Features

Vladimir Ashkenazy

1 Dec 2008 by intern11

Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy, the famous Russian pianist-conductor, was in Hongkong recently, chairing the 2008 Hongkong International Piano Competition. He also led the City Chamber Orchestra of Hongkong, which accompanied equally celebrated members of the jury Gary Graffman, Pascal Roge and Cristina Ortiz in virtuoso performances that brought the audience to its feet on the last night of the two-week event. Before the judging, the peripatetic artist graciously put down his scores to chat with Margie T Logarta about the mysteries of musical genius and joys of close family ties

Are you often in Asia, Maestro?

Quite a bit. I came for the competition, which I’m chairing for the second time. But my life is always full with concertising here, there and everywhere.

Do you ever get some free time? What music do you listen to during your free time?

I like a lot of music; there are so many different kinds, from Bach to Shostakovich. It’s difficult to say.

My wife and I have homes in Switzerland – one in the German-speaking part and one in the Italian-speaking part, and another in Iceland. We spend our free time there, sometimes for weeks and weeks and weeks.

We have five children – we visit them or they visit us. That takes time, and very pleasantly so. Our family ties are very strong.

Your wife is from Iceland and you’re a citizen of Iceland. How are things there now? (Editor’s note: The country recently declared itself on the edge of bankruptcy due to the global financial crisis.)

Yes, the economy is quite problematic. It’s a small country with just over 300,000 people, and although heating doesn’t cost much because it has a lot of natural hot water, everything else is imported, like food. But the people are very inventive and industrious; it won’t go under. And Western Europe will help it too.

Being on the road a lot means being cooped up in planes. How do you keep productive?

I still manage to study my scores and sleep when I have to. My wife and I always travel together. She was a very good concert pianist, you know.

You met at the Moscow Conservatory, I believe?

Yes. She decided not to pursue her career because she thought it was more important to have a good marriage. She didn’t regret it.

Are any of your five kids musicians?

Our two sons – one plays the clarinet and the other, piano.

Surely, you get many parents bringing their children to you to perform, hoping you’ll say they’re bound for a brilliant career.

They even bring teenagers, and some beyond teenagers!

There is a vast difference between talent and genius. I believe I have enough experience to be able to figure out whether a person can do something worthwhile with his talent in the future. I am always honest when telling both parents and the young person what I really think. Very, very occasionally I do see somebody with tremendous talent, then I say, try to do it, keep on studying.

Did you do the same for your children?

It was no different. I told them what I thought they could do or could not do.

We have heard some conductors liken conducting an orchestra to running a company, what do you say?

I don’t think there is any equivalent to making music.

You went on from being a pianist to A conductor, tell us about that. What led to that?

I never thought I would conduct on a world scale. (Editor’s note: Maestro Ashkenazy has occupied posts of principal conductor or musical director of leading companies such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and European Union Youth Orchestra. His latest achievement is being appointed chief conductor and artistic advisor of the Sydney Symphony, a position he takes
up next month.)

My affection for the symphony orchestra was there since my early childhood, but since I was very quick on the piano, I became a pianist. Then at some point, I had an opportunity to conduct.

While conducting can be taught – I never had lessons though – some people develop an affinity for communicating with the orchestra and some don’t. It’s impossible to say why this happens. Gifts are very strange things.

Is there another instrument you would wish to play besides the piano?

The piano is enough.

And who’s the composer (no longer living) you would most like to meet or have a meal with?

Beethoven – I would love to talk to him. But that would be difficult. He couldn’t hear very well.

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