Interviews with musicians, composers and conductors
Love composition enough to want to do it whether you get paid or not. Have friends or pupils who are happy to perform it. Value and reflect on your life experiences, whether happy or painful, because whether music appears to be programmatic or abstract, it is all the product of experiences that are deeply felt, as much as of individual gifts.
Do it for the right reasons, and be sure it’s what you really want to do because it isn’t easy. Then absolutely go for it. Despite many messages you’ll receive to the contrary, it is a worthwhile thing to be an artist, both personally and for society as a whole.
I admire great singers who are also great musicians, such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau whose every performance is a masterpiece! Ian Bostridge and Anne Sofie von Otter offer countless nuances and a strong statement. Listening to Emma Kirkby is an aesthetic experience and Anthony Rolfe Johnson’s work is moving and so full of emotion. My favourite conductor is Simon Rattle.
Who or what inspired you to take up the piano and pursue a career in music? I have the vague memory of asking my non-musical
Be yourself, never give up, work hard and enjoy each and every experience. Having respect for the score and style of the composer is also a necessity.
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