15 Questions to Silke Aichhorn

A crisis is always a phase of opportunities and a niche is always the right place for trying something new. That's why Silke could never be worried about the fact that things are quite possibly not as easy as they used to be for a Classical instrumentalist. Her deep-felt desire to please the audience has made her a popular live entertainer and instead of seeing the limitations of her instrument, the harp, she has seen the chance to take it into many different and fresh directions. She has pioneered new music by highlighting contemporary composers, while at the same time continuing the search for unrecorded repertoire from the past and the present. Her CD "Images" combined old favourites like "Die Moldau" or pieces by Saint-Saens with the jazz-allusions of Pearl Chertok. She has also engaged in a string of different instrumental constellations, such as the Spohr Duo (harp/violin), harp/flute and harp/recital combinations or even a trio with soprano Christin Mollnar and mezzo Elisabeth Neuhäusler. Add to that the two radio plays she has been involved in and you've got the picture. And if all of this weren't enough, she has now decided to set up her own record label, which will kick off its business in the near future. We were happy then, that she did find the time to talk to us in between all of her musical work and feeding her baby daughter.

Hi! How are you? Where are you?
I’m fine, I’m at home.

What’s on your schedule right now?
Answering this questionnaire, feeding my child and taking her to bed. Then practise and/or put the finishing touches to the translation of the booklet to my next CD.

If you hadn’t chosen for music, what do you think you would do right now?
Something to do with Concert Management, Organisation, Journalism, Marketing or working in an agency.

What or who was your biggest influence as an artist?
Every concert, which I left with a happy audience.

What’s the hardest part about being a musician and what’s the best?
The best; It’s simply a great job, you get to meet exciting people all the time. Plus thereäs the fascination of being able to create emotions with your own hands.
The hardest: If there is such a thing, then it would be the long trips by car with my instrument – and having to drag my harp around.

What’s your view on the classical music scene at present? Is there a crisis?
It was certainly a bit easier in the past, but I don’t see a big crisis. The main problem from my point of view lies in overvalued musicians with a combination of big PR budgets and disappointing performances as well the unreflected run of the public for the big names.

Some feel there is no need to record classical music any more, that it’s all been done before. What do you tell them?
I still find enough material, which has yet to be recorded – which has to do with my instrument. Only playing the standard repertoire makes no sense in my opinion.

What constitutes a good live performance in your opinion? What’s your approach to performing on stage?
Enjoying the music, the audience. Dedication, concentration and seriousness. And an exciting program. And this counts both for me as a performer, as well as a listener. I really love to play in front of an audience!

What does the word “interpretation” mean to you?
Making music talk. It means emotions running along the score. And it means doing everything with a sense of taste and style.

True or false: It is the duty of an artist to put his personal emotions into the music he plays.
Absolutely!

True or false: “Music is my first love”
One of my first loves

True or false: People need to be educated about classical music, before they can really appreciate it.
Completely wrong.

You are given the position of artistic director of a concert hall. What would be on your program for this season?
Not the usual repertoire for sure. And of course, there’d be more hapr concerts!

What’s your favourite classical CD at the moment?
My solo CD, which I just finished. I don’t have any time at the moment to listen to anything else.

Have you ever tried playing a different instrument? If yes, how good were you at it?
The piano: Good.
The recorder: dito

Discography:
Susie und das große Glissando
Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzchen (Oberon Classics)
Denn es will Abend werden
Miniaturen
Himmlische Harfenklänge
Images
Spohr Duo
Trio ArpaCantabile (Ars Productions)
Flöte-Harfe (Ars Productions)

Homepage:
Silke Aichhorn