The inventive director of the Pharos Worldwide Chamber Music Competition, Alexander Chaussian, explains the weather that make the occasion distinctive on this planet.
He is without doubt one of the most outstanding cellists of the worldwide music scene and a professor on the well-known Yehudi Menuhin College in London. Regardless of his younger age, he completes nearly 20 years within the inventive route of {one of the} main musical occasions of its sort in Europe and definitely one of the vital idyllic, which takes place in Cyprus. The Pharos Worldwide Chamber Music Competition has since 2001 positioned the island on the worldwide cultural map by way of chamber music, remaining dedicated to inventive excellence. Over time he has organized over 150 live shows with among the prime performers on the planet. Alexander Chaussian talks to “F” on the event of the twenty third occasion, the live shows of which might be recorded for the primary time by the internationally famend firm NAXOS, which is touring to Cyprus particularly for this goal.
-What are the particular benefits of this occasion that make it particular? From the customer's standpoint, it’s the distinctive fantastic thing about the realm of Kouklia, its peace and historical past and the truth that this pristine space connects the best civilization of the previous with the deepest civilization of the trendy period, particularly the classical music that carried out by the world's main performers. From an insider's standpoint, I imply us musicians, the Competition is an excellent show of dedication and keenness. The Faros crew do an incredible job with the group, their professionalism even in comparison with the most important festivals in Europe is unbelievable they usually fully perceive the wants of each the musicians and the viewers.
–What would you say is essentially the most demanding a part of organizing a pageant? Undoubtedly, it’s his funding. This has all the time been the difficulty in Cyprus and it saddens me to notice that this wonderful pageant lacks authorities assist. I’ve not often seen a authorities official come to our live performance and though they’ve organized assist, nothing really occurs. It's actually unbelievable that Pharos nonetheless manages to by some means resolve this drawback, yearly, however I actually know the way exhausting the president, Garo Keheyan, and the inventive director of the Basis, Yvonne Georgiadou, work to make it occur and the way a lot private sacrifice they’ve made , how a lot stress, loneliness and frustration it causes them on the identical time. With out their imaginative and prescient and complete dedication, nothing would have labored. Cyprus actually has one of the vital enthusiastic audiences I’ve ever come throughout. It’s a huge fable that the Cypriot public doesn’t like classical music as a result of it doesn’t have the background. They’re extraordinarily eager listeners and even when they’ve by no means been taught this sort of music at college, as soon as they encounter it, they turn out to be increasingly curious. I’m particularly comfortable to see younger folks attending the Competition, or folks from throughout Cyprus, in addition to many guests from overseas.
–What’s the place of this pageant within the calendar of comparable occasions in Europe? It's a mid-sized, 'boutique' kind of pageant I'd say, which may doubtlessly turn out to be a lot greater if funds weren't a difficulty. It ranks among the many better of its sort in Europe, attracting the perfect musicians on this planet. Wanting on the caliber of artists it has hosted, from the legendary Natalia Gutman to Mischa Maisky and Yuja Wang, it's simple to see that that is undeniably a prestigious pageant, on par with essentially the most historic on the planet.
–Was it a straightforward highway to reward the pageant? When aiming for the highest, you should be sure to have the required substances, as these are important to reaching success. The standard of the pageant is an important element, and I imply the inventive and organizational high quality. Let's not neglect that high quality attracts high quality, as a result of all musicians need to play with the perfect! If you’ll be able to preserve this excessive stage persistently, as is the case with the Pharos Worldwide Chamber Music Competition, then acclaim is inevitable. Nevertheless, acclaim has by no means been an finish in itself, solely high quality and the best potential commonplace.
–How a lot do you suppose the musical tradition of the Cypriot public has developed in comparison with 20 years in the past? Typically I feel that folks in Cyprus love music, it's of their nature. I additionally see it within the kids who come to take part within the instructional actions of the pageant. Individuals beneath 30 are typically extra aware of classical music, maybe as a result of they’ve simpler entry to it and naturally through the web. However I additionally see the keenness of the older generations, the place there’s a deep love of tradition, curiosity and deep, in the end, curiosity in music, nevertheless troublesome it could appear earlier than trying to expertise it dwell. Typically I want extra could possibly be completed to develop this enthusiasm, however this ought to be on the agenda of governments in all places on this planet.
-What position do you suppose the pageant performed on this regard? The pageant clearly attracts well-known artists and it's pure that folks need to go and listen to them, however let's not neglect that on common, the Pharos Arts Basis brings dozens of artists to Cyprus yearly and the overwhelming majority of them are glorious musicians. Thus, the general public watching his actions has cultivated his requirements. It's a sort of extroversion coaching, if you concentrate on it. These viewers members have turn out to be aware of classical music by listening to the perfect 12 months after 12 months.
–What’s an important parameter in conducting a chamber music pageant? You need to be calm, however nicely ready and settle for that many issues can go mistaken and that even when there’s a drawback, there might be an answer someplace. The secret’s to have an excellent crew in your aspect and everybody's position is clearly outlined. The aim ought to be for everybody to work in an excellent, beneficiant environment whatever the stress.
–How does such a pageant progress and evolve 12 months after 12 months? It’s based mostly on a core of steady musicians reminiscent of myself, but additionally Boris Brovchin, Dimut Poppen and yearly extra new musicians take part, every of whom brings new concepts and emotions to the pageant. One other issue is planning, which is extraordinarily necessary. We now have entry to extra sources and are stunned to find wonderful works which might be sadly unknown or poorly executed. For instance, this 12 months we now have the “Quintet” by Louise Farenck -one of the best feminine composers of the nineteenth century-, the “unfinished” sextet by Glinka, the Octet for Strings by Reinhold Glier, the sextet by Bruch. A few of the performs, though written 150-200 years in the past, have by no means been carried out in Cyprus. I can even carry out the world premiere of “Thrinodia” for solo cello, a piece written by the excellent Cypriot composer Andreas Tsiartas, to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
– This 12 months all of the live shows might be recorded by the internationally famend firm NAXOS. What does this imply for you? I feel it is a essential step ahead. It may mark the start of an excellent collaboration and even higher publicity of the pageant exterior of Europe, as they’ll doubtlessly be broadcast in Asia as nicely. Think about the identify of Cyprus showing as a classical music vacation spot and the neighborhood of Kouklia because the seat of this distinctive annual pageant!
–What new prospects are rising for the classical music trade in these troublesome occasions? The music trade could be very complicated now. It’s shifting in a really unusual route that has no goal or relation to high quality and serves different agendas or fast and straightforward revenue. Nevertheless, you don't make good wine by simply mixing grape juice and water, and I stay optimistic as a result of I consider that real artists, in all artwork kinds, are those who will in the end save the day and assist their arts.
Free, 19.5.2024
