Who are we in this life? What roles do we play? Is it possible to choose only one and play it throughout one’s life? We all know that it is very short and fun — this life of ours. I had a chance to chat about the life choices, music and Australian sites with Katya Apekisheva.
Katya Apekisheva is one of the most known classical pianists in Europe. She and the famous British cellist Natali Klein are touring Australia this February and March. They are performing as part of Musica Viva festival and brought two interesting and varied concert programs.
— You are not the first time in Australia. What were your impressions last time? And what are you expecting from this tour?
— Yes, I’ve been to Australia before. Last year I participated in Chamber Music Festival in Townsville. The audience was amazing, vey welcoming and pleasant. But unfortunately, my visit was too short to see anything. Hopefully this time I will get to see more of Australia.
— This time you are performing as part of a duet with Natalie Clein. Is this an established duet?
— We have performed together many times before. Also, we are good friends. So, when Natalie was invited to Musica Viva, she asked me if I want to join her. I was very happy to.
— You are bringing two programs on this tour. How were those programs put together?
— The request from Musica Viva was to bring English Music. This music is little known beyond Great Britain. Thus, we are performing some of the English composers. Also, Natali and I chose some pieces that we performed before.
— You will perform The Dreaming Land by the Australian composer Natalie Williams will be heard. How was it included in the program?
— Musica Viva traditionally «commissions» a work by Australian composer specifically for this or that performer at the festival. This piece is ours to perform. The Dreaming Land is very interesting and multifaceted work. There are dancing modulations, aboriginal motifs and melancholic notes.
— You are pianist, mother and wife. You also teach piano at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. How do you find the time?
— Sometimes it is very hard. For instance, this tour is the first time I am away from my child for such a long time and it is very hard. Teaching takes away a lot of time. It is very structured process with set plans and targets. Moreover, I invest emotionally in every student. I want each one to reach their best.
— Is there anything you can live without?
— I would not leave anything out. Everything I do is a part of me, of my life. But stage is my world, my drug if you want. Nothing, in the professional domain, can replace the stage for me.
— How is one to manage so much?
— One is to plan, prioritise and to have a good ‘support group’. And I really need to know how to do it. On top of all other competing priorities, I organise London Piano Festival. This festival runs for four years now. There is a lot of work and it is all very interesting.
— In one of your interviews you mentioned that in current climate, professional musician sometimes has to learn and rehearse a piece of work in several days just to ‘keep afloat’
—Yes, sometimes it happens within a couple of days. You live on pure adrenaline. It is good: you are extending and trying your abilities. But it is also not so good: you cannot feel the work and see all its colours. Plus, the memory does not keep such quickly-learned pieces. But this is the dynamic of time. If you want to be known, if you want to work and tour, you have to be in shape all the time.
— And if you did not become a musician…
— Such thought never crossed my mind. I come from the family of musicians. I studied in the Gnesins’ Music school in Moscow. I knew that music was my world since very early on. I never even thought of another pathway.
— You were born in Moscow, lived in Israel and now in London. Where is home?
— Home is in London. I’ve lived in London for a very long time now. I completed music education in London. My husband and my daughter are here. Also, my friends and all my projects are here.
— Where would you like to perform next?
— I do not have plans as to where to perform, in what concert halls and auditoriums. I am rather inclined to dream and hope to perform to different public. For instance, I would love to perform in Japan again. The public there is unbelievably amazing. They treat musicians as stars and are very receptive and grateful. It is simply inexpressible.
Here I had to say goodbye to Katya, having wished her successful tour in Australia and having advised to take a walk in Salamanca in Hobart, to visit The Rocks in Sydney and Docklands in Melbourne. The free time will be in very short supply on this extensive tour. Well, maybe next time.
Концерты Natalie Clein & Katya Apekisheva 23 февраля — 16 марта 2019
Sydney 4 Mar 2019 7:00 PM
Brisbane 5 Mar 2019 7:00 PM
Adelaide 7 Mar 2019 7:30 PM
Perth 11 Mar 2019 7:30 PM
Canberra 14 Mar 2019 7:00 PM
Melbourne 16 Mar 2019 7:00 PM
Hobart 2 Mar 2019 8:00PM
PROGRAM 1
Brisbane, Melbourne Weekday, Perth, Sydney Weekday, Hobart
KODÁLY Sonatina
Natalie WILLIAMS The Dreaming Land (World Premiere)*
BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata no 5 in D major, op 102 no 2
RACHMANINOFF Cello Sonata in G minor, op 19
PROGRAM 2
Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne Weekend, Newcastle, Sydney Weekend
Vaughan WILLIAMS Six Studies in English Folk-Song
BLOCH Suite no 1 for Solo Cello
Rebecca CLARKE Sonata for Viola or Cello and Piano
BLOCH From Jewish Life
Natalie WILLIAMS ‘The Dreaming Land’ (World Premiere)*
BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata no 4 in C major, op 102 no 1
musicaviva.com.au/clein/
