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You come from a classical background, is it exciting to be involved in music and sounds beyond your heritage at the likes of Intonal festival?
“It’s exciting to make music beyond the scope of my work in the orchestra. But I have always pushed my boundaries by seeking out performance opportunities outside of my work. It has been enriching to be involved in additional projects which change my perception of the role and capabilities of my instrument. Most often the projects I’ve done outside of standard symphonic repertoire have still been “concert art music” with other acoustic instruments so working with Mika and Luis, who primarily make music using computers, is a new experience for me.”
You’ve built a life around music but why is it important to you personally?
“I have always loved to have the chance to express myself through music. This has been very fulfilling from an emotional and intellectual perspective. But it is the physicality of practising and performing that I find most interesting now. It has taken considerable effort to figure out how to physically play in a good condition, year after year. I find the longer I play the more I’m investigating how to move in a general sense. This pursuit of using my energy effectively keeps me engaged with my body and mind. I will never run out of things to discover in this regard and it’s good to be reminded of this daily.”
How have your experiences travelling within an orchestra broadened your horizons?
“The symphonic repertoire is vast. It has been a wonderful journey to play different programs every week and study so much music through the years. I am a strong proponent of orchestras commissioning and premiering new works. It seldom happens but I think for the idiom to thrive this practice is essential both for the players and the public. I love orchestral music from the 20th century, but it is rare to see Ligeti, Stockhausen, Luigi Nono, and many, many other composers from the modern era on concert programs. This is a shame and I think we should trust and expose audiences to contemporary repertoire as well.”
You have a strong interest in Jazz – how has this approach to sound helped direct your own musical style?
“I played saxophone for 12 years and after a certain point, one starts to study jazz music if that is their chosen instrument. The jazz idiom is filled with extremely creative people from throughout its history up to the present day. I get inspired by the willingness of people to push limits by constantly redefining what the music can express. Studying Jazz music also gave me the chance to improvise which is very different from orchestral playing where all the music is written down.”
What are you most excited about at the festival?
“I am excited to share what Mika, Luis, and I worked on during our residency. When I first started going to Inkonst some years ago I wondered whether I would be a part of what goes on at the club, in my own way. It means a lot for that dream to come to fruition at Intonal with a piece I have been involved in creating. I’m always excited for Intonal because I know I will hear a lot of artists I’ve never heard of before. This leaves me with a lot of inspiration and freshness when the festival end.”