Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?
I wasn’t sure that I wanted a professional life in music until I started playing string quartets under the guidance of the late Christopher Rowland at the Royal Northern College of Music. He was a very inspiring force!
With the Navarra Quartet everything was exciting as we were so young and every piece of music we learned felt so epic; I will never forget working on Beethoven quartets with, for instance, Ferenc Rados, or playing in Kurtag’s last public masterclass.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
Finding a comfortable homelife plus being able to do the work that I love. Basically finding the right balance between travel and being at home. It’s always developing and I am still searching for it!
Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?
I guess my first recording with the Navarra Quartet, as It was my first and it was a really personal project. We recorded the Seven Last Words… by Haydn.
And lately I performed the complete Beethoven quartets cycle with the Elias Quartet in chronological order, which was an incredible thing to do! Not the least because I felt humbled to join my colleagues in this, as they had already delved into this repertoire for many years, so it was incredible sharing this with them and all the knowledge they exude!
Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?
I always love performing Beethoven, as you can really give all of yourself in performing his music; there are so many emotions to be felt in his music.
But I also love playing contemporary composers!
What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?
Hmmm…. perhaps I could say I do yoga and meditation. It helps, not necessarily with finding inspiration but by being calm and centred so the music can come out better!
How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?
Together with my quartet colleagues, it’s a mixture between what we all like to do and what promoters would like.
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?
Wigmore hall, and the Concertgebouw!
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?
Perhaps to look for the boundaries between different kinds of music and interesting programming that would appeal to different kinds of audiences.
What is your most memorable concert experience?
Perhaps during Covid, playing Beethoven’s 4th piano concerto arrangement for piano and string quintet in the empty big hall of the Concertgebouw. (it was going out live).
But most recently, performing Dvorak’s viola quintet (adding an extra viola is always the best!) at my festival in Weesp (near Amsterdam) with my nearest and dearest in the venue of the festival. which is absolutely gorgeous!
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
To be able to express in a joyful and genuine way the music that we are playing with each other and with the audience.
What is your most treasured possession?
I absolutely LOVE my viola, which I found on my first search for an instrument years ago quite coincidentally. It was the most affordable in the room and I instantly loved the sound so much. I bought it on the spot.
Simone van der Giessen performs at this year’s Winchester Chamber Music Festival which runs from 3 to 6 May. Find out more
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