1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: Thing from iHeart Radio. That's the third movement of Rockmnonov's 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: Symphonic Dances Opus forty five. This is the Netherlands Radio 4 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by my guest today, Karina Canalakis. The 5 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: recording is a special preview of an upcoming album, Rock 6 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: Mononoff the Bells and Symphonic Dances from Pentatone Music, available 7 00:00:41,800 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: this June. Karina Canilochus has achieved many firsts as a 8 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: conductor in the classical music world. Not only is she 9 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: a world class conductor and violinist, she's also the first 10 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: woman to be appointed principal guest conductor of the London 11 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: Philharmonic Orchestra and of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. Canilacus 12 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: was also the first woman to conduct the Nobel Prize 13 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: Concert in Stockholm and the first woman to be named 14 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: chief conductor of any Dutch orchestra. As both a violinist 15 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: and conductor, Canilacus has conducted or performed with major orchestras 16 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: such as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the 17 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: Bavarian Radio Symphony and the Munich Philharmonic. She is currently 18 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: the first female chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic 19 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: Orchestra and a principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic. 20 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: But before all the accolades and prestigious postings across the world, 21 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: Carmina Canilacus grew up in a family of musicians, crowded 22 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: into a small New York City apartment. 23 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 2: It's sort of like one giant room with doors in 24 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: it basically, I mean, just one of those things. Yes, 25 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: and we just. 26 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: It was a studio that. 27 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 2: We literally shared everything. I mean, you know, soundproofing, whatsoever. Yeah, 28 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 2: my brother and I shared a room until I went 29 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: to colleges. It was interesting. Yes, that's what made you 30 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 2: the artist, was character building. 31 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 1: Yes, Now your parents played what they both. 32 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: Played piano, But my dad became a conductor and was 33 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: a conductor sort of. He always said he's famous in 34 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: the Tri State area because he conducted the Brooklyn Philharmonic, 35 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: the Westchester Symphony, Queen Symphony, so he was he was local. 36 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 2: But he has multiple sclerosis from quite a young age, 37 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: which is why he didn't really do the whole international 38 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: travel thing. 39 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: This illness set in when he was how old. 40 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 2: Oh, a teenager already, and it was sort of on 41 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: and off, you know, and. 42 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: So it does not impact his piano play. 43 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 2: It did eventually. Yeah, so you know, you see baby 44 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: pictures of me. He's already walking with a cane and 45 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: then he got a wheelchair and everything. But he did 46 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: everything from the wheelchair. I mean really, they built a 47 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: ramp for him up to the podium. He was, you know, 48 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: washing dishes. Oh yeah, to conduct he was washing dishes 49 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 2: at the kitchen sink, you know, with two kids running around, 50 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 2: three orchestras, everything from a wheelchair. 51 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: So was he still with us? 52 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 2: He is, He's you know there, he's still there. 53 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: Right, So when you're in this, was there a piano 54 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: in that apartment? 55 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: No, two pianos? 56 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: So two pianos? Yes, four people, two children, two adults. 57 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was a full house. It was a cacophony. 58 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: I mean really literally every single day there were multiple 59 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: people practicing at the same time. My mom, her poor 60 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: piano students, would come over and she'd be giving him 61 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: a piano lesson. Meanwhile I would be screeching away in 62 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 2: the extreme when of my brother in the parents' bedroom. 63 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: I mean really sitting on the edge of the bed 64 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 2: practicing cello. It was It was interesting. 65 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: When you were growing up on the Upper West Side, 66 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: did you go to like a public school for grade school? 67 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: I went to Bank Street School, which is a private 68 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,799 Speaker 2: school because it was walking distance. Well at the time, 69 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 2: it's now on one hundred and twelve, so it was 70 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: a four block walk, which was easy for my dad 71 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 2: with the wheelchair and everything right down the street. But 72 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: then I went to Stuyvesant High School, so that was 73 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: a public magnet school, and that was great. 74 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: Because because of your musicianship. 75 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 2: Well it's actually a math and science school, and you know, 76 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: you have to test to get in and all that stuff. 77 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 2: Why what I do? 78 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: Of course, you went to study math and science. 79 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 2: But it's funny because I loved math, but I also, 80 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: you know, I loved I was very sort of interested 81 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 2: in studying in school. I was a little bit of 82 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 2: a nerdy kind of teenager. There was a nerdy side 83 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: of me, and there was a side of me that 84 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 2: was very rebellious and out with the boys and kind 85 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 2: of so it was an interesting mix of of personality. 86 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 2: But I loved the violin, and that took over and 87 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: it was actually pretty difficult to be at Stuyvesant. The 88 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: last couple of years were a struggle because they didn't 89 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 2: want to let me out to have practice days and 90 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 2: things like that, and I just to go somewhere else. 91 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 2: For you you got to go, you know, practice for 92 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 2: my weekend recital or whatever. You know. I didn't want 93 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 2: to be doing calculus homework. I wanted to be practicing 94 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: my violin. And what happened, well, my mom would write 95 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: me sick notes all the time, Basically she's sick and 96 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: is some violin lessons exactly? 97 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 1: And that's what happened. 98 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: That is literally we played. 99 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: How long did that last? 100 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,119 Speaker 2: Well, that was the entire you know, junior and senior 101 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 2: year went like that. At high school, yeah, because that 102 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 2: was the only way. I mean, if you want to 103 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: get you know, I went to the Curtis Institute of 104 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: Music in Philadelphia. It's extremely competitive to get Oh yeah, well, so. 105 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: You finished eleven and twelve, you're playing hockey, you're sneaking 106 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: off to do your lessons, and then what's decided whiles 107 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: you're rolling through that period of eleventh and twelfth grade 108 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 1: and these difficulties, had you made your mind if you're 109 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: going to go to a Curtis type thing. 110 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 2: Yes, it was a shift. The first year in high school. 111 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 2: I still I loved studying French, and I loved math, 112 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 2: and I loved everything. But then it became clear to 113 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: me that I found out about this magical Curtis Institute 114 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 2: of Music place, you know, where all these people that 115 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 2: I idolized had gone to the school. Right, Oh my gosh, 116 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: you know, if only I could go there. So I 117 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 2: actually I auditioned my junior year. I did not get in. 118 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: I was in the finals. I did not get in. 119 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 2: They said I was rushing the last movement of Tchaikovsky concert, 120 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 2: so I didn't get in. I was devastated. And at 121 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 2: that point I said, I'm going to do everything in 122 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 2: my power to just practice I don't know, five six 123 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: hours a day. And I did that for the next year. 124 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: I had of where were you that year? 125 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 2: I was? That was that Stuyvesant year where I was, 126 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 2: you know, getting the sick notes all the time. And 127 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 2: I went to senior year. That was senior year. The 128 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 2: audition was like February of my senior year and I 129 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 2: got in, and that was I mean, I can't you 130 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: explain to you the feeling. I couldn't even believe when 131 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: my parents got the phone call from Gary Graffman, president 132 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: of the school. We would like to offer Karina spotted Curtis. 133 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: I mean it was I came home from school, I 134 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: got off the subway, I came in the door, and 135 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: they said, you got into Curtis. You know, it was 136 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: like my life is made. 137 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. Now, when you go to a school like that 138 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: is how many year three or four? 139 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: I was there for five years. Actually it's normally four. 140 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: You can extend. It's sort of a little bit loosey 141 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: goosey in terms of how long. 142 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: You say, so a fifth year there? 143 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I did. 144 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: And when you when you're standing you the conductor in 145 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: front of an ensemble anywhere during your career, what percentage 146 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,679 Speaker 1: of people in that room go on to a master's program? 147 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: You went on to Juilliard. How many people are getting 148 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: those advanced degrees in music now who will have a seat, 149 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: they have a chair somewhere. 150 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 2: I would say that right now, we're in a situation 151 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: where there are many more people who are amazingly qualified 152 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: for these top orchestra jobs than there are actual positions, 153 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 2: and so it makes getting job in an orchestra anywhere 154 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 2: in the world. This is not just an American problem. 155 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: This is also the case in Europe. It's so unbelievably competitive. 156 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: You know, you go behind a screen and play for 157 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: a committee of nine people, and it's it's really a 158 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: sort of cold, ruthless situation because you getting, Yeah, you're 159 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 2: behind a screen. You either get enough votes or you don't, 160 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 2: and that determines whether or not you get a position. 161 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 2: And you know, some people are not cut out for 162 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 2: that kind of an audition process. They're a little bit 163 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 2: more artistic. So my brother, for example, has never played 164 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: in an orchestra. My brother Nick is a fantastic cellist. 165 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 2: He's at Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center here in 166 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 2: New York. He runs Chamber Music Sedona. He's a soloist 167 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 2: and a chamber musician. Orchestra was not his thing. So, 168 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,959 Speaker 2: you know, I think graduates from these conservatories they all 169 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 2: do their best, but they're not everyone is cut out 170 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: to win these auditions for major orchan. 171 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: So not many people, would you say, in the classical 172 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: world now who have a chair somewhere necessarily have a 173 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: master's degree that to more training beyond. 174 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 2: I would say any people get a job straight out 175 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 2: of the so called bachelor's program they do. Many people 176 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 2: will audition when they're twenty twenty one. Yeah, yeah, but 177 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 2: especially Curtis Juilliard, some of these schools in Europe. Yeah, 178 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 2: they'll win a job while they're in their very early 179 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 2: twenties and then work their way up from one position 180 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 2: to then a better orchestra and a better orchestra. 181 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: When you decided you wanted to go to Juilliard, you've 182 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: been five years already at Curtis your dream? What made 183 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: you want to go to school more? What would you 184 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:30,599 Speaker 1: gain from that? 185 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:32,679 Speaker 2: It was all about the teacher. I think for a 186 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: lot of violinists, you sort of you fall in love 187 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: with a certain teacher. You hear about a teacher who 188 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 2: you think is going to give you something. Now is 189 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 2: we're talking about a teacher. This is very sophisticated music making. 190 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 2: At that point, you know how to play the violin already, 191 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 2: you've been playing it since you were a little kid. 192 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:54,479 Speaker 2: But there are so many other elements, also psychological elements 193 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: to playing an instrument and being able to stand on 194 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 2: a stage in front of hundreds of people and lay 195 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 2: with a beautiful sound without getting nervous without having the 196 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 2: nerves affect your physical body. It's the same thing with conducting. 197 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 2: When you get up there, you need to be physically 198 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 2: relaxed and try to sort of just be in the zone. 199 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 2: And that takes You have to have the right teacher. 200 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 2: You've got to have some It must be like acting. 201 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 2: Some people bring out the best in you, right. If 202 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 2: you're around those people more often, you will become a 203 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 2: better violinist or a better conductor. So that was the motivation. 204 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 2: I wanted to study at Juilliard with a man named 205 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,199 Speaker 2: Donald Weilerstein, whose daughter, Alisa Weilerstein is A. Yeah, she's 206 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 2: a very close friend of mine and Rapa, they're both 207 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: really close friends of mine. At that point, I wanted 208 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: to do violin competitions and whatnot, and I thought, you know, 209 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 2: New York was a New York is New York. There's 210 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 2: no place like it on earth. You know, if you're 211 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: in New York as a young violinist, you have so 212 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: many opportunities. First of all, you can go out and 213 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 2: you can constantly be getting student tickets for Carnegie Hall 214 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: and the Met and Lincoln Center, chambersag Society and all 215 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 2: the things New York Philharmonic. But also, you know Juilliard was. 216 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 2: You know, you get gigs, you know, you can actually 217 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 2: start getting professional experience, such as well playing concertmaster in 218 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 2: the Haddenfield Symphony in New Jersey, which I did while 219 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 2: I was even a student at Curtis. You know, I 220 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 2: had chamber music gigs. You know some of them are 221 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 2: You know you put your violin case in the kitchen 222 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: and go play the wedding. 223 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 1: The same thing. Don't turn anything down. 224 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 2: You'll be absolutely not ready. You learn from every single 225 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 2: thing you do. Also, the friends you make doing those 226 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: kinds of gigs you will keep for the rest of 227 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: your life. 228 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: Now, while you are at Juilliard, you get the phone call, 229 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 1: I guess you get contacted about the Berlin Academy. What's 230 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: the proper name of that. 231 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 2: Organization, The Carian Academy of the Berlin Fulharmonic. I was 232 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 2: only at Juilliard for four months because then I left 233 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 2: and moved to Germany and moved to Berlin. You know, 234 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 2: this audition was in the beginning of October. Found out 235 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: about it through again somebody I had met at chamber 236 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 2: music fust a violinist named Simon and Bernardini who plays 237 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 2: in the Berlin Philharmonic. And he said to me, there 238 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 2: aren't many Americans doing this program, you know, come take 239 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 2: the audition. And I flew over to Berlin, took the audition, 240 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 2: won the audition, moved to Berlin in January of two 241 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 2: thousand and five, and started playing in the Berlin Philharmonic. 242 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: And your family would go see the Berlin when they 243 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: came to New York. Yes, who was conducting the Berlin Then? 244 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: When I was in high school, I went and I 245 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 2: saw them with a bottle. 246 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: Well, a bottle, yeah, bottom, ye, a bottle with lucerne. 247 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. If you want to have a really 248 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 2: like nerd out fun, look at the different lengths of 249 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 2: the same symphony. How long it is? 250 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I have I have thirteen Maller ninths in my phone. 251 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 2: So the Chaikovsky six with Bernstein. I'm very into that 252 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 2: piece because I just read I just recorded that piece 253 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 2: and released it. It's unbelievably. I used to talk about 254 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 2: this with Alan Gilbert. 255 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: How minutes? 256 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 2: How did he do that? How did he keep the tension? 257 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: Mazelle with the phil Harmonic playing the Maller ninth, the dagio, 258 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: he has five minutes the most brisk one is high. Yeah, 259 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: Seegar Stram is a good one. But Lauren Mazelle plays 260 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: it like he crushes every drop. Great thing. That's incredible. 261 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 2: But if it's genuine, then it comes from that conductor's 262 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: soul and that's just the way that they hear it. 263 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 2: Then you know, if it's convincing enough, I think, and 264 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 2: you know, you can do anything, but. 265 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: You're standing there. I mean, this is your job. Yeah, 266 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: you're standing there in front of an ensemble. You're gonna 267 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: conduct something. Let's say you're gonna do the Mallar five. 268 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 1: Something people are very common when people know the adagio 269 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: from the Mallar five, you're gonna you're gonna play that? 270 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: And do you say yourself, it's my responsibility to play 271 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: this at a certain pace. Is it my responsibility to 272 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: play this a certain way and not get succumbed to 273 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: the feelings too much? I'm gonna slow the thing so 274 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: far down. 275 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 2: Sure, that's a really good question. I mean that's a question. 276 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: How much is your mood rule? 277 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 2: Well, that's the thing is that you know, I think 278 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 2: it's it's dangerous to be indulgent when when it comes 279 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 2: to especially slow movements of famous pieces. But even with 280 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: Beethoven symphonies, you know, there are metronomer markings and there's 281 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: a whole there's a whole controversy about, you know, like 282 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 2: were they accurate or not? What kind of a metronome 283 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 2: did he have? Was it broken, was it weird, was 284 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 2: it irregular? We don't know, but I do think. I mean, 285 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 2: some of the metronal markings are simply impossible. You cannot 286 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 2: play it that fast. And there are all kinds of 287 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 2: theories about the Ninth Symphony, the metronal markings in the 288 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 2: Ninth Symphony, what that was supposed to mean. But you know, 289 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 2: that's part of my job. I have to interpret that. 290 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 2: I have to decide how fast or slow this thing 291 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: is going to go. It's entirely up to me, and 292 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 2: that's a huge responsibility. And there have been many performances 293 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 2: in my life, especially right now. My main job is 294 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 2: a radio orchestra. So every single thing we do in 295 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: Amsterdam from the Concerka about is live radio, which is 296 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 2: sometimes traumatizing because in the moment of that performance, you're 297 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 2: in a certain mood, you feel the audience, the player, 298 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: there's a certain vibe in the harmst there is there's 299 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: a chemistry, there's an atmosphere in the live concert hall. 300 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 2: Then you listen back on to the microphone and you think, no, why, no, 301 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 2: what so it was so slow or it was so fast? 302 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 2: God did I take it? So I just listened to 303 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: a recording that I did of maller one in Japan 304 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 2: this past summer. It was at the Pacific Music Festival, 305 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 2: which was founded by Leonard Bernstein right at the end 306 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 2: of his life. And it was a fantastic experience because 307 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 2: it's a young orchestra. Their auditioned from all over the 308 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 2: world between the ages of you know, twenty and thirty, 309 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 2: so young professionals. But the principal wins were all from 310 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 2: Berlin Philharmonic and the principal strings were all from Vienna Philharmonic, 311 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 2: so we were together, they were. It was a side 312 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: by side. The philosophy is used from Vienna, Berlin and Vienna. 313 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 2: And did they play together, well, not often. It was 314 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 2: very interesting, like the sort of the response to the 315 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 2: beat and everything was really fascinating. But the last movement, 316 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: because it was young people and there was so much 317 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: excitement saying the last moment was insanely fast and I 318 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 2: just listened back to the video. You know, they send 319 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: you these things and they say, will you approve this 320 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 2: for YouTube whatever? When you listen and you think it 321 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 2: didn't feel it felt just perfect in the moment. But 322 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 2: was that too fast? You know, this is our whole life, 323 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 2: you know, was that too fast? 324 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: Is that? 325 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 2: Would I take that tempo next time when I do 326 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 2: the piece? I'm doing the piece in a few months, 327 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 2: Will I take it that fast next time? It depends 328 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 2: also on who you have in front of you, the 329 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: response of the orchestra, the age of the players. You know, 330 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 2: there's so many others had too much green tea or something, yeah, 331 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 2: green tea. But it was I mean in the moment, 332 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 2: I mean the audience went completely berserk. It was. It 333 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 2: was so exciting because also, you know, you're rooting for 334 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: these young people. This this young horn player doing his 335 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 2: first smaller one playing principal horn, sitting next to Sarah 336 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: Willis from the Berlin Phulhmonic playing second horn. So it 337 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 2: was an amazing experience for these young people and you're 338 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 2: rooting for them, and when they play, well, it's just 339 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 2: everyone was you know, it was a fantastic experience. 340 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: Conductor and violinist Carina Canlocus. If you enjoy conversations with 341 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: classical music conductors at the top of their game, check 342 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 1: out my episode with Maestro Rafael Piari. 343 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 3: When I go into an orchestra, especially for the first time, 344 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 3: it's all about let's see how the sound of the 345 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 3: orchestra reacts to my beat, and let's see what we 346 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 3: can do together. Every orchestra has a specificity and there's 347 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 3: something that is different and with everybody, and yet it 348 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 3: will see how with the chemistry that would happen on 349 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 3: the stage, how much it could be. 350 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: Ben It's like a dancer party. 351 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 3: You know how fast you can do and how you 352 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 3: can go from one place to the other, makeup twirl. 353 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 3: Beyond that, it is just all about that kind of 354 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 3: trust happening. 355 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: To hear more of my conversation with Rafael Piari, go 356 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: to Here's the Thing dot org. After the break, Cana 357 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 1: Locus talks about growing up in a house of musicians 358 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: with two pianos in a one bedroom apartment. I'm Alec 359 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: Baldwin and this is Here's the Thing That's Bella bar 360 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: Talk's Concerto for Orchestra and my guest today, Karina Canelakis 361 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 1: conducting the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. This recording this courtesy 362 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 1: of Pentatone Music. Canilacus's conducting career began in twenty fourteen 363 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: when she started her first professional conducting job as an 364 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: assistant conductor for the Dallas Symphony under conductor Yap van Staden. 365 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: Only a few months into her post, Canilacus would find 366 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: herself standing in for von Staden as an emergency substitute conductor. 367 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: When Canilacus led the Dallas Symphony performing Shostakovich's Symphony Number 368 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: eight with no rehearsal. Now a seasoned conductor, I was 369 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: curious what her preparation for a performance looks like. 370 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 2: I mean, definitely, the finding a call place is crucial 371 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 2: for me, and I feel like doing nothing for about 372 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 2: three hours before the performance. I do a nap, religiously 373 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,239 Speaker 2: short nap, and then about three hours before showtime, I 374 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 2: don't like to talk too much to anybody. I don't 375 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 2: like to have too many people around me. I certainly 376 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 2: don't listen to any music or look at my phone. 377 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: You don't play the piece, you're gonna go, oh my god. 378 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 2: No, Well, it's going on in my mind anyway, like 379 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 2: a very loud recording. It's unbelievable. It's literal. I mean, 380 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: I always have music going on in my head like 381 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 2: a loud recording. Right now, it's Jostkovic five, because that's 382 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 2: what I'm doing next week. Literally, and I have sometimes 383 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 2: multiple the different parts of the piece cancel each other out. 384 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 2: I mean that the one sort of goes by like 385 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 2: a cloud in the wind, and then the other other 386 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 2: part comes through, and I think the brain, you know, 387 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 2: it's working out. How do I feel about this? What 388 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 2: the tempo? Again? The tempo? Most important thing a conductor 389 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 2: can do is set the tempo sort of the flow 390 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 2: of it. Do I want Oh, I'm thinking about this 391 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 2: G sharp major chord that comes in the middle of the 392 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:04,679 Speaker 2: third movement. Do I want them to do it with 393 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 2: vibrato or without vibrato? I just had a text message 394 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 2: conversation with my brother about this, because he loves that 395 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 2: chord with vibrato. He thinks it should be warm. I've 396 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 2: always done it cold because I think it's false hope, 397 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,679 Speaker 2: because it goes immediately to C sharp minor. These are 398 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 2: the things that are going on in my head. I 399 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 2: have my reason, but you know, we sort of go 400 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 2: back and forth about it's great to have people in 401 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 2: the family you can talk to about music and about 402 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 2: interpretive decisions and things. It's amazing your mother played what 403 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,159 Speaker 2: My mother's a pianist, an amazing pianist. She was an 404 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 2: incredible solo as she played concertos with my dad conducting 405 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 2: a lot, and she could. 406 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: Go from one piano to the other in the apartment. 407 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 2: She could, well, we had two pianos because she would 408 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 2: teach students piano concertos and she would play the orchestra 409 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 2: part on the upright and they would play the concerto 410 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 2: on the grand piano. So it's an upright next to 411 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 2: a grand piano. But you know, just to say before 412 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 2: the performance, you know this this it's sort of it's 413 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 2: a very very hectic conversation going on in my own 414 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 2: brain between me and myself and I and so I 415 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 2: need a lot of quiet for that because it's already 416 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 2: feels like a lot of noise in my mind. And 417 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 2: by the time I get to the hall, I don't know. 418 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 2: I just I just and you know, right before I 419 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 2: go on stage, I do have these moments because I 420 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 2: think because I was a violinist for so many years. 421 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 2: I really was. I was a full time professional violinist 422 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 2: until I was thirty. I'm not one of those stories 423 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 2: about you know, I knew I wanted to be conductor 424 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 2: when I was ten, and I first conducted when I 425 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 2: was twenty. You know, I was late to this. I 426 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 2: didn't I really loved playing the violin. I didn't have 427 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 2: any ambition to become a professional conductor. And then what 428 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 2: happened Rattle, Well, yeah, I was strongly encouraged to do 429 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 2: so by multiple people. It was Sion. Rattle was my 430 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 2: friend Ellen Gilbert. 431 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 1: It's a bit interesting how people have you know, I mean, 432 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: I'm dramatizing. It's like someone taps the mother around the 433 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: shoulder and says, come with me when they go. He 434 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 1: really keeps time better than anybody out there for the something. 435 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: They see some obviously some indicator, and they go, we'd 436 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: like them to come and take some conducting lessons. So 437 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: what is it? What do they see in you? What 438 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: are you doing? 439 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 2: Well? My path to becoming a conductor was not linear, 440 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 2: Let's put it that way. It was mainly a windy 441 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,719 Speaker 2: path because I still missplaying the violin. I loved it 442 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 2: so much I could not imagine I couldn't bear the 443 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 2: thought of putting the violin aside for any other reason, 444 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 2: and certainly not to be standing up without my violin. 445 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 2: That was very scary in the beginning. You know, It's 446 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 2: like my identity, my voice. Let's say I would be 447 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 2: standing there without my voice. What am I going to 448 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 2: do standing there in front of all these people? What 449 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 2: physically what am I going to do? But I'm so 450 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 2: happy that I was encouraged to do it, and I think, 451 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 2: you know, the people who encouraged me, they saw a 452 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 2: great interest and passion in score study. For me. That 453 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 2: was really the thing that I think where they said, hey, 454 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 2: wait a second, you what you're doing. I did conducting 455 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 2: courses in my summertime, in the free time, I did 456 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 2: conducting master classes. I mean I took conducting classes from 457 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 2: the age of twelve, conducted my high school orchestra. I 458 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 2: thought it was easy. I was, I did, oh, yeah, 459 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 2: this is this is not you know. I thought playing 460 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 2: from yeah, and I thought the violin was much more difficult. 461 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:15,439 Speaker 2: But in fact that's not true when you get to 462 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 2: the highest level, because what is happening between you and 463 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 2: these great, great, great orchestras is so subtle, and so 464 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 2: it's such a psychological game that you have to be 465 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 2: deeply seasoned as a musician. And I'm so happy that 466 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 2: I waited because all those years of experience as a 467 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: violinist feed my feeling of confidence on the podium and 468 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 2: my feeling that I actually you know, I mean, I've 469 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 2: played so much of the repertoire as a violinist in 470 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: the orchestra before I ever conducted it. So this is 471 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 2: a huge, huge thing. And sometimes when I'm preparing to 472 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 2: go on stage, I do think to myself. I remember 473 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 2: back to seeing, for example, Sapeca Salinin walking on stage 474 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: in Chicago. I played under his direction in Chicago, saw 475 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 2: him getting ready to go on stage, and I thought, 476 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 2: oh my god, I want to do that. I want 477 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 2: to be that person. And sometimes I get that feeling 478 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 2: right before I go on stage and I think, yeah, 479 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 2: I'm doing it. 480 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,680 Speaker 1: When do you begin conducting? So you are the. 481 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 2: Chief now I'm chief conductor. 482 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: Of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Arquers. You've been doing that 483 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: for how long? 484 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 2: Since twenty nineteen? So this is my seventh season. 485 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: The seventh season. How did that? Who tapped you on 486 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: the shoulder for that. 487 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 2: Oh, they came and saw me in a few different places. 488 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 2: They were sort of hanging around me in a few 489 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,400 Speaker 2: different cities. The general director came to Iceland, he saw 490 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 2: me in Iceland, he saw me Cologne, and then I 491 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 2: conducted them. I actually I did one week with them 492 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 2: back in twenty eighteens Beethoven's seven and Britain for c interludes. 493 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 2: And the final concert was in the concert about you know, 494 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 2: you know the red steps and the concert, Well they 495 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 2: are these There are these ridiculous red carpeted stairs. The 496 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 2: doors open at the top. You have to walk all 497 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 2: the way their conductor all the way down these stairs, 498 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 2: through the orchestra, no, through the orkctra, down down, down, 499 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: and so you know, everyone is kind of waiting to 500 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 2: see if the conductor is going to trip on their 501 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 2: way down the stairs. So I walked after the performance 502 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 2: was over, walked up the red stairs, up up up 503 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 2: into the dressing room, sat down on the sofa. They 504 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 2: closed the door and they said, you want to be 505 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 2: our chief conductor after one week with the orchestra. 506 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: So that you passed the test. You made it downstairs. 507 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 2: It was so real, but that hardly ever exactly. They 508 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 2: were like, wow, she really she really knew how to 509 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 2: do those stairs. 510 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, looking good. 511 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,680 Speaker 2: I passed the test. But I mean that that's extremely 512 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 2: rare in this business. Normally, orchestras are very careful about 513 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 2: choosing their next music director. They you know, wait a 514 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 2: long time that they needs to be somebody. They've had 515 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 2: multiple visits, and you know it needs to be the 516 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 2: right person more than just musically. But this was a 517 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 2: situation where they'd been looking for a while and the 518 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 2: chemistry between us was so electric and so fun and 519 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 2: so warm, and it just was so clear that we 520 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 2: had something really unusual. And so they offered me the position, 521 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,159 Speaker 2: and I think two weeks later I said okay. 522 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: And you guest conducted them before. 523 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 2: This was the one and only guest connecting experience that 524 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 2: I had with them. 525 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: It was really, I mean literally conductor, and they gave 526 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 1: you the job. 527 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 2: You literally we were together for five days and they 528 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 2: gave me the job, which is a big vote of 529 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 2: it's a risk. 530 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: Also now the ensemble itself, you can feel when it's 531 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: going well, and you can feel when there's like it's 532 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: not as good as you'd like it to be. 533 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you can read it on people's face. It's 534 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 2: just the same way as when you're sitting across the 535 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 2: table from somebody you know, having a meal or something. 536 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 2: You know, you either get along with them. It's like 537 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 2: being on a date date. It's like being on a 538 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 2: date with eighty people. So you know, but sometimes you 539 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 2: think the worst thing as a conductor is if you 540 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 2: think it's going great and then the orchestra doesn't invite 541 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 2: you back to. 542 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: The orchestra, communicate to the maestro if they have complaints. 543 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: What's the method in the average ensemble. 544 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 2: Oh, I wish there were more communication. I really do, 545 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 2: because I think sometimes people are afraid to talk to 546 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 2: the conductor. They're afraid to say anything, or they assume 547 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 2: that the conductor is sort of a prepackaged, ready to go, 548 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 2: inflexible entity that you know, we either like them or 549 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 2: we don't, or the way that there's chemistry or there isn't. 550 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 2: But actually, you know, the ideal thing with conductors is 551 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 2: that we all continue to grow and improve and learn 552 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 2: as we go through our life as a conductor. I mean, 553 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 2: I'm forty four, Blomshed is ninety six, so hopefully I 554 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 2: have another fifty years ahead of me. I would love 555 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 2: to think that I do have another fifty years to 556 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 2: keep on doing this, to keep learning, to keep doing concerts, 557 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 2: to keep you know, how many times am I going 558 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,479 Speaker 2: to be able to do mall or five in the 559 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: next fifty years? A lot? So my mall ar five 560 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 2: will be drastically different in thirty years than it is 561 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 2: right now. And I think if orchestras you know, want 562 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 2: to have a healthy relationship with a conductor, I think 563 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 2: it's you know, it would be great to have a 564 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 2: little bit more communication. But it doesn't happen often. I'm 565 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 2: not sure why, and it's something that bothers me about 566 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: the profession. For sure, it was one of the reasons 567 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 2: that I was afraid to become a conductor. I mean, 568 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 2: I have my friends in Chicago saying to me, don't 569 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 2: go to the dark side. You're such a great violinist, 570 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 2: don't you know, don't go to the dark side. Oh no, 571 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 2: You're going to become the enemy. 572 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: Is there some perception of that? 573 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 2: I think that there is a little bit of well, 574 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 2: the conductor becomes the scapegoat for whatever has not gone 575 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 2: well or. 576 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: Whatever is the conductor I think is suspended in a 577 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: weird space between the management and. 578 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,959 Speaker 2: Very weird, very weird. And also what I find strange 579 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 2: about the profession. And this is a positive thing, but 580 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 2: I get very attached to people, and I get very 581 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 2: attached to musicians and orchestras especially. You know, you're very 582 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 2: vulnerable up there. You're looking at each other's eyes, you're 583 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 2: breathing together, You're playing very emotional music makes you want 584 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 2: to cry, that makes you think about your children and 585 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 2: your parents and people who've passed away. I mean this music, 586 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 2: as you know as an audience. 587 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: Member, it shattering. 588 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 2: It is it goes extremely deep, maybe deeper than anything 589 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 2: else that I can think of, certainly deeper than words 590 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 2: or reading a book or you know. I mean, for me, 591 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 2: it goes to a completely different level of sort of 592 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: inter emotion and connecting with other people. And so you 593 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 2: have this experience with this group of people and I'm there, 594 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 2: let's say for five six days. We might have two 595 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 2: to four concerts together, and then I leave and I 596 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 2: don't see them for a year. 597 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: Now, you are a mother, You have two kids are 598 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: how old again, four and two? Four and two? So 599 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: these are fresh fresh children there, fresh out of the oven. 600 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: And your husband is. 601 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 2: A he My husband is from Germany. He's not a musician. 602 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 2: He plays the guitar very well and he knows everything 603 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 2: about rock and jazz. 604 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: And what does he do for a living. 605 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 2: He is a philosopher of epistemology and artificial intelligence at 606 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 2: the University Amsterdam. So he's an idea AI. He's he's 607 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 2: written articles on authorship and chatchy. 608 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: Where did you meet him? You never take your stuff outside? 609 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 2: Exactly? It's good question. It was luck. It was pure luck. 610 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 2: I mean really, we come from two complete different worlds. 611 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 2: We met in Luxembourg. I was conducting an opera in 612 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 2: Luxembourg and he was briefly working for the concert hall 613 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 2: doing digital media. This is before he went in. 614 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: Too philosophy his lucky day. 615 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, he was in between careers and it was true luck. 616 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:23,239 Speaker 1: Now when you travel, is he daddy at home when 617 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: you're on because you're on the road a lot. 618 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 2: Yes. When they were tiny babies, I took them everywhere 619 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 2: with me and we all traveled as a family. And 620 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 2: I'm very lucky that I have a spouse who does 621 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 2: something that's where he you know, he's the flexible one. 622 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 2: He can be remote, Yeah, he can be remote. He 623 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 2: you know, his schedule sort of bends around around the traveling. 624 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 2: Now my son is starting to go to school. We 625 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 2: live in Amsterdam, so they started school of four. I 626 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 2: like it. Yeah, you know, I ride my bike everywhere 627 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 2: and in the rain, but you know, it's it's a 628 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 2: very charming city. I appreciate life there. I appreciate the 629 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 2: convenience to the airport. That's for a conductor very important, 630 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 2: right just getting in and out. I can get to 631 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 2: Berlin in an hour, London and an hour Stockholm in 632 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 2: an our Paris on the train, the high speed train. 633 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 2: So it's convenient and it works, and it's a work 634 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: in progress. I mean, balancing this lifestyle with little kids 635 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 2: is I have a lot of conductor friends who've done it. 636 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 2: Alan Gilbert has three kids, so he's been a really 637 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 2: amazing friend to talk to about just balancing quality time 638 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 2: with them when you're home with then you know, sometimes 639 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 2: being away. 640 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 1: Now I'm assuming that you're vast understanding and your wealth 641 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: of studying all these different musical pieces. I'm assuming you 642 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: have to have some of you like more than other. 643 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: When that comes up on the program for the coming 644 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: year or two and you're going to go out you 645 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: see there and go ooh, you know one of my favorites. 646 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 2: There are there are well generally, whatever I'm studying in 647 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 2: the moment is my favorite thing on earth. Good answer, 648 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 2: it really is. It happens because I go in completely 649 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 2: in that world and then you justcover you rediscover it 650 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 2: and you think, how how did this guy write this? 651 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 2: I mean, I say this guy, it's most of the time. 652 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: Man. 653 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 2: There are fabulous female composers, but far there are fewer 654 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 2: in number. But I think I've never been a composer. 655 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 2: I think it's a good exercise, but I don't have 656 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 2: that drive or that I don't have like it's. 657 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: One when it comes up on the roster to think 658 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: ooh oh. 659 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 2: Well, I mean speaks to you. I would say, I 660 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 2: love opera and I'm doing more and more opera. My 661 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 2: absolute I think it's safe to say all time favorite 662 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 2: piece pretty much is Tristan and Isolda from by Rick Harvagner. 663 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: You know, it's is long and expensive to put on 664 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 2: a production, so it's it's hard to come by. You know, 665 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 2: you don't you don't just get offered every season that 666 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 2: trists On and is Olda. This is a this is 667 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 2: a piece that is, it's a big undertaking for any 668 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 2: opera house or any you know, theater anywhere in the world. 669 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 2: But the music is just it's unlike anything else. And 670 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 2: I think that that piece all so changed the face 671 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 2: of classical music. For example, last week with the San 672 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 2: Francisco Symphony, I did a piece by Sibelius. I love Sibelius. 673 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: I did lemon kinan for legends from the Kalevala, or 674 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 2: sometimes it's called lemon Kin and Sweet. And this is 675 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 2: a big, long, fifty minute work that the most famous 676 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 2: movement is the swan of Towinella, which has a big 677 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 2: English horn solo that's in that. So that's the one 678 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,399 Speaker 2: that's often played as a separate piece. But Sibelius had 679 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 2: been in Byroid before he wrote all this. He was Wagner, 680 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 2: he had wagner itis, He was completely immersed in the 681 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 2: whole Byroid world. It is often extracted as an individual, 682 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 2: sort of ten eleven minute long tone poem, but in 683 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:42,919 Speaker 2: fact it works so well as part of this sort 684 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:46,359 Speaker 2: of larger suite that comes out of various stories from 685 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 2: the Kalavala, this Finnish mythological thing. But Sibelius wanted to 686 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 2: write an opera because he had had so much Wagner 687 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 2: on the brain, and he thought about writing an opera 688 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 2: and then realized that actually, in the end he would 689 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 2: never be able to do it. Anything like Tristan and 690 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 2: is Olda just wasn't gonna happen. And his thing was 691 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 2: sort of tone poems and nature painting. So he stuck 692 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 2: with that, and he he never wrote an opera. He 693 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 2: ended up just he wrote for voice, beautiful, beautiful, like 694 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 2: one otar, this unbelievable, very enchanting piece for soprano or extra. 695 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,280 Speaker 2: But he didn't write a large scale opera like Wagner. 696 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,479 Speaker 2: But Sibelius wrote this incredible music that has his own, 697 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,880 Speaker 2: you know, the finish landscape and this, you know, I 698 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 2: see sort of otherworldly sounds that are unlike any other composer. 699 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 2: I love Sibelius's music every time I'm in that world. Four, 700 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,919 Speaker 2: Oh my god, four is amazing. I can't believe, you know, four, 701 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 2: because four is really not not often done. It's quite difficult. Seven, five, 702 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:45,920 Speaker 2: I mean, he wrote all these tone poems, Poyola's Daughter 703 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 2: for example. Unbelievable. It's unbelievable music, a little bit minimalistic. 704 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 2: I think John Adams for example, who I love John 705 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 2: Adams music. I think he you know, he sort of 706 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,879 Speaker 2: must have been influenced by a little bit these sort 707 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 2: of repetitive figures that go, you got to go do 708 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 2: go go do, go, go, go go. They go over 709 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 2: and over again throughout the piece. 710 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: What I pray in terms of my relationship with the 711 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 1: film and what I want to try over the next 712 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: several years too try to extend and strengthen, is to 713 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 1: bring the next audience into the space. It's latent learning. 714 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 2: It's really rare. I feel like when I think about 715 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 2: you and your whole career as an actor, how dedicated 716 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 2: you are to classical music and to the New York Philharmonic. 717 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 2: You're on the board, you support in multiple ways. This 718 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 2: is huge, and this is rare, and I think that 719 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 2: is one of the most important things going forward. I mean, 720 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 2: you know, private support is thankfully a tradition in the 721 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 2: United States, not so much in Europe. And they need 722 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: to get on the boat now because you know, there 723 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:55,320 Speaker 2: are major arts funding cuts in a lot of places. Berlin, 724 00:36:55,760 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 2: certainly in the Netherlands, the UK, London has had huge 725 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 2: arts funding cuts lately. And I think this idea of 726 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:08,400 Speaker 2: private support and of reaching across to other fields outside 727 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 2: of this tiny world of classical music. You know, to 728 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 2: people like you who are who are in the film industry, 729 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 2: who are actors, who are producers. This is crucial, you know, 730 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:19,839 Speaker 2: for our survival. 731 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: Conductor and violinist Carina Canilucus, if you're enjoying this conversation, 732 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: tell a friend and they short of follow Here's the 733 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: thing on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify or wherever you get 734 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: your podcasts. When we come back, Canilucus tells the story 735 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: of emailing her childhood inspiration, Mikhail Borishnikoff, and how it 736 00:37:48,000 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: led to meeting him in person at her show. I'm 737 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and this is here's the thing. This is 738 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:35,239 Speaker 1: the New York Philharmonic performing Death and Transfiguration by Regard Strauss, 739 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: conducted by Kermina Canalocas. My thanks to the New York 740 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: Philharmonic for generously providing this archive recording from twenty twenty four. 741 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:24,480 Speaker 1: Canelacus began training to be a violinist when she was 742 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:29,800 Speaker 1: a child, surrounded by a family of musicians. Having studied 743 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: at some of the top of music conservatories, I was 744 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 1: curious who she looked up to for inspiration when she 745 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: was first starting out. 746 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 2: You know who I was obsessed with was Barishnikoff, Mikhail Bershnikoff, 747 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:44,440 Speaker 2: so much so that I was talking to a friend 748 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 2: when I so we met when I conducted the neuro 749 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:47,360 Speaker 2: Filmonic in February. 750 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:48,839 Speaker 1: So what did you do? 751 00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:52,279 Speaker 2: This was a w C Lamaier program and the Sara 752 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 2: Ajo and then you came back stage afterwards and you 753 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 2: were so so kind. So that same I think, I 754 00:39:57,600 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 2: think it wasn't the same night you were. There was 755 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 2: another night. So I had a friend I was saying, oh, Borishnakoff, la, 756 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:04,680 Speaker 2: and she said, you know he lives here in New York. 757 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 2: You should just write to him. And I said, no, 758 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,040 Speaker 2: I could never do that, you know, no, come on, 759 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:12,760 Speaker 2: So I wrote an email to Mikhyle Berishnikoff and I said, 760 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 2: you know you're my biggest inspiration of my life. I 761 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,960 Speaker 2: watched your Nutcracker religiously every year as a child. Very 762 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:26,240 Speaker 2: emotional message. His wife Lisa wrote me back three days 763 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:29,239 Speaker 2: later and she said, we're coming to a show. They come, 764 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 2: They came and I met him. It was unbelievable. Was 765 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,000 Speaker 2: it was emotional for me because I mean, you know 766 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:40,120 Speaker 2: he's standing there and he's an older man now and 767 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 2: he has children my age. I mean, it's not the 768 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:47,040 Speaker 2: same thing as if I would meet him. And yesterday 769 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 2: he made the Nutcracker video. You know, it was like 770 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 2: meeting someone who has lived this whole unbelievable life in 771 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 2: the arts and especially New York. And there's the New 772 00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 2: York connection. I mean, this is my home, this is 773 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:59,520 Speaker 2: my hometown. I was born and raised here in the city, 774 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 2: and he has made this his home for most of 775 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:05,840 Speaker 2: his life. And he's such a sort of an integral 776 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:07,879 Speaker 2: part of the New York art scene, and he has 777 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 2: his art. 778 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:12,680 Speaker 1: Paul Newman had his cancer camp of many cancer camps 779 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:16,160 Speaker 1: around and the Mothership is up in Connecticut. One year 780 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:17,800 Speaker 1: we go and there's all these celebrities who are invited 781 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 1: to come and do this camp. Arret. They do a 782 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:22,640 Speaker 1: show and it's a horrible show. It's the worst show 783 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:26,399 Speaker 1: you've ever seen. Newman prided himself the worst thing you've 784 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: ever seen in your life. And one time, Parishia Cough 785 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,240 Speaker 1: comes and he's sitting in a chair out in the woods, 786 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:35,400 Speaker 1: like off the stage door, smoking a cigarette and I 787 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:36,799 Speaker 1: go to say hi to him, and he gets up 788 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:38,400 Speaker 1: and he hugs me, and I'm like, I said, look 789 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:39,719 Speaker 1: at him. I'm like, you know, you're not even a 790 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:44,200 Speaker 1: human being. You're not true. That would do you too. 791 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's not real. 792 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:46,320 Speaker 1: It's true. 793 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 2: It's so true. 794 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 1: What's the piece you haven't conducted that you'd like to conduct? 795 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,800 Speaker 2: I would say the other three Ring Cycle opera. So 796 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,680 Speaker 2: I've conducted Siegfried, which is the third of the four 797 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: Ring Cycle operas. I've also conducted the first act of Devalkyra, 798 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:07,399 Speaker 2: but I have not yet done Demrong And I would 799 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 2: love to do good good to Demongong and and I 800 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:16,759 Speaker 2: would love to do an entire fully staged Ring Cycle productions. Well, 801 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:19,080 Speaker 2: it's a bit about sixteen hours of music total. 802 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:19,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. 803 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:25,359 Speaker 2: Normally these days opera houses do one per season over 804 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:32,120 Speaker 2: four years. However you can have it depends the whole thing. No, 805 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:35,840 Speaker 2: rarely merely that would be that would be insanity that 806 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:36,800 Speaker 2: What about live. 807 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:39,240 Speaker 1: To picture with films? Do you do that over there? No? 808 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 2: I have not done that. There are people who are 809 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:43,680 Speaker 2: really really good at that kind of thing, And I 810 00:42:43,719 --> 00:42:45,440 Speaker 2: don't think that's necessarily my I. 811 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:47,799 Speaker 1: Don't think it's a string. I don't want to explore it. 812 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:50,520 Speaker 2: If it's a movie that I love that I'm passionate about. Absolutely, 813 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:53,719 Speaker 2: Why not it was a film? Oh yeah, sure, I 814 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,319 Speaker 2: mean that would be amazing. I think, you know, a 815 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,360 Speaker 2: lot of that music is really incredible, like Miklos Rosha, 816 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:01,840 Speaker 2: you know, the those guys who came to California from Germany. 817 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 2: Of course, unbelievable music. The score is Spellbound, for example, 818 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 2: this is unbelieva. There's even a piano concerto from the 819 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:11,040 Speaker 2: spell Bound score which which I have conducted, and it 820 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 2: was really really fun. 821 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:16,840 Speaker 1: Now talk about was opera in the windshield throwout or 822 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:17,880 Speaker 1: that's something you acquired. 823 00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:21,440 Speaker 2: I will say that I have always loved opera since 824 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:23,920 Speaker 2: I was a little kid. With my father, we had 825 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 2: a VHS tape of Lennoz Dificero the Marriage of Figuo 826 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,960 Speaker 2: and you know the Carabino when he jumps out the 827 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 2: window and he has to hide. I thought it was 828 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:35,560 Speaker 2: the greatest thing I'd ever seen in my life. I mean, 829 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 2: I was obsessed with the music, the whole thing, the 830 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:42,200 Speaker 2: whole thing that people were singing a reality scene from 831 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:46,000 Speaker 2: life that they were singing it. I thought it was unbelievable. 832 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 2: But then you know, you become a violinist, you go 833 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 2: through this conservatory world and you had to play as 834 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:54,640 Speaker 2: one of your classes in school in the opera orchestra 835 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:58,480 Speaker 2: without knowing anything about what was going on on stage. 836 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:00,800 Speaker 2: Nobody would tell you. So if you didn't go to 837 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:02,920 Speaker 2: the library, there was no you know, you couldn't just 838 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 2: there was no Wi FI. When I was eighteen, you 839 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 2: had to really seek. I didn't do that. I didn't 840 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:10,399 Speaker 2: go and find it. You know, you had your life. 841 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:11,680 Speaker 2: You had to practice, you had to go to the 842 00:44:11,680 --> 00:44:14,319 Speaker 2: next class and do the next thing. It bugged me 843 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:16,360 Speaker 2: that I didn't know what was going on in stage, 844 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,520 Speaker 2: that I didn't have any contact, And so I made 845 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:21,239 Speaker 2: a point then of sort of going out of my 846 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 2: way to discover, not as a violinist, but as an outsider, 847 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:27,680 Speaker 2: as a conductor, to discover this world of opera, which 848 00:44:27,719 --> 00:44:30,440 Speaker 2: really is is in a way completely separate from the 849 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:33,640 Speaker 2: symphonic world in many ways imagine. 850 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:35,359 Speaker 1: Primarily other than there's singers live. 851 00:44:35,640 --> 00:44:37,880 Speaker 2: So in so many ways, the whole process, you know, 852 00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:40,200 Speaker 2: the whole, the storytelling, the whole, the way you have 853 00:44:40,239 --> 00:44:42,319 Speaker 2: to conduct when you conduct an opera, you first of all, 854 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 2: it's not all about you. You know that people make 855 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:46,160 Speaker 2: a big fuss over the conductor. You get on stage 856 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:49,040 Speaker 2: and everyone's looking at you and James Levon everything you know, 857 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:52,200 Speaker 2: But when you're in the pit, you're mostly hidden from view. 858 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:54,400 Speaker 2: People see your shoulders in the top of your head. 859 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:58,200 Speaker 2: The main focus is on the stage, the singers, and 860 00:44:58,360 --> 00:45:01,200 Speaker 2: I love that functional role. I love to be more 861 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:03,600 Speaker 2: part sort of part of the part of the team. 862 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:06,880 Speaker 2: I love that. I love to be I don't like 863 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:08,719 Speaker 2: a lot of fuss over. 864 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:09,839 Speaker 1: Yeah. 865 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 2: No, it's too much attention on the conductor. But it 866 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:14,799 Speaker 2: really bugs me, so I like to be that. I 867 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:21,960 Speaker 2: also I am constantly saying, what have I done to myself? Yeah, 868 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:25,239 Speaker 2: but it's a completely different process. Singers, conductor. You're there 869 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:28,120 Speaker 2: for weeks. You're in one place for weeks. You're in 870 00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:31,800 Speaker 2: a room with a pianist and the director and you're blocking, 871 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:34,120 Speaker 2: and you're especially if it's a new production, you're figuring out, 872 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 2: you know, what makes sense and how can this singer 873 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:39,920 Speaker 2: sing something in a way that is convincing, bring out 874 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:41,919 Speaker 2: the text, bring out the meaning of the text. While 875 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:44,920 Speaker 2: do sometimes doing ridiculous things physically running around I have 876 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:46,879 Speaker 2: to wear knee pads half the time and doing all 877 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:50,720 Speaker 2: sorts of things on stage that are extra musical things 878 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:53,920 Speaker 2: I love. I love to dance as a kid, you know. 879 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:57,520 Speaker 2: I like all the different elements of art. You know 880 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 2: a little bit more chan the way. 881 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:02,319 Speaker 1: Trying to stay the way you are now till your 882 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:03,200 Speaker 1: ninety six. 883 00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:05,359 Speaker 2: Don Boomstead, thanks. 884 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:20,359 Speaker 1: My thanks to conductor and violinist Karina Canalakas. I'll leave 885 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:26,040 Speaker 1: you with Karina conducting the London Philharmonic performing Tchaikowsky's Symphony 886 00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:29,920 Speaker 1: Number five. I'm Alec Baldwin. Here's the thing is brought 887 00:46:29,920 --> 00:47:13,600 Speaker 1: to you by iHeart Radio Man.