Alicia Torra de Larrocha: “My Father Was My Mother’s Greatest Admirer and Supported Her to Become a Concert Pianist”
We have had a delightful conversation at Piano Magazine with Alicia Torra, daughter of the famous pianist Alicia de Larrocha. The following interview features discussions about Alicia Torra’s mother — her professional life, the family balance for a female concert pianist in the ‘60s, anecdotes, and many other exciting topics.
Mari Kodama: “Even Seemingly Unbalanced Art Is Balanced Perfectly to Move Us. And Such Can Be Said for Performers. Pianists Should Aim to Have a Perfectly Balanced Triangle of the Mind, Heart, and Hands”
Mari Kodama is an international pianist and is highly regarded as a Beethoven interpreter. She is a Steinway Artist and serves as a music festival director for several national and international festivals. In this interview, Mari Kodama discusses her beginnings in Europe, her mentors and teaching philosophy, her unique repertoire choices, her passion for Beethoven, and several exciting projects on the horizon.
Paul Lewis: “The Energy That an Audience Gives to a Performance Is Unique; It’s Irreplaceable”
Concert pianist Paul Lewis shares his thoughts on the pandemic, the effects of Brexit on musicians in the UK, and the future of classical music.
Juan Pérez Floristán: “The Preparation for a Contest Should Be Almost More Psychological and Emotional Than Technical”
We interview Juan Pérez Floristán (Spain, 1993), winner of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition 2021, who will leave you surprised by what he shares in this interview.
Jasmin Arawaka: “Find Our Mission as Musicians and Contribute to Society”
Jasmin Arakawa is Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Area Coordinator at the University of Florida, as well as Director of the UF International Piano Festival.
Kirill Gerstein: “So Many Wonderful Things That We Took for Granted Are Now Clearly Not to Be Taken for Granted at All”
Kirill Gerstein details some of his thoughts on commissioning new music, the influence recordings can have on interpretation, and his newest collaboration with mentor Ferenc Rados.
Julian Martin: “Even as a Teenager, I Was Already Subconsciously Putting Down My Own Roots as a Teacher”
In this interview, Professor of Piano at The Juilliard School Julian Martin reflects on his performance and teaching careers from a wide variety of experiences.
Peter Ryan: “Go Out and Get Some Life Experience That Doesn’t Involve Your Instrument”
Dr. Peter Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Music at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where he teaches and coordinates the Piano and Music Theory programs.
Mariana Gurkova: “What Makes the Pianist Different Is the Way He Has to Transmit His Own Personal Message to the Audience”
Mariana Gurkova is a Bulgarian-Spanish pianist, Professor of Piano at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid, who in 2019 has released the album “From Russia With Love” featuring piano transcriptions of Russian orchestral music.
Leif Ove Andsnes: “I’m Lucky to Play an Instrument Where There Is Unlimited Music to Choose From”
A Piano Magazine interview with acclaimed Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, who is currently engaged in a fascinating recording project of Mozart's music with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, under Sony Classical.
Denis Herlin: “Debussy Refused in General to Be a Performer, Even Throughout His Career as a Pianist”
We have in Piano Magazine a fascinating interview with Dennis Herlin, one of the foremost experts on the music of Claude Debussy.
David Hazeltine: “Copying Models by Ear Is the Biggest Thing I Can Recommend For People Trying to Learn How to Improvise”
On this occasion, we are interviewing jazz pianist David Hazeltine, based in New York City for years on the advice of jazz legends such as Sonny Stitt and Chet Baker, from whom he gained respect when he was still young.
