Future Classic Women Awards – Hazel Ross, Music for Social Change

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 artist on the classical panorama. This is our 12th episode since the lockdown, and our special guest today is violinist Hazel Rose. Good morning, Azel. Good morning, Stefania. Good morning. Such a pleasure to have you, although, you know, virtually here at the radio today. Hazel, you are an incredible violinist artist, and you have done such amazing projects to challenge the perception of classical music. Would you like to tell us something about this? Yeah, of course. So, first of all, thank you so much for having me on and. Yeah, I suppose. Well, I started my career very conventionally and I started in the Halle Orchestra as a freelancer, and then I really saw the need to reach bigger audiences and I really started thinking about how we could do this. And I think I surprised everybody quite early on by sort of leaving that world to set up my first independent project, which was with another violinist. And it was all about taking the music that we loved and that generally audiences could really relate to and presenting it in a different way that would hopefully invite audiences back into classical music. And that started about, oh, shows my age, about 15 years ago now, and we've been touring with that particular show ever since. So that's all over the world. And it's been really amazing, actually. And I think at the beginning I was quite worried about general preconceptions in classical music about what we were doing. But over the years, I think we've really shown how important this is, and it's been a really important part of my work. And that's been the catalyst to do different things, such as set up another project which is called Tango Zigan. And this is a solo violin project, but I work with five jazz musicians. Wow. And that's incorporating tango, Argentine tango, Finnish tango, gypsy music, and also film scores. So it's a real panoramic show. And again, it's aimed just to reach everybody, so the most ardent classical music follower and also people who might not otherwise come to see a classical music performance. So playing wise, those are a couple of the projects that I'm heavily involved in now. Absolutely. Now a question. I mean, what do you think is classical music today? Well, this is it. What is classical music today? It's not anymore playing Bach or Brahms in the concert. You know, it is, and it should be. But I think also we have to be aware of what our audiences today really want and what they need and. And, you know. Yes, absolutely. The Bach, Brahms, they're so important. And I, at heart, I'm a classical, true classical musician. And, you know, that's very much part of my career as well. And I think what I've striven to do is show that there's a place for everything. So there's a place for this. There's also a place for the more crossover classical music. There's a place for every music type of music as long as it's done really well. And as long as music can connect to an audience, I think that's our responsibility as musicians and finding new ways to connect if the old way isn't quite working as we want it to. Now, a very important question. I mean, you say music is so important to connect. Do you think music was so important to connect for you during the lockdown? Yeah, I mean, so the lockdown has been a huge roller coaster for me, as it has for everybody. And I was on tour just before the lockdown happened and the tour was cut short. And suddenly going from being someone who has been 100 miles an hour since I finished music college and that's very much been my identity to go to. Not being, being able to communicate and not being able to connect overnight was a huge shock to my system. Yeah. And as my identity really as a musician and communicator, to not be able to do that, I didn't really know what I was or sort of. Yeah, it was a huge shock and it made you reevaluate everything. Yes. But I think in terms of music being a communicator during lockdown, it's been more important than ever. And finding ways to reach these audiences during lockdown has been a real driver for me. So for example, we. I used to do a lot of work before the lockdown in, in care homes. If I had a. If I had a day off, I'll be working and playing for people who had dementia or people who just weren't getting out and seeing people to suddenly not be able to do that, I've really struggled with that. And actually for the people who actually need music most, to have that cut off has been really tough. So I've overcome it by releasing videos and just sending it to specific people who I know need music during this time and just trying to communicate and connect with them the best we possibly can. But yeah, I think to suddenly cut that communication off is so hard for people who rely on it and people who need it. And I think we really undervalue what music can do and the importance of music and well being and health and everybody's well being. Absolutely. And there is also a very big difference between listening to the music from a recording and listening to the music with the performer. In is the vibration of the instrument itself, the waves that the instrument produce, and they hit you directly and not from a recorded device. It's such a difference in power and in. And yeah, it's something that people was giving. Let's say it was given for granted, thinking, you know, I can always go, I can always do. And suddenly when you cannot do it, you realize, oh, my gosh, how much I miss that. Exactly, yeah. And I think for anybody as a musician, as I said before, the lack of or the struggle with who you are and the identity has been very difficult. And trying to rediscover that and rediscover new ways of getting your message across and of reaching people. Yeah. So how did you do that? I mean, have you been recording while you were in lockdown from your living room for yourself? Yeah, I have microphones, I have a video camera, and it's all very alien to me. I'm. I'm the biggest technophobe ever. Yeah. So I had to learn very, very quickly. And I was invited to do several collaborations with London Concert Orchestra, who I work with regularly, and they've been brilliant, you know, and the reach they've had has been really fantastic. And then we also did. I did this with my husband who runs. He's the financial director of a charity that have really been struggling. So we did something for the 2.6 challenge and we recorded Bach's Cantata. We had 26 musicians from all around the UK and we stitched that all together and that raised a huge amount of money for Blood Cancer uk. So that was a project that we were really proud of to be able to do. Absolutely, yeah. And the other thing I've done is to get out in nature and make videos. Make videos of the music that I really love and that I know specific audiences who would have been coming to my live concerts will really miss and sending that to them. I'm not the best at putting my things on Facebook and social media because I think I was always worried before that it looked like self promotion, but I got better at that because actually, now I realize that for a lot of people, they may see it as self promotion, but my audience members are also there, and for them, it might provide just three or four minutes of escapism for them. So I've tried to get over my fear of that as well, just to keep the message out there that we're here and that we want to connect. So, yeah, absolutely. That's such a lovely thought and I think is the reason also why we are musicians in a way. When did you decide to become a. Oh, well, I actually, actually. So my mum was a professional singer and growing up, it was expected I was going to be a singer, but I was always drawn to the violin. I loved the violin. My mum had her violin from being a child and before I was allowed violin lessons, I'd sneak into the room and get it out the box and play it badly. And then I got my violin lessons when I was about 7 and I just always loved it. It wasn't Until I was 18 I had to choose between singing and violin. And as I say, the expectation was that I was going to continue to be a singer. And I think, maybe, to be honest, a little bit of stubbornness apart from anything else, I decided to actually pursue the music college base as a violinist. And to be honest, I've never looked back. But I think a lot of the projects I do, I think you can see the singer influence in me as well. So I think I have combined both worlds in some way. All right, now, the first piece we're going to listen today is called Ladies In Lavender. Would you like to tell us briefly what is it about? Yeah, sure. So I chose to play this for you today because it's a wonderful composition. It's by Nigel Hess and talking about getting out onto nature to play. A few weeks ago, I was walking through a lavender field. It was stunning and I just had the urge to go out at sunset and play this piece. And I then since sent the video to say, people who I knew really needed it. And I heard back from the actual composer, Nigel Hess, who said he'd really enjoyed it. And I just thought this is what music's all about is actually, as we've just been talking about finding ways in times of adversity to really connect through what is just a really beautiful piece of music. And this really reminds me of this time during lockdown and how we can carry on connecting with people. And so, yeah, this is Ladies and Lavender by Nigel Hess and it's from the film Ladies and Lavender as well. Wonderful. Let's listen to it. Satan. How beautiful. This was Ladies In Lavender by Hess with Hazel Ross the violin. So I'd like to know more about the fact that you say that you're very passionate about people and education, young, engaging young people in education. So I read in your biography that you are having a very special project in collaboration with the youth orchestra in Chile. Would you like to tell us something? How did that start? How did you get involved with these? Thank you for asking about this. Yeah, so I. For the last year I've been part of a program called the Global Leaders Program, which is a group of 40 musicians from around the world, all with a shared passion and interest for music, for social change and social entrepreneurship. And I've been working with the most incredible group of people from Afghanistan, from everywhere and people who have really gone out of their way to really stick by what they believe in terms of what music can do for communities. And yeah, it was brilliant to be accepted as part of the program. And in January we actually met for the first time in Chile. And then the second part of my work in Chile, I was working with a youth orchestra in a place called Koruna Lawi. And I was there to run a week of master classes with the students there to give some lessons and to work with the teachers and teacher development. And the whole week culminated in a performance of Beethoven 5 with the full symphony orchestra. And at the end of the week I really didn't feel I could just leave and go home. I was so inspired by the children and the staff I'd met there that I really knew that I needed to carry on my work with them somehow. I mean, this is Kirunna Lawi. It's a town which is so cut off from everything else. A couple of evenings we couldn't eat because they didn't have any food in the town. It's an ex coal mining town. And since the coal mining and the coal mine shut there just the industry has completely collapsed. But yet these children are incredible musicians. I mean the playing and their passion for playing and their enthusiasm was so inspiring. And we found out I was working with someone to some of the teachers that all of the teachers live almost two hours away and they come by bus every Saturday to teach to the children in this town. And for months they don't get paid. Once the money's run out, they can't get paid. But they still come every week. Some of them are well into their 70s and their commitment was just incredible. And yeah, I was, I can remember the first day I was told I'll be coaching the a Beethoven string Quartet. And I just thought, seriously, you know, this is ridiculous. They won't be able to learn this in a week. You know, this is really hard music. You know, no one can learn this in a week. Yes, but honestly they, they played so wonderfully at the end of the week and the commitment from these children, they were there way before we were in the morning, just practicing and practicing and they were a true inspiration. So anyway, following that and talking to the staff, me and two colleagues, one of them is in America and the other is living in America, but from Paraguay. We decided to work with them to set up an organization which would allow them first of all to be able to actually receive external funding. And from that we could launch an annual youth orchestra competition and festival in Kurenalawi. So it would get youth orchestras from around Chile to come to the town and to compete in this festival. Oh wow. And at the same time, in between the different rounds of the competition, we can invite external performers in all different genres, but a real focus on classical music to just create a really vibrant festival in the town. And this festival would then be the catalyst also to set up Pathways Into Education program. So a problem they have at the moment is that the students, 17, 18 year old students, they're struggling to get into university because of the scores and the school scores and also just a complete lack of social mobility in the area. So we're working to set up a Pathways program. So we're forming links from the orchestra to different universities in Chile to really try and get these children who really desperately want their secondary education the opportunity to study further. And hopefully we're going to extend this to universities abroad as well. So we can just really advance through music, the social mobility and the economic situation of the town. And then the third part of the project is to actually start leveraging through the power of the festival and the music to then get the people in the town more involved in being able to set up their own businesses. So setting up a program for them to set up their own small businesses with support so they can start to further themselves too and achieve some of their dreams. So we've had a lot of support for our program so far and we've received some funding for it and we're really excited. The first festival was supposed to be in January 2021, but obviously because of coronavirus we've had to hold that. But we're really positive that in January 20we're going to launch the first youth orchestra festival and competition and hopefully this year we can launch the Pathways into Education program for them too. So yeah, it's been amazing thing to be part of and yeah, to work as a team to achieve this. I'm really impressed. This is very special. And what is more important, I mean, the message that comes through this experience and through this incredible organization is that musicians and music has a power that people don't realize. Often you just think, I mean, at the beginning of the lockdown, they released the list of the most unuseful jobs and art was the first one in the list. And this is absolutely rubbish. There is no other words for it. Music is very important. Musicians are very important, not only for the benefit of the spirit. We've seen has been proven that is so important as well for the improvement of people that are sick, that they have illness. You know, when you have a positive thinking and you have positive vibes through music that helps the body to activate itself and try to get better. And also it's so important in the business side of it. You think music wouldn't be something that can boost business and does not boost business and economy. And it's incredible that classical music that in a way is so far away, culturally speaking, to a small town in Chile, in South America, is instead the catalyst for new entrepreneurial frame of mind and bring actually money and education, so. Exactly. I think it's all about. A big part of our program has been about self belief and the fact that we believe so much in these children and in this town and in the people, that bringing the music to them just lifts their spirits so much in the first place. But then it makes you believe that other things are possible. And the concert we did at the end, the whole town was there, the town TV station was there. And we don't. I mean, I don't speak Spanish, I'm ashamed to say I'm learning very quickly. But despite the. Despite that and despite, you know, where we all are from in the world, just through this concert and through the music, we formed relationships that are so important. And you know, I really believe that these children, through this orchestra, they could become doctors, they could become anything they wanted to be. Yes. But it starts with the power, power of the music and them finding an expression in themselves and then believing in themselves. And if you believe in yourself, then I think so many things are possible. And then we are taking care of the actual practical barriers which are also existing, which is literally the lack of social and economic mobility. But we're hoping that we can really start to move that in the next few years. And this is an example that can be exported to any other local reality where there is no social mobility. Exactly. Yeah. It's not just money. Money is not everything. It's not something that can boost the spirits like musicians. I would say that musicians in general are quite some fighters and the spirit that we have as musicians. Also just the fact of going on stage at the self belief and everything, you know, and following your dreams is something that can only be inspirational for any other style of any other type career. So. Yeah. Well, the next piece we're gonna listen to is called Psidan. Am I right? Yes. I struggle with the pronunciation as well as Piani Sidin. It's a Finnish tango, all right. And this is something a little bit different. So it's from my Tango Zagan show. And we first performed this a couple of years ago when we premiered the show. And I'd never known about Finnish tango really, but it was mentioned to me. Well, I. After I discovered it, I've become a little bit obsessed. Normally we perform this with a singer, an accordion player, but we've actually stripped this down, just a trio for this satchel arrangement that you're going to hear today. And Finnish tango, it's all about. Well, it's. It's tango, Argentine tango. And it's got influences of jazz and folklore music in it too. And the lyrics of this, it's basically saying that in such a small human heart, it's so spacious and bottomless and the heart can hide such big dreams. So I love the lyrics and I love the meaning behind the song. So this is Piano Sudan and it's performed by myself, Clive Dunstall and Nick Pugh, who are in my trio. Fantastic. Let's listen to. Sa. Sam. Wonderful. I didn't know. I never heard Swedish. Swedish or Finish Finish Tango. Finnish. Finish Finish Tango. I have dear Finnish friend of mine. I'm gonna talk with them straight away. But that's impressive. I mean, how something that is so typically Argentinian as when you're talking about something typical classical or, you know, that then get to become a big part of Finnish culture, for example, so. And that's the beauty of music, the beauty of being cosmopolitan as well. The beauty of being able to trav. Yeah, that is something that we missed a little bit. Exactly. But what are you gonna do as soon as the lockdown finish? I mean, as soon as you're able to travel again. Wow. To be honest, we just don't know when it's gonna finish. I mean. Yes. I mean, all my bookings this year have been cancelled, which is very sad, but it's the way it is. And we've had. We started to have some bookings come in for next year. So with my duo. That's nice. So I think we're off. Well, fingers crossed. We'll be off to New York in June, but we'll just see. I think at the moment it's very hard to know what the future holds. As I said, I've gone from having a diary, which was booked up to a year ahead in many ways, to now just having a complete blank canvas. In a way it's exciting, you know, who knows? And I think I'll never go back to what I was doing before in terms of just hopping on flights all the time and then jumping back to teach at 8 o' clock in the morning like nothing ever happened, and then going to exam a few days later. I mean, looking at it now, it was really taking its toll on me, actually. And I'm enjoying being at home. And I think, to be honest, one of the first things I'd like to do is, is actually perform in my own community. I've really enjoyed connecting to my own community over the last few months and actually getting to know where I've lived most of my life in a whole different way. And actually, I think more local playing. It's always, I mean that the biggest highlights of everything I've done have always been when it's more small scale and local. I think for me that that tops any huge concert hall of anonymous people. So I think bringing it closer to home, my first concert will probably be right here, I hope. Absolutely. I mean, there is something very special of performing for someone that you know in the audience. It doesn't really matter how many people you have in the audiences to know just one person makes a total difference, isn't it? I think it can do. I mean, I know when I was, I was thinking about this interview and I was. I was thinking about real sort of high points and low points as a performer and I definitely can, I remember so clearly I was in New Zealand and I'd been performing in a beautiful theatre. It was absolutely packed, the audience were hugely enthusiastic and I met the audience afterwards and it was all lovely and then I went back out onto stage to tidy up afterwards and the theatre was bare. There was a taxi waiting to take me back to the hotel room on my own. And I can just remember that, this awful feeling of loneliness just thinking, you know, half an hour ago I was the center of everything, which isn't necessarily something I'm very comfortable with, but it comes with a job. But you go from that to then half an hour later, being completely on your own on the other side of the world and everybody you love and who really know you are millions of miles away. And that was a. I'll never forget that moment. Just thinking, goodness me, this is that. You go from such a high to such a feeling of, yeah. To know quite quickly. This is quite often a reason for amazing musicians to give up their concert career and concentrate, for example, in teaching or recording. It's not an easy life, isn't it? To tour and to be. All the time there is the ups and downs, as you said, it's exciting to meet new people, to see new places. But I think it's part of us being musicians. There is this big need of sharing. And you are there and you in a beautiful place and you want to share that with someone that you love, for example. And if that person, like your husband cannot follow you in tour, that's definitely. It is funny. But yet, you know, the joy of performing keeps me completely going. I know there's been times where I've come home and I've said to my husband, that's it. I'm not going away again. And he's almost panicked, you know, because he said, but, Hazel, this is who you are. This is what you do. You love performing. And I do. The time on stage is just. Yeah, I feel like this is why I'm here. This is everything I am. But that's maybe an hour, maybe an hour and a half. And everything around that time isn't so ideal. And the hard practice as well is a big part of it. Oh, gosh. The administration of the tour, it's so many things. Oh, it is. I know that I performed this particular show that was in New Zealand very close to me this time last year, and I was nervous about it because I know that the audience are very strictly of classical audience. And I thought, you know, they're gonna hate it. They're gonna hate it and wonder what on earth I'm doing. And as I was setting up, I can remember somebody saying, oh, what is this, then? Violin karaoke? No. Oh, my goodness. I just want to run away. But, you know, that performance in a way that, say, the most traditional audience. We had them on their feet at the end of the concert, and the man who'd said the thing about the karaoke came up to me at the end. It was like I had no idea what it was possible to do. And. And, you know, that for me, was so incredibly rewarding. Just to bring what I do to people that I know and to really show them what's possible and what you can do as a musician and to really. Yeah. Just to reach them was amazing. To be able to do that. And that was Just in a small church down the road for me. But it was definitely a highlight. So if you had to say, you know, just if you have to choose a moment as the best, most exciting moment in your career, what would you choose? That's a tricky one. There have been so many. I. A performance with my piano trio a couple of years ago. Actually, no, it wasn't a couple of years ago. It was about 10 years ago. I can't believe time's gone. We played the Mendelssohn Keno Trio and the Beethoven Archduke Trio, and we'd spent the whole summer studying every note, every bar. You know, we'd. It was one of those rare occasions where we were all absolutely in this zone where we could just immerse ourselves entirely. We had amazing conversations, very lively conversations at times. And then we came together for this particular performance. And it was one of those rare moments where everything just felt wonderful and playing with them was brilliant. And it was a huge, hugely special moment for me. And I think the other real moment for me was when I actually launched my solo show a couple of years ago, and we were at the Crazy Cox in London in the West End, and I was very nervous because I was putting something out there that was a bit different, like the Finnish tango. I mean, I love Li Crazy Cock. It's not specifically a place for classical music, but they do exactly in every single sense. We were sort of testing the boundaries, really. Would the audience who came to the Crazy Courts enjoy it? Would my audience of classical music lovers enjoy it? But I stuck to what I believed, and I was on stage as myself, being truly authentic to the music that I really believe in. And that was a huge, huge highlight of my career, to actually discover that it's okay to be truly authentic and not to be worried about what people think and to put myself out there, because that was a risk and I was scared to do it, but I did it. And now the show's on tour. Well, it was on tour and it's doing really well, you know, and every time I'm performing with that show, I'm truly me and I'm truly playing the music that I know myself and my audiences really connect to. So, yeah, that was quite a liberating moment for me. And if you had to say to highlight a very challenging moment in your career, Well, well, challenging moment. Maybe you had known. I think there's been too many. Yeah, it's part of our life. I know. It is part of our life. You know, just being thrown and thrown onto stage as a Freelancer with, you know, three hours to learn a really hard piece of work and to fit in with the orchestra around you and the sound of that particular orchestra and then be on stage, you know, at 7:30 that evening. Incredibly challenging, incredibly stressful. I love it and I would not want to do it, but it's incredibly stressful just to just create that sound and find that place so quickly. And I suppose that's one of the big things about being a freelancer. You have to be so adaptable and fit into any scenario very quickly. So I think that's probably it. It's when you don't feel truly prepared in the way you'd like to be. But you're going out, you know, on the Royal Festival hall stage or the Albert hall stage and you're performing, you know, and that's it. So that's challenging, but it's a challenge that I love as well. Can I ask you something? I never asked anyone. What's your worst nightmare? I mean, I think we all musicians have the same worst night ever. So I wonder if that would be for you. I'll ask you first and then I'll tell you mine. The actual nightmares that I would have would be turning up to be playing an instrument that I. I didn't know or. Yeah. I dream about playing the French horn and I've turned. I'm playing. I'm playing the solo horn part and I can't tell anybody that I don't know how to play the horn because they may never book me again. So I just pretend that I play the horn and then I'm out there on stage playing the horn. And then I desperately try and wake myself up very quickly. Well, to me normally is to go, for example, to perform a Beethoven concerto and not knowing the Beethoven concerto and be ready for me. Ramano, for example, like. Oh my God. Yeah, yeah. Similar manifestations of the same thing, aren't they? I think. All right, now this, the third piece of today that we're going to listen is one of my favorite. It's called Rock Sun. Oh, yeah. Let's listen to it and then we talk about it. Brilliant. Roxanna. Yes. Love it. So, I mean, how is it to play this? They're very virtuousistic for the vibing, isn't it, people? They're just kind of. They're not classical, but they are. You cannot drop really hard. The speaks. Yeah. Oh, my. I love it so much. I was on tour with two dancers from Strictly Come Dancing two years and I was with the London Concert orchestra, It was their band and I was a solo violinist with them and I played this every night with them and the two dancers, Kevin and Karen, and they were dancing the paso doble to Roxanne next to me. And, oh, it was so powerful and just really getting into the violin and making it sound really gritty and. And I loved playing it. That moment again, actually, was probably another real highlight for me, just playing that piece every single night while they dance next to me and the impact of that. So, yeah, it's a great piece. Love it. Okay, now we're gonna. We're on the last part of our interview and that's the part for the odd questions, in a way. So do you have any strange hobby to free your mind or. Eli? Oh, I don't think it's particularly strange. I mean, that's fair enough. Did you say. I thought you said, did I have a strange hobby? No, but. Oh, sorry, I misheard you. No, no, you're right. I say strange, but strange for a person that doesn't think classical musicians could be doing something that is completely different, for example, from classical music. You know, sometimes this bad guy preconcepted that classical. They just love to listen to classical music. Yeah, no, I never. I very rarely listen to classical music, actually, especially before a performance. The last thing I want to do. What do I do before a performance? I'm generally quite quiet before I go on stage. I do try and do quite a bit of yoga. I do find it helps, and it definitely helps to keep me nice and relaxed, but I don't think I've got any particular routine as such. I think I just. Yeah, I'm just quite quiet and just need my own space before I go on. And to this day, I mean, I get hugely nervous before I perform. As soon as I get on the stage, I'm totally fine. But before I go on, it doesn't matter how well I know what I'm doing, how many times I've done it before, but I'm always terrified in the wings just before I step on the stage. So I find. Yeah, yoga helps a lot. And also just I'm always quite fit and active, especially when I know I've got big performances. Cycling, being outside really helps. Yeah, Yeah. I took up cycling since the lockdown, so I got myself a bike and I enjoyed going empty London with the bike, so it was a real treat. Yeah. Although it's all up and down, I have to say, it's not easy. No, I mean, I live in Kent and it's so hilly here. But I do get on my bike most days and. Yeah, I love. I love it. Yeah. Wonderful. Do you have any funny moment that you can share with us? Oh, goodness me. I mean, my career is anything but conventional, I suppose, in many ways. And it's led to quite a lot of amusing moments in the past. I remember. I mean, I was. I was. You know, it was very early on in my career and I was performing at St Martin's in the Fields for the King of Norway. All right, I know. This is why it's funny. And the first half I was singing, and then the second half. Oh, no, the first I was playing the violin in the first half of Vivalda's Four Seasons. And the second half I was singing and I had to walk to the top of the pulpit up this flight of stairs, and I had this brand new dress which was quite tight, and the orchestra and choir were sitting behind me and I fell up the stairs and ripped the dress. Oh, no. Top to bottom at the back. And I knew everybody could see everything from behind me. Oh, gosh. Luckily not from the front. And I stood up and I can't even remember what I was singing now. I sang. And, yeah, at the same time as realizing, yeah, that's another of our nightmares. It's a nightmare. I mean, it was quite funny. It's definitely funny now. I think I was quite. Quite scarred at the time being. Yeah. And another one. I remember turning up my first ever show. I was. I just left college and I was asked to play in a show last minute, and I didn't even ask about it. I just said, yes. Turned up with all my black and, you know, my black concert gear, and tried to find the orchestra I thought I was playing with in the pit. And the woman who had booked me intercepted me and said, oh, no, no, you're not playing with them. You've been booked to be our onstage electric violinist for a country and western show. Okay. She provided a full cowgirl outfit for me and I had to learn it pretty flipping quickly and play a whole series of hoedowns on stage. And, yeah, that was very early on in my career and definitely tested every single bit of adaptability and resilience that I needed to have. But I loved it. But, yeah, it was. It was a definitely a very funny moment. And luckily, nobody I knew was in the audience. So, yeah, there's been a few moments, definitely those moments that you wish someone was filming, isn't it? And then you can look at them later. Yeah. I mean, a Lot of my friends still remember the St Martin's in the Fields experience. My dress, I don't think that needed to be filmed to go down in history anyway. All right, now, what's your next project or recording? Yeah, so my next project is going to be to record an album of Finnish tango. I'm really excited to get into the studio and record this with a couple of really great singers, an accordion player and really, really get to work on that. And to really work on an album that, that, yeah, that's a little bit different, but can really showcase this music that I love so much. So that's the next thing in the pipeline that doesn't involve traveling. So how have you been working on it so far? I mean, have you been Zooming or WhatsApp, you know, Skyping? Yeah, I mean, at the moment we're very much in yet zooming, just having, you know, meetings, deciding what sort of thing we want to do. Me really discovering that the music and the sounds that I want. So a lot of research on my side at the moment and I think we just don't know at the moment what's happening. And also in terms of recording an album which is entirely self funded, it's very challenging at the moment because obviously our work has stopped. It's a huge challenge, but I'm determined to do it. And at least the good thing is that the people I'm working with, we're actually all in the same country at the moment. So in a way it's an ideal time. So that's in the pipeline. I don't know when we can start really putting the wheels in motion to actually start recording. But yeah, I'm excited about it and I know the rest of my band are excited about it too. So, yeah, so that's the next sort of big project on the horizon. Okay, now the last piece we're gonna play today is called you'd Raise Me Up. Would you like something about this one? Well, you know, so I've been talking today about, you know, classical music and classical crossover. In my heart of hearts, yeah, I am a very true classical musician, but I don't have any, anything recorded of that. And so I thought I wanted to be true to myself today. And we were talking about being authentic earlier as well. And you'd Raise Me up is just a beautiful piece and my audiences love it. Yes, it's probably a little bit cheesy, but I don't care. It doesn't exist, the cheesy music, it just exists. Good music or bad music? And it's by, yeah, it's by a Norwegian Irish duo called Secret Garden originally. So it's got its roots very much in folk music, which I love. It's by Rolf Loveland originally. And this is a game played by my trio. And it's you Raise Me up, which I think is quite fitting during this time as well, during lock time. Just a bit of positivity. Absolutely. Let's listen to it. Thank you, Sam. Ram. How beautiful. And this was you Raise Me up with Azaan Ross, the violin. 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 or Twitter Women's Radio Stn. Big thanks to our guest violinist Hazel Ross for the great chat and the beautiful music play today. Thank you so much, Stefania. Thank you, Hazel. You've been a true inspiration. You've been listening to future Classic Men Awards on women's radio station live every day at 10am and 10pm London time. If you want to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to the presenter's page. Stefania Passamonte Future Classic Women Awards on womensregistration.com thank you for listening.