Future Classic Women Awards – Petra Hajduchova

Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today we welcome back the wonderful Petra Adjuhkova. Good morning, Petra. Good morning, Stefania. How are you? Ah, very well. So happy to have you back on Future Classic Women Awards. You were on the second edition, I think, of Future Classic Women Awards. This is the third one, and Petra is an incredible harpsichord player, and she is back at the Women's Radio Station to talk to us about a wonderful new project that is bringing the harpsichord and the Baroque music to the 21st century. Would you like to tell us something about this, Petra? Yes, I would like. Thank you for lovely introduction anyway. So I've been working over the lockdown on music. I didn't stop working because I had some requests to record things and, you know, singers online. And so I just couldn't basically stop. Fantastic. Um, so I started to think about, I should record a CD because you know how important is to have CD for musicians. Talking for years that you had to produce a CD because you are such a wonderful harpsichordist. And the truth is that the CD is something that allows your art go to people from all around the world, you know, people that they cannot be at your live concert. So I'm so glad that finally— I guess it was the lockdown who pushed you, that made you more comfortable also to record. It's, it's been just, just you had much more time for everything, for practicing and preparation. And, and I've got lovely instruments in my flat by Michael Johnson. I have to mention his name. Because I always wanted his instrument, and I have one. So, so it's so much easier to— if you have good instrument, you just practice, you just play for fun, and just sit and do it, you know. And, and beautiful repertoire, of course, for the harpsichord. And so, but it took different twist than you would expect. I didn't produce album of Baroque music. I'm still working on it. We will have EP coming out very soon, later on CD. But why it's taking so long is because I recorded Baroque pieces on beautiful harpsichord, but we are mixing it and we're having different twists with each piece. So traditional pieces with electronic twists, I would think. Oh, wow. So how did this partnership— who is the person doing the remix? It's actually me and my friend Sam Hopkins, who is based in Kent as well as me. I moved to Broadstairs about 2 and a half years ago, so to be by the sea and not far from London, but still away from London, away from the madness of the city. Exactly, it's beautiful. I live by the sea, just— oh, lovely. So it's just amazing. And so, yes, and I found just new colleagues around and very capable people. And Sam is very young, young man, and he can also record music. So he was the one who started recording my classical pieces first, and he came around. But this, this man, he is in, um, he's basically, um, grow, or, you know, his interest is in rock bands and looks like a rocker. And he always brought some beer with him to record. I see, rock style. That's funny. So, so, and then we started cooperation, which is amazing because we both very different people. We love music, but different kind of music, and it's just so beautiful how we could cooperate together. So he basically started to record my harpsichord, and for example, he never heard about French baroque. It's kind of niche style, I'm surprised, but didn't know Bach's pieces. So when I saw him recording and I just saw him grooving around, you know, like like being happy with the music and being satisfied and moving his head into rhythm. Quite satisfying to see. And so, um, I don't know how the idea came up. I think, um, we just recorded it and then we started talking about mixing it. And his great experience of rock, rock and tech and everything, we just started to mix it together and It's cooperation of two musicians who are from different corner of music. Yeah, different world meeting up in the middle. This is such a beautiful story. I really love it. I mean, um, what is fantastic is the fact that if you give the opportunity to someone to listen to Baroque music, for example, that is the hardcore, if you want, of classical music, um, they can like it because there is so much into it. There is rhythm, of course, there is melody, there is craziness. Ness as well, as you, as you know, in many pieces. Um, I think that might be a reason why, for example, the Seasons by Vivaldi are so very famous. They were rediscovered just at the beginning of the, uh, 1900s, a century ago. And that's crazy that they were completely forgotten for so many years and then finally, you know, back to glory. And there is so much glory in the Baroque music. And I think that's why maybe you are a baroque performer and not— and you didn't stick to the piano, for example, to become classical or contemporary pianist. Perhaps, perhaps. But you know, we had— well, Petra is gonna be one of the main persons, vice head of the historical department of LPAM, the London Performing Academy of Music, this new conservatory in London. And we had an open day on Friday, uh, last week, uh, where we were talking with the Jazz Department. They— it was an open day dedicated to the various departments, and we had keyboards both from the Classical Department, the Crossover, and the Jazz. And they were talking about the similarity that there is between the improvisations in the Baroque music and in the Jazz, for example, in the contemporary music. Did Right, yes. Did, did, um, what did, what did you say is his name? Sam? Sam Hopkins? Yes, Sam Hopkins. Yeah, this Sam found, uh, similarity with this music, for example, in the rhythm or something. Did he mention anything that you didn't think about when you were working together on these? Um, uh, in, uh, it's Kind of hard to say. He— I think, you know what, he was just the, um, assurance of seeing him like moving in the rhythm, you know, and being like in the beat and like clapping his fingers or like clicking his fingers when I played Scarlatti's thing, for example, you know. I was— I'm pretty sure that he found his rhythm and he knows. And yeah, I think he's got very good ear. For example, he I don't think he reads music, but he can grab a guitar and he can play any tune you play him, which is absolutely adorable because I'm the opposite. I need to have music for playing music, music sheet. So, so it's very, very different. But as you mentioned, the jazz and for example Bach, a lot of, a lot of jazzmen, they tell me, you know, playing Bach, it's like, it's so close to jazz. There was this fantastic pianist, jazz pianist, um, Jacques Loussaint, who, yeah, who did these wonderful variations on Bach. They are super beautiful with this jazz. He did that in the— I think it was the '70s jazz. So the crossover, actually, I'm so glad you mentioned you've got crossover in your academy. Sort of studies. It's— I think it's coming back in, like, in a big— it's a big movement now. And, and I love it when people can mix various styles, because I— and they are purists, of course, and they won't be happy. But music is just versatile, and, and I want the music to reach young audience or people who don't know about harpsichord, you know. And through Through our album, I hope people might find a way to listen. I had friends who never listened to the harpsichord, and they listened to me on Spotify because they are my friends. Beautiful. So they said, like, it's interesting what's coming up next, you know, what other pieces, and they starting to listen other music. Yes, beautiful. Absolutely. Well, what I was thinking is that maybe the lockdown helped as well, you know, experimenting and opening up. Your, your mind more to it because a lot more people found new ways of meeting through the internet. For example, with our conservatoire, we have this platform where we can actually teach and have professors from all around the world and students from all around the world. And so that's opening new, you know, friendship that you would have not have if you were just, you know, running again and touring and performing. Right, absolutely, absolutely. I agree, um, just opened so many ways. And I know it's hard, but, but it's, um, we had time to think, we calmed our minds, us who didn't have work. And I think it just brought us to discovery of other things. Absolutely. Well, I can't wait to listen to the Chaconne Beat Drop. Um, so Jay Fisher is the is the composer of the chaconne. Yes, yes, the original composer. So it's a Baroque chaconne that has been remixed by Sam Hopkins, Hopkins, yes, Hopkins, with Petra Adžićova at the harpsichord. Let's listen to it. Thank you. How fun! This was Chaconne Beat Drop by Jay Fisher, performed by Petra Ajucova. And sorry, Petra, how do I say Petra Ajucova? Kova. Uh, hai du hova. I'm sorry. Petra, hai du hova. No, Kova. Petra. Hi, du Kova. And Sam Hopkins at the remixing. Really, really fantastic. Now, you said that in your album you're actually gonna have different style of remix. So, uh, it's— it's— you're gonna be open to not just, uh, um, uh, kind of disco remix, but to more reggae as well and other styles. So you tell me, is there any favorite now that you have on top of classical or baroque? Favorite style? Yes. Oh, is there anything that now you like more? That's the thing, I'm so open-minded in music. Only thing I'm not very keen was reggae, I have to say. I've started to grow into it because, I don't know, but otherwise, I just— if you see my Spotify list or my Alexa— quietly, otherwise she starts to speak— it's crazy. I can't believe what I can listen. I can listen to some I don't know, brass music from Germany, or I can listen cymbalo music from Hungary. I listen to Elvis Presley. Freddie is my favorite, Freddie Mercury. I love romantic music, you know, Rite of Spring. And I just, I just listen to absolutely anything. It depends on my mood, on, you know, on time of the day, time of the month. I don't, I don't care. I just love Anything jazz I love. I love Bach. It's just so many things I love. I probably could tell you what I don't like, it would make it easier. No, okay then. I'm gonna ask you as well, how did you, you know, uh, when did that happen? Like, were you having some drinks with friends and you met Sam and Sam says, why don't we do something together? Or was it you who said, I need to record because we're in lockdown, and he says, I can record, and then listening to he came up with the idea of then remixing what he was recording? I think it was actually grown into me since I was small, because my parents were listening anything but classical music. And my mom, if she listened to classical music, it was always enriched with some drums behind. All right. I don't know if you remember this Rondo Veneziano. Of course I do, yeah. So that was our classical music at home, and that's why I remember. That's why you became a Baroque musician. I was probably the first person in the household who started to listen classical music in all purity, you know, like very purely, because my mom always had to have some beats behind it, you know, a little bit modernized Classical music. So maybe that was grown into me. I remember when I was little and we would have on Saturday, there was this Top of the Chart in Italy, in the Italian television. And I remember the Rondò Veneziano, that they had these videos made, of course, in Venice on the gondola, performing in Piazza San Marco, in San Marco Square. Such a childhood memory. It's crazy. I know, yes. Um, yeah, that's, that's what we listened a lot also, Italian pop music. So, ah, sorry. Wow. So Petra, Petra is from Czech, uh, well, Czech Republic, right? Yeah. So when did you come actually in the UK? In, uh, oh, 2009. Okay, years. So quite a while now. It'll be 13 years, 2008, 2009, I think. 13 years, yes. Were you planning to come here or it just happened because you came to study here? I came to study for one year. I was hoping to go back straight away after studies. Same with me. And how many years is it for you? Oh, for me is, uh, it's gonna be It's 19 years. Well done. I came, I was just 10 years old, you know. You built your business. I was already postgraduate at 10 years old. So yeah, I came as well just for doing one year at Royal Academy of Music. And, you know, Royal Academy is famous all around the world. And when they invited me, I thought, wow, I cannot say no. That's for sure. But I was planning to go to Paris, for example, and yeah, and then instead I just stayed because, um, I met so many wonderful people here. And what was incredible about London and studying here in the UK was the many opportunities and the fact that everyone was so open-minded and open to listen to you. And that's right, yes. I mean, it's— there is something very special about this country, and, and that's why I'm very happy to have become British citizen as well, is the fact that no one is asking you, um, who your parents are, where you come from, what's your family do. They only ask you, who, who are you right now and what are you gonna do tomorrow? And, and that is this tomorrow that is, uh, the focus of the interest. And, and that's the beauty, and that's what pushing music forward, for example. Yeah, yeah, it's— that's right, that's right. I mean, people are so open-minded to— or open to foreigners here. Well, I don't know if I can say now, not with the Brexit, but, but you know, I studied in Salzburg for a year and it was so hard for me to go out and play there because people don't accept foreigners. Or back then, I don't know, 15 years ago. Yeah. I didn't like that. But here, since I was students, I had a lot of lovely audience coming to me and asking me where I'm from, and I was loving performance, and they were interested in me and in music by me, which was lovely. And I think that's the reason I stayed also. Yeah, also there is such a love for Baroque music in this country, isn't it? It's very strong here. And I think France, they're like the two best place in the world for Baroque music. Or do you think there is places that are as rich in terms of Baroque orchestras, Baroque festivals, and Baroque concert seasons. I mean, England was one of the first revivals, was it, in Baroque time? Yeah, Mackelbie and all these names which I'm not gonna get them right now because it's too early for me, but you know what I mean. Yeah, you have the classical case of music and rock and roll where you don't wake up early in the morning. Strong coffee still, so I wish I could put some names together. So Emma Carrickmaye was, uh, in '70s there was a big revival of Baroque music in this country, and which was great. I think they were one of the first nations, and as you said, I think England is, is absolutely a star. France now is catching up with everything. French people, or German, they've got amazing orchestras. Italians Also, everybody is doing a bit of baroque music now, but I think the first big one, one movement was in England, brought it back. Beautiful. Well, the next piece we're gonna listen to, it's by Ruth Barrett, and it's French Court. Now, this is the soundtrack from the Victoria series. What do you mean, the, the movie, the one dedicated to Queen Victoria? Yes, yes. Wow, Ruth is amazing female composer. She works for films and series. She's very busy and she was awarded an Emmy Award. So I mean, it was such a privilege to work with her for me. And I just got a phone call one afternoon if I could come and record, record a track for Victoria series, this ITV series, I think. Yes. And she's got theme for the harpsichord based on François Couperin's piece called Le Tic-Toc Choc. Ah yeah, so this, this piece is based upon it. And I remember she, she rang me and she said, only, only time I have, it's tomorrow. Like years ago, she said tomorrow, what, because it's a bank holiday. And I said, that's great, I've got flight to Philippines that afternoon, so if we do it in the morning, I'll be away. You recorded— excuse me, when did you practice the music? It was just sight reading? I thought I'm gonna actually play the Couperin piece, and I was practicing over the night in the church on the harpsichord. I was terrified. And at the end of the day, it was that it was just bass. So she actually printed music for me, and she always brought it down. She has studio above her living room where I was with harpsichord. Me one paper of music and he said, can you play this and can you play that? And so, wow. But to say, to admit, I played hands separately and then it was put together because that would be impossible, I think. Yeah. So she did amazing job. The harpsichord I brought was one of my traveling instruments. I, I couldn't transpose it back then. So for people who don't know, you've got, um, you can use different pitches on the harpsichord. Uh, normal pitch for 440 is normal, what we use for piano now, but in time we had a semitone lower pitch, 415, and sometimes in France they have 392, even lower. So it is whole tone lower than normal pitch, or even in Italy 465 and, and so on. My pitch was unusually on 400 because I did some crazy project before and I couldn't tune it back because that would just take ages and it would probably move up and down. And so bless her, she had to deal technologically with the pitch with the left hand and with the right hand and putting it all together. And she was absolutely a star. So wow. I love what she did with the music. And when it came to the to the television. We were sitting with friends and open wine and just listened. So happy. You know, I watched the series and I loved it. I think it was one of my favorite. They did such a great job, and I love the music. And you should have told me that time. I would have told all my friends, my friend Petra was performing the harpsichord. Well, let's listen to it then. Let's listen to Ruth Barrett, French Court, from Victoria series movie, and played by Petra Hacukova. Halt ab! How fun! This was Ruth Barrett, French Court, composed soundtrack for the Victoria series, and with Petra Hadjukova at the harpsichord. Yeah, indeed, that was quite a piece. I love her music. Now there is something very special about too And it's the fact that you're not scared, you know, of trying new things. You know, they call you and they ask you to record the morning after you have a flight in the afternoon, and you're just, "Oh, fine, I'll just do it." And I think it's this type of active, you know, entrepreneurship in music that is making you so successful. Oh, oh, love that. Absolutely. So I'd like to ask you now, I mean, the We have— oh, we got some more from other film tracks that we're gonna listen to, uh, today, and another gem from your upcoming experimental album. Now I'd like to ask you, what was the most difficult, uh, performance that you had to, to do? Like, that it was too much last minute, or the repertoire was too difficult, or was in a condition that it wasn't ideal, for example, to bring the harpsichord or Oh, uh, that's a hard question actually. You had many or not many? I wanted to say it's like, you know, almost every— a more difficult performance, I mean, um, I think I'm scared of organ, church organ, and because you never know if everything is playing, every single key, if the pedal is— how pedal are placed. I'm not— I'm organist, but that's not my prime, like, first instrument, obviously. So I'm scared of big church organ. If you press the switch, that the air will come out and it will start to play. So, but it's nice challenge for me. It's also, it's kind of excuse when I go to play to different churches. It's kind of excuse if the church is not— if the organ is not working well. I get often excuse. I see. And with the harpsichord, I mean, you said that you had to bring the harpsichord to the studio upstairs. How do you do that? The harpsichord, if people don't know, because, you know, we have a wide audience, the women's radio station, um, it's a sort of a piano. So you need to imagine the big, uh, is the actually the grandfather of the piano. And so has the big tail and, uh, you know, the pedal— not, not the pedals, but, you know, you have a stand for it. I mean, how do you carry you carry it around? It's not a guitar or an harp. It's, it's a little bit tricky. I always ask for a strong man to be around. I can load it myself, actually. I learned how to deal with it myself. I've got a little trolley for the harpsichord, so my traveling one, it's based in London, so I can always put it on a trolley, shove it in the car, and go. But it's the best when I have somebody to help. It's quite heavy. I think it's heavier than me. Oh yeah. Than myself. So, um, I can carry the heavy beat now. I learned how to do that. Um, wow, a lot of running and gym. Okay, so people don't think about that, but you have to do some physical, um, training as well as musical and mental training, isn't it? It's— I think if you're harpsichordist, it's kind of expected from you to bring your own instrument to tune it. Play Beauty. It's crazy. But you know, as a pianist, for example, I'm always afraid of carrying heavy luggages or heavy bags because I need to have my fingers to be, you know, at the top condition. So how do you do that by carrying your instrument to a concert, you know? That is right. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I have to make sure I arrive earlier because the hands can get tired and Basically, I'm trying to have the trolley everywhere I can so I can just wheel it. I don't have to carry that much. But if you go up the stairs, and if I have a man around, which I always ask for, I usually get the light bit, I have to say, before the concert. And then, then you have to tune it, so you've got a good half an hour before you start playing. I mean, tuning takes less than half an hour, but, you know, settling around and Yeah, wow, that's, that's another very difficult thing, the fact that the, that the harpsichord needs to be tuned all the time in different pitches as well. Does it hurt the instrument itself by doing that, by changing the pitch, for example? Because usually they have built in the, the option to just slide the keyboard, so it does, it doesn't affect the harpsichord as much as changing the environment. Like, having it in damp environment, it's not good, or dry environment. So, or leave it in the car. I don't like doing that. So yeah, moving it around. Wow, just think, I think harpsichord is female. Yeah, but do— does it happen that you go to a place and they have their own harpsichord? Yeah, if that happens, uh, that's nice, although not very common. Or not very common. Sometimes I prefer to have my own instrument to know what I can expect from my own instrument anyway. Sometimes you have funny instruments, but mostly if people provide the harpsichord, it's usually, usually very good one. So it's an update. And oh, I feel like a rock star if I come to a concert and somebody use it for me and it's all set. I just feel like a superstar, you know. Well, You are a superstar. You performed at the Royal Albert Hall. How was it performing there? Oh wow, that was— last time when I saw you on the radio, you asked me what was my best performance, and it will come. It's not— it didn't come yet, and I didn't know I'd be invited to play in the Albert Hall. So I think that was far the best, the best performance I could ever experience. We played Messiah. At Christmas in COVID, we had, we had, uh, 1,000 people in, in the hall. Wow. I think you can fit 3,000, but because of the COVID restrictions, we had only 1,000 people. And they were supposed to stream it, but again, they canceled one day before, or on the day they canceled the streaming, which is a shame. I could make a nice memory for my grandchildren. Yeah. Yes, I have. So yeah, they cancelled, sadly, but we still went ahead with the performance, and I played with the Philharmonics, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which is a lovely bunch of people, amazing musicians, and the conductor— oh, I should have reminded myself his name— was a young Brazilian conductor, very, very kind man. And it was just so magical. And I know the, the players from orchestra, they didn't have much work that year, and we all went emotional, you know. And, and actually, I, I had, I had tears when it came to Alleluia chorus, and people stood up in, in the audience because they always stand up for the Alleluia chorus. Oh, really? Oh, from some sort of tradition. When, when the Messiah comes to Alleluia chorus, the whole audience stands up and keeps still for the performance of Alleluia. And the reasons are— 3 reasons I had. I don't know which one is true, but because the king had a performance, he stood up because first reason was that he was amazed that, that it was beautiful, basically. The second reason was that he fell asleep and suddenly— that's funny. That reason is absolutely the worst, that he had some uncomfortable illness when he sits. I'm sure it's the first one. I'm hoping. So people obviously follow the king, and since then they, they keep standing up, especially in England. I haven't seen it in Czech Republic or anywhere else. But here in England, it's beautiful. It made me like— I had to wipe my tears. How exciting, how exciting indeed that the lockdown, I mean, has been hard on everyone, and the opportunity to perform with the live audience, it's, it's always magical, but it's double magical or 10 times more magical really because everyone was so happy to be there, isn't it? Yes, that's right. And It's the Albert Hall after all, and I brought my instrument, my big instrument, and orchestra, and lovely conductor, and all the Christmas lights around, and it was just— you can't imagine. I was over the moon. Beautiful. Absolutely. Well, let's listen now. Let's go back to some experimental. So we want to listen to William Craft, The Ground in C minor. Now, I never heard a piece called Ground. What does it mean? Ground is basically a musical form. It's the bass repeats. So we've got about 4 chords and they go again and they repeat, and above it you've got improvisation. It's kind of like a chaconne thing. I think ground is slightly shorter in a theme, in a bass. It's an English form. It's an English form, that's right. Yes, it's coming English Baroque form. Yeah, so I don't think I ever encountered a ground form at the piano. Normally when you do Baroque repertoire, you play the Suite Anglaise, the French Suite, etc., or for earlier music, of course. But yeah, so you know the chaconne and the passacaglia, but not the ground. So I'm really curious to listen, although it's remixed, so again by Sam Hopkins, and that's from your upcoming experimental album. So let's listen to it. Well, I really like this William Craft Ground in C minor. Really, really beautiful. Um, okay, so we are at the last, um, drop of our interview, last leg of our interview, and we're here with Petra Hadju. Hadjoukova, who is this fantastic harpsichord player you just heard there in the William Croft again in C minor, remixed by Sam Hopkins for their upcoming experimental album. And so it's time for, um, you know, the, the last questions. And of course, we already know what's in the pipe, that is this beautiful album. When is that gonna be finished? Do you know? Um, we're trying to push it. Um, the EP is coming now in summer. Okay. And this, the CD will probably be by Christmas, let's hope. We've got all tracks recorded already, it's just the mixing and thinking about, for example, this Ground was, it sounded a little bit strange, but it was in lo-fi style because a lot of my pupils, like, a lot of piano, teenage pupils, they like this lo-fi style. So I started to listen and discover. I just wanted to say about this ground, actually, um, they're not sure if it's by Croft or by Purcell, by Henry Purcell. So, uh, what's— what do the musicologists think? That that was by Purcell, but Croft might have done the variations above the ground. So, so I should mention both. It's all right. Now we really have a very few minutes left. I'll just ask you as usual one funny question, and that is if there is any funny things that happened during the lockdown, for example, by doing concerting remote, or, you know, if you have any fun memory that you didn't share with us before in our other interview. Oh, well, I started to actually discover new hobbies during the lockdown. I'd like to mention I started to do crochet. All right. So I aged suddenly quite a lot. Yes. Crochet. And when I grab my hooks, I always remind myself of the peaceful time of lockdown. Oh, wow. Well, this is a wonderful thing that you can do anywhere, isn't it? When you will be back traveling, do you already have, you know, the lockdown is easing now. And so are you having some live performances concerts soon here in the UK? Already had actually, um, quite, quite few. We did some recordings a couple of weeks ago for educational project and for Kingsling Music Festival. So played with the orchestra, actually live, I have to say, um, and with the gamba player Ibi Aziz. And I did my little solo for educational project, and I did some Zoom concerts, I have to say, when I showed my shakun and it was great thing was that a lot of musicians who had the Chaconne beat drop, they were excited, they said they want to try experiment too, experimental music, and I love inspiring people. So, well, that's why you are gonna be the Vice Head of the Historical Department at the London Performing Academy of Music, because you are so inspirational, and we can wait for this— we can't wait can't wait for the students, you know, to be able to meet you and to study with you at this new conservatoire. So pleased to be there. Now, the last piece that we're gonna listen to, it's called The Scholar, is by Debbie Wiseman, and is the soundtrack from Wolf Hall series. Would you like to tell us about this recording? Um, that happened a few years ago, but I know Debbie Wiseman, OBE. She's been, she's been very successful as a composer and female composer and music ambassador. And I, I think this, Wolf Hall, was in charts number 1 in Classic FM charts. Oh wow! I'm very, very happy for her. And I think she continues, or not over lockdown, but she continued concerts, live concerts with Wolf Hall music because because people simply love that music. And then again, I'm very privileged to be part of that CD. Funny question, she didn't ask you to perform the day before, and while you had to leave for another continent, because Philippines was another continent too. That one was quite different, actually. It was very, very nicely organized in the studio, and I recorded it once. I was hanging around a little bit waiting, And then when it came my turn, I recorded a piece, and then she looked at me and she said, "I think it's alright. Should we do one more take then, just in case?" Oh, wow! I was so nervous, you can't imagine. I could hear my heartbeat. That was a few years ago. I wasn't very experienced back then. And I was surprised that it just went so smoothly, and I'm very pleased. It came up as beautiful music. And she's amazing composer. And oh, she was conducting also. I thought like, my God, when I grow up, I want to be like her. When we grow up, isn't it? We can always grow up. We all— that's a wonderful thought. Now, Petra, if you had to think about recording studios, what was the most exciting place where you recorded? Um, I think it was this, this, uh, I just don't remember where it was. It wasn't the Abbey Studios, I think. Okay, I, I, it's been so many years ago, and you know, I'm— I know my, my friends, they always laugh at me that I've got memory of, of, uh, goldfish. But I think, I think I just keep heading on and on and on, and, and I don't sit on things, and I I don't try to hold grudges and, you know, and remember bad things or good things. I just keep going and like horrible speed as life drags you around and, and just keep, keep taking new experiences in life and just don't remember things. My auntie said you should write memories, and I said I would, but I don't remember any. Oh wow. Do you keep a diary? Maybe that could help. She said I should. I said nobody would read it anyway. But I'm more like trying not to use my brain but my feelings more. Well, that's a wonderful thing. Now, last very question: what is the most, uh, the dream that you have for a recording or for a performance? The dream piece that you would like to perform? That would be Rameau Gavotte. I actually recorded for my CD, but I'd love to perform it perfectly. I love that piece. I don't know why. It's— it sounds simple, but it gets progressively hard. There is a theme and 6 variations. It gets harder and harder, and I just simply love that piece. I should have said probably Bach's Goldberg Variations, which is probably the thing— the thing— the thing. I just, I just— yeah, I think it's so hard. All right, well, let's listen to Debbie Wiseman, The Scholar soundtrack from Wolf Hall TV series with Petra Čučová at the harpsichord. Wow, this was quite intense. This was the soundtrack from Wolf Hall series, The Scholar, composed by Debbie Wiseman OBE and performed at the harpsichord by Petra Hadžukova. Petra, I mean, when you perform music from movies, for example, from soundtrack of movies or TV is. Do you see the scene that is, uh, that the music goes with, or it's just in your imagination? But do you know what is performed for? Uh, no, I don't, I don't. But I've got the idea, uh, from the music written because it speaks for itself, like, you know. But I know she— Debbie actually told me at the end I have to hit the chord exactly in her gesture because it needs to be in the movie coming to some gesture of the actor. So they had perfectly timed, I think. And in studio, they actually— the film was running around, I saw it, and it was all timed. And it's just, it's just amazing how it all works, all in seconds and milliseconds. And, and it's a great experience. I'd love to work around it a little bit more. It's just amazing. Well, that was absolutely beautiful. Quite haunting as well. What Well, thank you so much, Petra, for the wonderful chat and the beautiful music that we played today. I can't wait to hear your full album when it comes out, so definitely you will be coming back to the Women's Radio Station to play more out of it. Thank you, I'll be delighted. It will be amazing. And thank you for having me back. It's been nice to chat to you on this bank holiday, beautiful morning, sunny day. I know, and I can't wait to go out in the park. And you to the sea, lucky you. Well, it's always just to the sea as usual. Well, if you have any questions that you would like to ask to our guest or nomination for our Future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters@womensradiostation.com or tweet us @WomensRadioSDN. You've been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, live every day at 10 AM and 10 PM London time. If you would like to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can also head to my page, Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards, on womensradiostation.com. Thank you for listening. Thank you, Petra, and have a great bank holiday. Thank you, Stefania. Bye everybody. Bye.