15 Questions to Katrine Gislinge

Denmark is a small country, which is why everything Katrine Gislinge does is a national premiere. She was the first Danish Pianist to sign a contract with German Classical giant Deutsche Grammophon, for example, and the first Danish Pianist to perform at the prestigious Lochenhaus Festival. Her various collaborations may also be Danish debuts, even though no statistics are being held on them. Among others, she has performed with Gidon Kremer, Emmanuel Pahud as well as the Petersen String Quartet - many of them related to chamber music in its various incarnations. Whatever she's done, she has never sought the easy way (her Deutsche Grammophon disc was built around De Falla and Janacek) and confronted some of the typical paradigms of the scene, such as the often heard motto that an interpretation should, above all, please the composer. "You must bring something of your self to make it interesting for the listener", Katrine describes her own approach to playing live and it has served her well. Her calendar is still tightly booked and she is still continuing to expand her horizon in the most diverse ways: Only recently, she acted as artistic director to the Anneberg Music Festival, welcoming some of the best musicians in Denmark. No doubt quite a few Danish debuts were performed on the occasion.

Hi! How are you? Where are you?
Thanks, - I'm fine. I live in Copenhagen, Denmark

What’s on your schedule right now?
I have some concerts in Paris, - then a break and then I’m going to perform in Florida, USA

If you hadn’t chosen for music, what do you think you would do right now?
I would have been a philosophier.

What or who was your biggest influence as an artist?
Vladimir Horowitz and Martha Argerich

What’s the hardest part about being a musician and what’s the best?
The presure, - the nerves, - the traveling, - the best is, - the high quality of music that you practice and live with every day.

What’s your view on the classical music scene at present? Is there a crisis?
I haven’t noticed any crisis, - I hope there will always be room for top quality music.

Some feel there is no need to record classical music any more, that it’s all been done before. What do you tell them?
Everytime you play a piece of music it’s new, - and everybody plays in different ways, - so if you are talented and can bring something personal to the music, - why not record it.

What constitutes a good live performance in your opinion? What’s your approach to performing on stage?
A live performance is “a live”, - you should be able to feel what the pianist feels, - and he/she should be able to ‘feel’ the audience, - that is a great feeling.

What does the word “interpretation” mean to you?
To move the music from the score and out to the audience via the performer, - so I don’t like people who just want to do “what the composer intended”, - first of all, - no body really knows and secondly,. you must bring something of your self to make it interesting for the listener.

How do you balance the need to to put your personal emotions into the music you play and the intentions of the composer?
I don’t think you can come up with at procentage, - if you have talent you will know ;)

True or false: People need to be educated about classical music, before they can really appreciate it.
True, - in the way that I think you will get so much more out of it if you are used to concentrate and listen to classical music, - false, - in the way that all great composers have something for everybody to enjoy, - the most difficult is to make a person listen the first time, - I guess.

You are given the position of artistic director of a concert hall. What would be on your program for this season?
Thats a difficult question, - depending on the budget I would try to get quality and not quantity, - and maybe also some concerts for people who would like to know classical music, - fx. Concerts for children etc.
But first of all, - top quality and maybe also some of the best lokal musicians.

How would you describe the relationship with your instrument?
HEHE, - I love my Steinway because it delivers, - it’s hard to play well on the piano so you have to have a top instrument, - I mean, - why make it more difficult. I had a Fazioli before, - but it just didn’t do it for me, - I guess I’m to much in love with the the tone of a Steinway.

Have you ever tried playing a different instrument? If yes, how good were you at it?
No.

Discography:
Thomas Blachman - Star Music Opus 1 (Sundance)
Kodaly/Janacek/Bartok (Kontrapunkt)
Pieces (Phillips)
Piano Works (Deutsche Grammophon)

Homepage:
Katrne Gislinge