalangan penyuka sejenis sering terjadi, Joss bertanya, mereka ini sudah pernah dihukum sebelumnya, apakah pemerintah Indonesia akan jadi ‘lebih kejam’ dari penjajah Belanda? Demikian juga dengan Nai Kai, diskusi jadi menarik ketika ada pertanyaan, mengapa Indonesia sepertinya tidak peduli atau bahkan cenderung menutup-nutupi perbudakan jaman VOC? Tidak seperti eks koloni Belanda lain, Suriname misalnya, yang getol menyuarakan soal itu.

Mengutip komentar penutup pemred majalah Historia Bonnie Triyana, “Gak usah lagi ada perdebatan soal fiksi non fiksi. Dari fiksi yang ditulis pada jamannya, kita juga bisa belajar sejarah.”

Acara peluncuran buku Minggu siang di Quaker centrum Amsterdam itu dihadiri oleh antara lain Dubes Indonesia untuk Kerajaan Belanda I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, pemerhati masalah Indonesia Wim Manuhutu, Nico Schulte Nordholt dan Cara Ella Schulte Nordholt-Bouwman, diskusi berjalan hangat dan mencerahkan jiwa-jiwa yang haus akan pengetahuan sejarah.

Jika kita tanya pendapat wartawan senior Aboeprijadi Santoso yang juga hadir, dia bakal bilang, “Ini dua fiksi yang melintasi sejarah dua (atau lebih) tokoh, dua negeri, dua kota dan dua zaman. Dengan imajinasi yang pas, bila terpancar dari kedua buku ini, bisa mencicipi jiwa dan rasa zaman-zaman yang berbeda-beda itu: Belanda-Pendudukan Nazi-Indonesia 1940an; Bali-VOC-Amsterdam.”

Saran saya sih, jangan gampang percaya sama wartawan, biarpun yang senior juga, langsung aja beli buku-bukunya dan baca sendiri ya.

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Some music for your rainy Dutch spring.. Rina Sitorus: Creative Director, Copywriter Junito Drias: Director, Editor

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Instabilitas Toleransi: Indonesia

This article is part of Transposing Emblem: Instability Exhibition held in The Deep End, 1080 Wyckoff Avenue, Queens, NY 

In mid-2016 a riot in the North Sumatra province of Indonesia saw several Buddhist temples set on fire. The riot was provoked by a hoax disseminated through social media. Someone began spreading lies that a Buddhist immigrant complained about and insulted the adzan (Muslims' call to prayers). It infuriated people and led a few to burn several temples in the neighborhood. Ironically, a police investigation showed that the guy who started the rumor didn’t even live there: he was from Jakarta.

With 259.1 million population, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world after the US, China and India. A country with more than 546 languages, 1300 ethnic groups and 6 officially acknowledged religions is bound to experience instabilitas toleransi (instability in tolerance) between different groups. These days tolerance can be destabilized even for the tiniest of reasons and is easily fueled by unethical social media usage.

Social media allows us to get news about things happening in other parts of the world in (almost) real time. Attacks at the Bataclan concert venue in Paris, outside the Istanbul soccer stadium or Christmas market near Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, were discussed by Indonesian social media users not long after the incidents. Information travels easily, turning the world into one big global village.

Yet social media is not only about technology and communication. It also portrays behavior, the embodiment of humans’ desire to socialize and share experience. Studies show that we tend to choose content suitable to our liking and surround ourselves with those of the same mind. Instead of looking for a new opinion or point of view, understandably, we tend to look for support online (Pew Internet’s 2014 study: “Mapping Twitter Topic Networks from Polarized Crowds to Community Clusters”). This, coupled with users’ immaturity and anonymity behind the screen, has been creating instabilitas toleransi between diverse groups in Indonesia, especially in big cities.

The ease of social media access is also (intentionally) used by groups with a certain agenda. Based on Techinasia’s report published on January 2016, Indonesia has 88.1 million active internet users and 79 million active social media users. In Indonesia, we can easily find videos promoting calls to join ISIS. Personal blogs or community websites publishing articles provoking intolerance are also easy to find. This will make intolerant people feel like they are being supported and given a platform to do as they wish.

Another interesting example of instabilitas toleransi started by/on social media in Indonesia can be found in Jakarta’s gubernatorial election in February 2017. Just like young people in general, Indonesian youngsters basically don’t care about politics. But this election campaign for governor brought about a change in this phenomenon. The race between three candidates never felt so personal. Social media enables supporters of each candidate to unite openly and ‘fight’ against their rivals. The phenomenon of social media may be something virtual, but whatever is written on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram can feel real, especially when it comes to things we don’t necessarily agree with. People have opinions, they throw in their arguments. When arguing, supporting facts are assumed, and both supporters and opponents often don’t bother to check the validity of the presented facts and numbers. Somehow a lot of people (choose to) believe that if you can find it on the internet, then it is legitimate.

There are also people who are very creative with their memes or photoshopped pictures, meant satirically, but used by people with a hidden agenda or poorly understood by those who don’t get the satirical meaning behind the memes or pictures. The anonymity of being unseen behind the screen makes it easy to say whatever comes to mind, without regarding ethics or other people’s feelings. Rules and ethics in real life are often easily ignored on social media and may even result in violations of the law.

Multicultural Indonesia is a source of great power, but it can easily turn into a weakness when not approached properly. Apparently the sentiment of us against them is still very easy to sell. Especially when it comes to religion. And then there is majority against minority. Indonesia is not an Islamic state, yet Islamic principles often influence political decision-making. If you live in Indonesia, you’ll see for yourself that some extreme Muslim groups have been able to influence political decisions by (barking) violence. A recent example of this absurdity is the candidate for governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, being put on trial for blasphemy.1 And how do these groups gain followers? Don’t let their somewhat naive appearance fool you, their social media usage is just as advanced as yours and mine.

A lot of Indonesians will say that they grew up in (what they believe was) a very tolerant Indonesia. The way things are going these days makes many people feel uneasy. The instabilitas toleransi driven by (among others) unethical use of social media has become real. Also due to the nature of social media, information travels fast, which means that uneasiness also travels fast. The hope, however, is that these dynamics will encourage people to act to turn the instabilitas around or ensure peaceful instability between various groups.

Works cited: Balea, Judith. “The latest stats in web and mobile in Indonesia.” Techinasia. January 2016. Lamb, Kate. “Jakarta governor Ahko’s blasphemy trial: all you need to know.” The Guardian. Dec. 11, 2016.

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An Interview with Mari Kodama

Momo made her recordings, I made mine. Until something very special came up: a good friend of ours came with Arensky’s arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s ballets. He said it was special because this music by Arensky had never been published or made available, thus had never been recorded.

primephonic had the pleasure of interviewing Mari Kodama, the internationally acclaimed pianist who in 2014 marked an important stage in her recording career with the release of the complete Beethoven Sonatas. The brilliant yet ever-so-humble pianist talked about her recent collaborations with her sister and her daughter, as well as her releases with PENTATONE.

Could you tell me a bit about why it took so long for you and your sister Momo Kodama to record together?

It’s incredible isn’t it? We haven't really thought about it – we have our own individual careers and she has a very different repertoire than me. We play together two or three times a year because it's always easy and pleasurable and everybody likes it. Momo made her recordings, I made mine. Until something very special came up: a good friend of ours came with Arensky’s arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s ballets. He said it was special because this music by Arensky had never been published or made available, thus had never been recorded.  So we searched for more arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s ballets made by other famous composers (such as Debussy and Rachmaninov) that he had told us about and PENTATONE was really interested in the project. That’s how Tchaikovsky - Ballet Suites Transcribed for Piano Duo happened.

How did recording with your sister go?

We were a bit nervous because it was our first time doing a recording together. She has her own way and I have mine, but PENTATONE has a superb team. The best team you can ever wish for. It was done with very good humour, we had a lot of laughter and we even finished early. It was fun!

Is there anything you could have done differently?

Well, I was thinking about that, but for now I wouldn’t do it in a different way, because we did our best at that time. I think we are quite happy with the outcome.

Momo is not the only family member you’ve just collaborated with recently – you also had your first international tour with your daughter Karin (Kei Nagano) in 2015. How was that?

It was fun because normally when a family member or a close friend is playing in a concert and you’re sitting in the audience, your heart is pounding even harder. We are kind of nervous for the person on stage. The good thing is, you don't have that feeling when you’re on stage together [laughs]. Karin is a very good musician and the tour was a pleasure. In the beginning, when she was younger, I was the one giving suggestions, but now she is also giving suggestions. It’s really fun.

Were there mother-daughter arguments?

No, not really.  Although we have a different way of expression, we have the same way of thinking. When she is saying something I know what she is saying and why she is saying it, and vice versa. No dispute or anything like it.

Will there be more collaborations coming between you and your daughter?

We’re planning to do something in the summer, but she’s having her second release (J.S. Bach: Inventions & Sinfonias, BWV 772-801) with Analekta. Her first one (Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 12 & 13) was a big hit. For her it’s not so easy since she is also studying. Her study at Yale requires a lot from her but she really loves the balance. She organizes concerts at the university to warm up for her other concerts. I’m happy that she’s happy.

At what point in your life did you discover playing piano was a passion for you? What happened during that time?

My mother was a piano teacher, I grew up surrounded by piano since I was 4. We were lucky that my father was assigned to work in Germany when I was 6. As a banker, he was also assigned to work in other countries in Europe. When I was 10 or 11 my parents asked me to choose between piano and an academic study. If I wanted to pursue academic study, I would have had to go back to Japan instead of changing schools in different countries every two years. At that time I knew I wanted to be a concert pianist and it was decided that I did not to return to Japan to prepare for university. Of course combined with a proper academic study.

You’ve had a wonderful career behind and (no doubt) ahead of you, including having recorded all of Beethoven's sonatas. Are there still dream projects you’d like to envision?

In terms of piano playing, it’s endless. That’s the nice thing in music, you can always aim higher. That’s the reason why we are doing it in life. Maybe it's not the trend, because the trend is to go fast. But I always believe that we can do better and be better until the end of our life. As pianists we are lucky because we have a wide repertoire that we can learn from. There are many many things I’d like to ‘attack’ now such as the Brahms cycle which I have never done, Berg’s chamber concerto which I’d like to record as well, and maybe Berg’s piano works. That’s probably for the next three or four years.

Any musicians you’d love to work with in the near future?

I’d love to do chamber music and I think there’ll be a possibility to do it with the cellist Truls Mørk whom I really admire. I’d also love to work with violinist Gil Shaham, cellist Matt Haimovitz, and violinist Veronika Eberle, whom I also admire a lot.

Do you still get nervous on stage?

Absolutely, all the time. I think in a way you get used to it. We try to switch our mind once we’re on stage to just focus on the music. Most of the time it works or we pray that it works [chuckles]. There are so many factors in a really superb performance. Of course it’s how you are physically and psychologically, but it’s also the stage, the piano, the acoustic and the audience. It’s easier if you have the whole thing the way you really like it, but sometimes you have to work much much harder.

Could you tell us about one memorable concert in terms of response from the audience?

Well usually you have an audience who come because they want to be there, so I am very lucky that I  have my own audience in a lot of places. Then after a concert you feel like you have shared something together. And it's always wonderful. Usually I have quite a good contact with my audience.

Anything else about Mari which you’d like to share with us?

[Thinking a bit] Well, I think everything has been said, you can also find stuff about my cooking on my website.

Is there any ambitions when it comes to your cooking?

[Laughs] No, no, it's just something simple. I like cooking for people I care about. I just got encouraged by friends to publish it.

There is an upcoming release from you which we are all excited about: Manuel de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain, could you tell us about it?

Ah yes, it’s my first collaboration with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and conductor Kazuki Yamada, to be honest I don’t know yet what to expect, but it was a very happy collaboration, we even finished way earlier than planned. We recorded it at OSR’s magnificent Victoria Hall in Geneva. De Falla is a bit different from what I have usually been recording, but I grew up with Spanish repertoire and as a student, it is not so far from the French repertoire. For me it was a joy to discover this folkloric music and I think also it is the masterpiece of de Falla. It's a compilation of different kind of folkloric themes. He constructed incredible colour and smell of the ‘nights of Spanish garden’ by just putting one theme after another. It’s an amazing piece. It should be out in a few months, and I’m also curious about the recording!

Mari Kodama in conversation with Rina Sitorus