Future Classic Women Awards – Clelia Iruzun 130323

Hello and welcome to the 5th edition of Future Classical Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing female artists on the classical panorama. Today on Future Classical Women Awards, we have an amazing guest. This is Clília Hiruzún, Brazilian pianist based in London. Hello, Clília! Hello, how are you, Stefania? Very good, and you? Yes, very happy with all the work I'm doing at the moment. I know, I mean, um, you're here to present your latest album, and that's an album dedicated to composer Nimrod Borenstein. So we're gonna listen to part of the concertos that you record with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. So shall we start with this then, straight away? How did you meet with Nimrod? How is it to compose to perform and record a new composition made by a living composer? Yeah, I met Nimrod about 10 years ago. Okay. And we became very good friends. I discovered him through an invitation of a concert of one of his pieces at the Royal Festival Hall. And I was got very, you know, interested in listening to his music, but I couldn't go to the concert. Something happened that day and I couldn't go and I was really upset. So I made contact with him and I said, "Oh, I really, you know, please let me know when there are, you know, another performance and I will come." And then he said, "Oh, why don't we meet?" So we met and he showed me some of his pieces and I played straight away one of his pieces for, I think for piano and violin. And I premiered it in Brazil. I was going on a tour there. And from then I learned other pieces and I start really enjoying performing his music and I really admire him as a composer. Wonderful. Well, he is an amazing composer and he has done some fantastic— what is fantastic, I think, about Nimrod is that it's not that type of music that you cannot really understand it. So it's absolutely beautiful, it's harmonical and it's really innovative and it's something that, you know, brings you to enjoy when you listen to it. Now, of this program in particular, was this concerto written for you, or you just listened to it and you decided you wanted to record it? How was the process? The process was that I think during the pandemic when everything stopped, he was composing more and more because he was, you know, less busy with, you know, the activities that he used to do. So he called me one day and said, 'Clearly I am writing a piano concerto for you,' you know. And I was sort of over the moon. I can't believe it, you know, he's writing a big piece like this for me. So I was very, very honored, very happy. And then he finished it actually quite quickly. And then just, you know, maybe a couple months or so later, so he said, 'I finished it, I'm coming, bringing it to you.' Wow. So he came and he played it, of course, in those, you know, MP3 files, the computer ones, that don't— they don't do justice to the music. But I could see already what a good piece it was, and I start working straight away. I said, let's, let's play it, you know, I will work on it and look for performances. So I eventually— I premiered it in Brazil last year at São Paulo, at Sala São Paulo, with the Orchestra of Goiás. It's a very good orchestra in Brazil, and English conductor Neil Thompson who was very enthusiastic about the work. And we recorded it, and we recorded with the Royal Philharmonic and Nimrod himself conducting, which was quite a special, you know, experience to have him in both, you know, these both roles as the creator and also putting it together with me and the other musicians. That was really an extraordinary, you know, experience. Well, I guess somehow Did you feel more safe, you know, to have Nimrod conducting instead of another conductor that might have not understood the music inside out as the original composer? Or was it scary in a way, you know, kind of thinking I need really to make justice to what Nimrod was thinking when he composed the concerto? Yeah, I mean, no, no, I think it was great to have him as a conductor. And also because we are good friends and we had time to prepare it beforehand. So we worked together many, many times before the recording. So he was, you know, explaining to me and helping me understand it, you know, in a very deep way that, you know, it's quite unique for you to have the creator, you know, helping you, guiding you, you know, how to play it in a way. Of course, he respects my ideas too. So it was an exchange of ideas and as a pianist and, you know, I, you know, I also have a different view of the piece, but not different in the sense that we disagreed, but that I can, you know, use my expertise as a pianist to say, I'll do this, shall I do this like that? What do you think? And then we would discuss it. So it was an amazing work, really unique experience. Well, if you could have this experience, you know, in a fantasy world with a composer from the past, which one would that be? Which one would you choose? You know, yeah, I mean, I think my favorite composer really is Mozart. But I think the composer I would love to have met would have been Liszt, because I thought he was such an interesting, you know, human being. And as a pianist as well, you know. It's a difficult question because there are so many of them I would love to have met, you know. Yeah, but maybe Liszt. Liszt. Okay. And, um, you worked with other composers, contemporary composers? Yes, I've met many composers in Brazil since my childhood, you know. Francisco Mignoni, who is another composer I admire enormously, he passed away in the '80s, but I knew him for quite a few years, uh, from my childhood to my to my teens, and I learned a lot from him. Also a very good pianist, Francisco Mion. I recorded his piano concerto as well with the Royal Philharmonic, which I'm very happy I did. I also met Marlos Nobre. He's still a living composer, he's 80s. He's a very, very good Brazilian composer, maybe the greatest living composer we have there. And many others, you know, many, many others. I'm still in touch with some younger composers. You know, who I want to play their pieces, because I think, you know, it is a collaboration that has to be done between performers and composers. We have to keep this going, isn't it? I can't live without their music, but they can't live without our performance. So we need each other, and it's a collaboration which is very important. Wonderful. Well, let's listen to Nimrod Borenstein's Concerto he composed for Klaudia Irusun, and that's the first movement. So beautiful! This was Nimrod Borenstein Concerto, first movement, performed by pianist Klylya Iruzun and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor, the same composer, Nimrod Borenstein. Clelia, this was absolutely fantastic. Now tell me a little bit, you are Brazilian and you're based in London. How and when did you come to London? I came to London very young, I was still 17 years old. I won a scholarship to study with a famous teacher at the time called Maria Curcio, and after a while studying with her, I was in doubt if— I had also won a scholarship to Germany which was a difficult decision at the time what to do. But I think I was settling in so well here. Eventually I entered the Royal Academy of Music where I did the course there, the piano course with Christopher Elton. And then I also did a little bit of conducting because I was very interested in conducting, just for the point of view as a soloist. I never had intention of becoming a conductor. But I think it's important that you understand a little more what goes on, isn't it, in the whole process of playing with an orchestra. And yeah, and then I eventually stayed here. I mean, I didn't plan to live all my life here, but I ended up staying here. Well, the same was for me. I came as well to— I was invited to do a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music with Christopher Elton, like you did. Oh, I see. Yeah. Wow, amazing. And then, you know, things just happened and somehow you stay here. This is an incredible country for music. I think, I believe, is like the center of the classical music world. Somehow you have some of the best orchestras in the world, and it's such a strategic position as well, you know, for going to America or anywhere in Europe. And, um, yeah, it's true, it's true. Yeah, I mean, work started now coming, some concerts here and recitals there, you know, and when I saw I was here, you know, I was still here. But do you go back to Brazil often? Yes, yes, I go at least 2 or 3 times a year. Oh wow, that's a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I work a lot there. There are more and more opportunities, and the music, you know, scenery there is growing. And as I say, there are good orchestras there now. So it's a very good thing. Of course, I also have family and friends, and I enjoy being there too. Ah, fantastic, fantastic. Um, okay, so I would also— you know, you were talking about going to Germany. Have you been to Germany anyway afterwards? Um, just once, to be honest. It's not a country which I have performed a lot. I perform in many countries in Europe, and I've been to China several times. Yeah. To America and other countries in South America. Yeah. And so I'm always, you know, on the move. Yeah, Germany, I mean, is an incredible country musically speaking. They have a lot of conservatoires, a lot of orchestras. Almost each city has his own conservatory, his own orchestra, and they have a very rich cultural heritage. Yes, definitely. But yeah, that's true. I mean, they have— each circuit somehow is separated. The French one as well is different. You get some amazing soloists that are very famous in France and no one ever heard outside France, and same from Germany or Italy. Yes, there is a little bit of like each country is a bit of an island, but sometimes we do manage to, you know, cross this barriers and play different countries, and I'm glad I do. I'm glad I've been to many, many different places. Yeah, well, the next piece we're gonna listen to, it's the Concertino, the first movement of the Concertino by MacConchie. Would you like to tell us something about this composer? Yeah, I mean, it's an English composer. I recorded this with the BBC Symphony Scottish Orchestra, um, I think it may have been 2009, I'm not sure, but it's quite a while ago, with Odalino de la Martinez, a fantastic Cuban conductor. And, um, I think her music is really Amazing. She's one of the great composers in this country, and I don't find that she is performed often enough. I don't know why, because she was a pupil of Vaughan Williams, who I admire his music enormously, and his music of great quality. And you will hear a little bit of the concertino I did. It's— I think it is first-class composer. I'd love to see her more often in the programs here. And in fact, I'm going to Prague next month to perform it. Oh yeah, I'm very glad. I was invited by the State Opera in Prague to play it with actually a Ukrainian conductor, Victoria Zatko, who I look forward to meet. I haven't met her yet, and I think it's wonderful they are doing it there where it was actually premiered. Ah, yeah, in 1930. Wow. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know Makonky's daughter, Nicola Le Fano, was also an amazing composer who I've played some of her works, and I, I know her, and I, and I told her I was playing her mom's music in Prague. She was very happy. Wonderful. Well, you know, this is a female composer. Did you perform many female composers apart from Makonky? I think Makonky, I may be wrong, you know. I don't know, I mean Yes, I have played some women composers. I recorded the quintet by Amy Beach, which I think it's amazing. Yeah. You know, I've played some other pieces by— was the Elena Katz Cherny. And of course, Shaminad. I play some of her music, which is beautiful. And there's also some, some living composers in Brazil, Catarina Domenici, and some other composers as well. I mean, I'm always looking for, you know, good music to play, new music, because I am a little bit of a researcher. I'm always looking around, and I think it is important that we look at the composers, especially of the women composers, that haven't had the opportunities they should have, and now we are sort of rescuing their, you know, their work. Yeah, well, let's listen to Makomky Concertino, the first movement performed by our special guest of Future Classical Women Awards, Krylia Iruzun, with the BBC Scottish Orchestra. Wonderful. And this was Maconci, the Concertino, um, per pianoforte and orchestra, first movement performed by our guest Klilia Hiruzun, Brazilian pianist, and the BBC Scottish Orchestra. Klilia, this was absolutely fantastic. Now you have to tell me, when you were, you know, starting your career, were you already focused on thinking of performing living composers, or you were just, you know, dreaming of becoming somehow the standard pianist that performed the standard classical big concertos that are Mozart, Liszt, Beethoven, etc.? Yeah, I mean, I think that's how we start. We learn all these standard works, which I love, and I do go back to them very often. I mean, in fact, I'm going to do a recital in London on the 17th of May at Cadogan Hall, and I'm doing a complete standard program. Yeah, I mean, I think I chose pieces that I love, Like Mozart Sonata 331, you know, the Alla Turca. Yes, I do. Yeah, Schumann Carnival, which I have not played for a while, and then I'm doing the second part, Chopin and Liszt. It's very long. I mean, it's like 30 minutes the Carnival, another 20 minutes Mozart. So how long are you playing? Yeah, it's a full two-part recital, so the first part it's almost 50 minutes. Exactly. But the second part is a bit shorter. I'm doing some short waltz and nocturne, and Ballade No. 1, Chopin. And then I'm doing the— I adore the Widmung, Schumann. Yes, yes, I do. Yeah. And I finished with the Mephisto Waltz. It's a big program. It's a meaty, meaty program with standard pieces which I love, you know. I— so yes, I do go back to them because I think it's part of our life and our lives to play all this amazing music that's been written many, many, many years ago. But I think the good thing is to balance it with— look around you, isn't it? See what's being done, what calls your attention, and you feel like I want to do that. I want to play the piece by this composer. I do look also a lot into the repertoire from Latin America, and of course, because, you know, being Brazilian, I've been exposed to that from my early years, and I admire many, many of the composers there. I think there's a wealth of music in Latin America which still hasn't come out of Latin America, you know, to the world. Wow, needs to be explored a little more. Well, you know, the job of a musician is somehow to be an ambassador of their country, isn't it? And so you can be the ambassador of your— of Latin America by championing the Latin American composers, for example. Um, what I discovered when I was younger, and I went for a competition in Spain and were playing performing Spanish composers. They were compulsory in the program alongside, of course, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Liszt, and everything else. And I remember I was very impressed by the way the Spanish pianists were playing the Spanish composers. It was completely different. And so I then follow up and did master classes with students of students of Albéniz on Iberia. And, um, And he was telling me, you know, being Italian, somehow we have this Latin blood, if you like. But I completely misunderstood the meaning of the music. I was thinking about guitar, for example, the flamenco guitar. It was the flamenco heels of the dancer that are very rhythmical. So while the guitar is loose in terms of rhythm in the flamenco, the heels of the dancer were very much with the strict rhythm. So, I mean, do you notice a difference when you're performing and when you hear as well pianists performing Latin American composers from, you know, Latin American performers performing the same composers? Yeah, I mean, this is a difficult question because, I mean, what would you like to see is that this music becomes more familiar to us, like more or less we know how we should play Mozart. Isn't it? In a way, I think we learned that in the Romantics as well, and then the Impressionists. We go through that. And maybe some of this music has— even though they are of great quality, they have not become yet universal in the sense that we more or less know what to expect. And as performers, sometimes, yeah, maybe we need some guidance to, to know how, you know, how to tackle those pieces. Yeah, absolutely. Well, what I was noticing, for example, in Iberia, there was this collection of pieces describing the various cities of Spain. There was one, it was Almería, and the professor, Emmanuel Cara, he was telling me about how I had to see, you know, the heat of the summer that is making, you know, the horizon somehow melting between, you know, in the distance. And that was the effect that I was supposed to put into the music. And if you like, if that's something that we don't see in the UK because it's never that hot. Yeah, yeah, I mean, that comes from, you know, maybe visiting the places, looking at the landscape. All this is inspiration, isn't it? You can also have inspiration through literature or maybe films, you know, using films. Yeah, isn't it? That all helps our imagination as artists. I believe that we need, you know, to step out of the house and see the world. As Rubinstein used to say, if you don't leave, you don't have anything to say. So I think it's also getting in contact with the place and the people and trying to understand how it comes into the art, because it's very much how I think it works. I also love Spanish music. I play a lot of Albéniz in Granada. And yes, it's It's amazing music. Okay, now I have another big question. Um, so you used to perform, you know, everywhere around the world. You've been in China, you performed here, you performed of course in Latin America and Brazil. Um, which, um, can you tell me, is there any difference in the way the music is, um, received by the public? I see. Yes, another difficult question. Sorry. Yeah, I mean, yes, I experienced it myself, so I want to know your experience. Yeah, yeah, it is different. Each country has its identity, isn't it? And the people have different characters. And of course they receive it in— I don't know, they receive it in different ways. They express how they receive it in a different way, I think, isn't it? You know, I may say that Brazilians are incredibly noisy people, and now they are learning to listen. It's very nice to see that you get really, you know, silent in the hall. Okay. And they express very much, like, the first piece you play a little bit loud, you'll get a bravo straight away. Yeah, nice. Yeah, but in other countries it's a little less, like they clap for very long time. They want you to come back, isn't They're not screaming their heads off, but you can see they appreciate it. And so I think you just get used to the different ways, isn't it, that the public receives. In China, they were very enthusiastic too. And at some places where, when I played there, were like places that they had not had classical concert before, or very, very little. People are not used to them. And we could see how curious and how, you know, they were anticipating it with, you know, so much enthusiasm that, you know, it's quite, quite moving to see all the different ways that, you know, the different countries, you receive the— this, it is an exchange, isn't it, between the artists and the public. There is this thing going on which is irreplaceable, you know. That's why I think live performance is still surviving despite all the technology, isn't it? Oh no, it will always survive. I mean, there is nothing that can be replaced. For as beautiful as could be a CD— and I recommend everyone to buy your latest CD with the number of Bernstein concertos— but, you know, there is nothing that can replace the live performance of it, of, you know, all the excitement, the unforeseen, you know, things that might happen in a concert hall. Exactly, yes. And talking of which, I mean, well, now we're actually talking in the last part, and normally I ask if there is any funny experience that you can tell me of being on stage or going on stage somewhere. But for example, going back to the audience, to me the most impressive applause that I received, and I was very, very happy about it, it was when I went to perform at the Lysemmikukoran Theatre in Kyiv years, years ago. And I received the big, you know, ex-Soviet Union applause where the audience are all together and they're playing in rhythm. And I think that's, that's so exciting because, yeah, normally the applause is like everyone is clapping their hands and, you know, and, and of course vocalizing in it screaming, "Bravo!" But there it was just all so well organized, and I thought that was quite amazing because you put a full audience of thousands of people just all deciding that it's worth it to be together, connected, and give you some way, somehow, a performance back. Did you get that? Did you ever receive this type of— I mean, sometimes I must— I'm not sure exactly where, But it has happened a few times that when they clapping, they want you to come back to do encore, and then they start clapping together, like, come back, like calling you, you know. Ah, yeah, that sense. Yeah, that sense is also quite, you know, rewarding to see that they enjoyed your performance. Well, the next track we're gonna listen to is Villa-Lobos, um, chorus number 5, Alma Brasileira. I mean, the title is telling you everything, basically. Brazilian soul. Yes. Would you say this could be like your presentation card, you know, when you're exchanging cards, you know, you are a Brazilian pianist and someone wants to know who you are and you play Villa-Lobos' Alma Brasileira, or there is something else that actually represents you the most? Yeah, I mean, I was in a terrible doubt what to choose for you to play, and I went through all the different Brazilian composers because I wanted to include one. Brasilian composer. I wanted to include Makoke because I am playing her concertino and I think she's wonderful. But yeah, so I look at Villa-Lobos, got the Bachianas Brasileiras, Brazilian Cycle. He's got an amazing array of piano music. But then I came to Choros Number 5, Alma Brasileira, because as you say, it is an introduction maybe to his music because it's got a little bit of everything that's in his music, you know, the melancholy of the Brazilian soul. That Brazilians are very sentimental, very over the top in a way. Yeah, the rhythms, a little bit of the, the native Indian music in there, or also the Afro influence from the time of the slaves we had there. So this all present in the Brazilian You know, it's the diversity of influences in our music. It's very rich. And I think maybe that's what makes it very special. Wonderful. Well, let's listen then. Villa-Lobos Chorus No. 5, Alma Brasileira, performed by Lilia Hiruzun. So beautiful. And this was Villa-Lobos Chorus No. 5, Alma Brasileira, performed by our guest on Future Classic Women Awards, Brazilian pianist Clélia Hiruzun. Clélia, so this is the last part of our interview. 2, and is the one where I'm asking you, you know, more personal questions. For example, do you have any special hobby, um, you know, something that you like to do to free your mind, to relax completely and forget about work, family, and everything? Yes, um, I do have a few hobbies I enjoy. I mean, I, I, I do a lot of exercise. You know, I do go to the gym every week, 2-3 times a week. Wow. I'm not great, no athlete, but I enjoy exercise. I think it just, you know, when you work your body, you free your mind, isn't it? I think it does do a lot of good to me. I also feel well. As you know, you're a pianist yourself, you know, sitting down at the piano can be tough. You can get back pain, neck pain, all sorts of things. And I think trying to keep fit is important to help you all this traveling and all this playing as well. And I also enjoy very much something which I studied some years ago, philosophy. I, yeah, it became a late interest of mine. I only discovered it maybe 15 years ago or so. And I studied, I even did a course at Birkbeck back, you know, back in university and in philosophy because I wanted to learn a little more. So I do always read, you know, about philosophy, and I think it helps us too as musicians because, you know, all this thought, all this, all this pursuit of perfection that you have in our professions, which is unachievable really, you know. Sometimes philosophy it helps you dealing with all this and try to look for the best way to think about works and what's behind it, you know. I think it's interesting to keep your, your mind and your body busy. Absolutely. Well, I'm a big fan of philosophy myself. And, uh, do you have any philosopher that you like in particular, or for example, you make up your own philosophy of life, if you like? Yeah, and when I studied Barbeck, and I wrote my thesis on Plato, you know, I am really fascinated by his writing, you know, I keep going back to them and it is always a discovery, this always was, I mean, how could he already, you know, so long ago. There is my favorite sentence by Plato, is this one, is music is a moral law and it gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. It's true, it's true. I mean, I, I wrote particularly about the music in his writings, which, which appears a lot. It's quite important, isn't it, in his writing? Gosh, we need to talk more about this. We don't have enough time left. Next time I want you to bring me— actually, uh, if I can give you any suggestion. How about you make an album dedicated to the interaction between music and philosophy? Any composition that comes to mind that can go to whatever line you want to follow, if it's Plato, for example, or, you know, anything that is inspired by that. That would be really interesting to— for you to record and for me to invite you over and talk about it. Yeah, that's an incredible idea, isn't it? You keep me thinking. That's what I do, I keep ideas. Wonderful. Well, now last, the last, very last question. We have very few minutes left. Oh my gosh. And it's about, you know, do you have any funny experience that you can share with us, you know, of going on stage on one of your trips to a concert or something? Oh, I have many, many stories. I mean, that would be a little book of stories. I mean, one comes to my mind. I mean, a very long time ago, I was playing in a small city in the north of Brazil, northeast of Brazil. It was a lovely, lovely, you know, venue and lovely people, but they didn't know much about pianos and things. So when I came to rehearse and I was playing, and then suddenly one of the top notes of the piano was not playing. Oh, mute, no sound. Oh God. And that was exactly— I was playing a piece that's in D flat or something. It was exactly a top D flat that was not there. So I asked the lady there who organized the concert, I said, look, there's a small problem. Could get a technician, and I'm still mourning, of course, in the evening, to try to see if he can fix this note for me. And she looked at me and said, my God, you have so many notes, it's just one! You have all these keys and it's just one, nobody's going to notice it. I said, oh, I'm sorry, but this is, in fact, it's an important one, you know. They're actually all important. We have 88 keys and I think we play all of them. No, no, I mean, I found it, I never I forgot that. And eventually there came this blind tuner, piano tuner, was blind. Wow. And I said, oh dear, he may be very— I don't know, he'll be able to fix it. But he did. He fixed the note. And the lady sort of looked at me happy now. I've got all of them. Like if you were so fussy. Like I am. Yes, what a fussy lady, you know. Beautiful, beautiful. All right, well, so The next piece we're gonna listen to is the last track of today, is the third movement of Nimrod Borenstein's Concerto for Piano, Forte, and Orchestra, dedicated and performed to Klylia Iruzhun and with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Wonderful! This was Nimrod Barenstein Concerto No. 4, piano and orchestra, dedicated and performed by Klylia Irizun with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Um, um, Clélia, that was absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for the beautiful music, the great chat that we played, uh, that we did today. Um, so tell us last time where we're gonna listen to you live. Yes, I mean, I said I'm playing in London on the 17th of May at Cadogan Hall. So everyone, you know, if you don't have your ticket, go and look for it, and, uh, maybe you can get your CD signed of Nimrod Bonnenstein concertos by the very wonderful guest of Future Classic Women Awards, Clilia Iruzun. 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 @women'sradiostn. Again, a big thanks to you, Clilia. It's been a pleasure, and I can't wait to have you back on Future Classic Women Awards. Thank you very much for having me, Stefania. Very welcome. And 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. And if you would like to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to my presenter's page, Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards, on womensradiostation.com. Thank you for listening.