“Musicians are afraid to come to Russia”

The artistic director of the Moscow Philharmonic, professor of the Moscow Conservatory, composer Alexander Tchaikovsky was awarded the Dmitry Shostakovich Prize. Over the 28 years of the award’s existence, many eminent musicians have become its owners, including conductor Valery Gergiev, violinist Maxim Vengerov and opera singer Olga Borodina. “MK” took the opportunity to talk with the laureate of a prestigious professional award about the situation in the music world.

– Alexander Vladimirovich, you have been awarded the Dmitry Shostakovich Prize, which has been awarded since 1994 to those who have seriously influenced musical culture. What does this award mean to you?

– It is an honor. Moreover, the award is purely musical, non-state, for professionals. Great musicians have received this award, and it’s hard to imagine yourself on this list of legendary people. I still can’t comprehend.

— The ceremony was held at the Zaryadye Concert Hall, where the tenth anniversary of the All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Bashmet was celebrated with a musical evening. As a musician who has been working with young people for many years, how do you assess the level of this band? What do you think is his place in the music scene?

“Thanks to this team, Russian orchestras and not only are replenished with very qualified musicians. 10 years ago, when the orchestra was created, Yuri Bashmet’s idea was completely revolutionary. Children from all over Russia are involved in this youth orchestra. Children from the outback, from the most isolated corners of the country, whether it be the Far East, Chukotka or Yakutia, get a chance to become highly professional musicians. Phenomenal virtuosos work with them. Children go through a fantastic school of mastery in a year or two. They have rehearsals, concerts, trips. Previously, every year they traveled abroad and performed on the first stages of Europe. After such a school, they become different people – brilliant musicians. And when pupils of regional musical schools and colleges reach such a level, attention from local authorities increases to this institution. What is very important for the development of education.

— Judging by the fact that a renewed line-up performed at the anniversary concert, which included 216 young musicians from 10 to 22 years old from 82 cities of Russia, selected from thousands of applicants, there are no problems with the influx of personnel into classical music. And how big is the interest of the young audience in the classics? What can be said about this, based on the attendance of the Moscow Philharmonic? What is the average viewer age?

– It all depends on the program. Always different. We don’t have exact statistics. Young people are interested in unusual programs. Recently there was a baroque music festival dedicated to Handel – there were a lot of young people there. Young people are also interested in modern music, they are attracted by polar, experimental forms. Yaroslav Timofeev makes such a program when an essay is played, and in parallel he talks about it, makes an analysis. It is very popular with young people. In general, interest in classical music has greatly increased throughout the country. I recently had several premieres – in Petrozavodsk and Lipetsk. Full halls!

– Many cultural institutions note that attendance has increased in recent months: for example, the Tretyakov Gallery records record levels. In conditions of instability, people are looking for support and find it in art. Is this trend also noticeable in the musical environment?

Yes, this is a fact that will probably be investigated later. I can judge by the Mariinsky Theatre, which I often visit. A week and a half ago I was at Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District – the hall was packed. But this is not Swan Lake. Many young people who came for the first time.

— Did you have to edit the repertoire policy at the Philharmonic due to current events? Foreign musicians cannot come, but there are Chinese performers on the playbill, for example.

– The Chinese conductor who received the prize at the Rachmaninov Competition, Haozhan Li, will arrive. The British pianist Freddy Kempf has arrived – he wants to move to Russia. The very famous German conductor and pianist Justus Frantz works at the Mariinsky Theatre. Dancing in the Mariinsky and a brilliant dancer Korean Kimin Kim. There is no program issue in the Moscow Philharmonic: our performers are quietly replacing foreign ones. It’s a pity, of course, that musicians from abroad are afraid to come. They want something, but they are afraid, because they are afraid of the punishment of Europe. Many people are in trouble if they come.

How has your touring geography changed?

I have never traveled much abroad. I have enough at home. I don’t make money from touring. When there are premieres in the regions, I go, but not always – I’m not young anymore, it’s hard to ride.

— You are a composer, professor and artistic director of the Philharmonic. How do you build your day in order to have time to solve organizational issues and create? Do you get up at 6 in the morning like Leo Tolstoy? Or are you an owl and compose music at night, as Van Gogh painted his canvases?

— I often get up early. In the morning or before going to bed, I think about music in my head. I often do this at Sapsan when I go to St. Petersburg to visit my family.

What piece are you currently working on?

– Now I have to write a fun composition for domra, double bass, piano and orchestra. And then – a children’s fairy tale for the theater named after Natalia Sats. Reconstruction will end there soon and there is an application for next season.

– One of these days in the Rachmaninov Concert Hall there will be a concert conducted by Vladimir Fedoseev, timed to coincide with his 90th birthday. Is it true that Vladimir Ivanovich, who has directed and conducted the Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra since 1974, is retiring? Who will replace him? After all, it is his creation.

– I do not know. This is decided by the orchestra and the Ministry of Culture. It will be fair if Vladimir Ivanovich has his say and remains in the honorary position of conductor. It is difficult to imagine this orchestra without Fedoseev.

How do you generally see the future of classical music? Which of the modern composers can remain for centuries?

– Of course, Rodion Shchedrin, he is already a world-class classic. Boris Tishchenko, who left us relatively recently. Georgy Sviridov, who has already entered the classical clip. Among the young there are interesting guys with a future – 10-15 people of average age from 30 to 40 years old, to whom there is performing and spectator attention. These are Kuzma Bodrov, Alexei Syumak, Anton Tanonov, Nikolai Mazhara, Nastya Khrushcheva.