15 Questions to Alina Kabanova

Sometimes an interview that gets returned with one-line answers is a sign of laziness. With Alina, it means that she'd rather play than talk. For there can simply be no doubt as to what she wants to do in life (play music) and everything else just doesn't seem quite that important in comparison. Her debut CD (on the still young label of star producer Dieter Oehms) is a first studio showcase of her talent and her preferences and shows her as a traditionalist open for experiments and a romantic with a clear mind. Which means that she will play Bach - but a piano transcription of his famous Chaconne. And that she will not stray too far from 19th and early 20th century music - but remain friendly to slightly less familar names such as Anton Rubinstein. Above all, it means playing her soulmate Rachmaninov and there can be no doubt that a more extended dive into his repertoire will follow. As might lessons on playing the Cello. In any case, we're sure there will be a lot more to talk about, when we meet Alina next time around.

Hi! How are you? Where are you?
I’m very fine,thank you. I’m alive. And I’m in Hamburg!

What’s on your schedule right now?
I have none. Everything is in my head and always with me. Concert? Tomorrow I have my exam.

If you hadn’t chosen for music, what do you think you would do right now?
I ‘d never think about this.

What or who was your biggest influence as an artist?
My Piano at home.

What’s the hardest part about being a musician and what’s the best?
Music is my life. I don’t know how to live another way.

What’s your view on the classical music scene at present? Is there a crisis?
I think everyone does things for himself and it is another quetion how.

Some feel there is no need to record classical music any more, that it’s all been done before. What do you tell them?
All I can say is there is no perfection on this world.

What constitutes a good live performance in your opinion? What’s your approach to performing on stage?
I live always myself and that includes the stage

What does the word “interpretation” mean to you?
To learn the scores and to think

True or false: It is the duty of an artist to put his personal emotions into the music he plays.
It’s a very long discussion.

True or false: “Music is my first love”
Maybe. In my case: my first love – is LIFE.

True or false: People need to be educated about classical music, before they can really appreciate it.
Music is the language... If people don’t understand the music, it’s the problem of the perfomer.

You are given the position of artistic director of a concert hall. What would be on your program for this season?
A lot of simphonic music.

What’s your favourite classical CD at the moment?
Gilels plays 2. Tchaykovski piano concert.

Have you ever tried playing a different instrument? If yes, how good were you at it?
Not yet. I would like to play the cello. It’s my favoriute instrument.

Discography:
Piano Recital (Oehms Classics) 2005

Homepage:
Alina Kabanova