BY CUTCOMMON
This June, Finnish conductor Erkki Lasonpalo will lead Australian National Academy of Music talent through an event that uses powerful classical music to raise awareness of our natural world.
On the program will be a suite of works that celebrate the environmental beauty of Europe and the United States, with music from Dvorak, Beach, Sibelius, and Wennäkoski. The ANAM Orchestra along with solo cellist Joshua Jones are gearing up for their concert with this conductor who has stood at the podium of Finland’s major orchestras and opera companies.
Erkki tells CutCommon why he’s looking forward to conducting ANAM musicians through this special event that includes an Australian premiere performance.
Erkki, what inspires you about working with the musicians of ANAM?
I am motivated by working with young people. With young enthusiastic musicians, you have to start from the basics of orchestral playing, and the starting level cannot be quite the same as that of professional orchestras. However, we are talking about the journey, not so much the goal, and this journey is always an honour and a lesson for the conductor as well.
What do you find fascinating about the works you’re conducting?
Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony was the first symphony to come to the attention of the public by an American woman. Beach has her own unique sound that cannot be copied elsewhere. In addition to the great level of composition, the music has great power.
It is natural that I bring music from my home side. Sibelius is our national composer and brought Finland to the world’s attention in his time, and why not also today? Lotta Wennäkoski is on the same path. These composers fit together because of their musical whimsy and Nordic charisma.
Dvorak itself needs no introduction, but the piece Silent Woods brings a whole new sensitive side to the concert when the orchestra not only has to bring its whole soul and sensitivity to the game, but it also has to do it in a way that supports our soloist.
Where much of this music was composed to honour nature, it is now being performed in a time when nature itself is compromised. How does our strained relationship with the natural world make its way into your approach?
Environmental issues are one of the biggest concerns of our time. Hardly anyone can say that they are satisfied with the what kind of world we leave to our children. The same applies, for example, to concern about the decline in appreciation of classical music and the arts in general. We just have to try to keep up with the times and influence to the best of our ability, so that we have forests to walk in and concert halls to listen to music.
The best proof of this kind of cultural continuity is our beautiful concert and all the people who have made it possible.
Verdigris will have an Australian premiere. What are some of the things you think about when you’re the first person to introduce a work to an entire country?
Verdigris is a kind of tribute to Sibelius and especially to the En Saga. In it, the orchestra plays a lot in completely different techniques of playing than in traditional art music…Of course, it will be a big challenge for the orchestra to achieve all the playing techniques and dynamics, and after internalising them, the road is open for wild interpretation, which is what the piece is basically about.
Joshua Jones is a third-year ANAM cellist who will play a solo role in this concert. How are you planning to work with Joshua to create that energy between all the players on the stage?
We all must understand that accompaniments in orchestral playing are a chapter of their own. It weighs the ability to sense and listen, as well as to play in such a way that Joshua has the freedom to phrase as he wants.
What excites you about performing with musicians who are entering their careers in the industry?
I have been taught by excellent teachers, especially in the orchestra. The orchestra was exactly the place that got me excited and progressed towards a professional career. I feel that if I have personally inspired even a few young musicians to pursue their dreams, I have done my part.
What do you hope players of the ANAM Orchestra will take away from the experience?
I hope that after all the technical and meticulous training, the musicians really dare to forget everything and just throw themselves into the music. What’s better than enjoying all the fruits of labour with your best friends? This kind of experience helps you get through many boring moments in the training booth.
At the end of the day, why should audiences come to listen?
I am sure that when the audience arrives, they will not only get a versatile coverage of music by different composers — for them, it is performed by a group of young and talented musicians who give their souls to the game. We play for the audience; the music is always best live in the concert hall.
Experience this music with the ANAM Orchestra with Erkki Lasonpalo, 7pm June 1 in St Kilda Town Hall.
Images supplied.
