BY MIRANDA ILCHEF
Natalya Plays Music from Studio Ghibli
Natalya Aynsley
The Concourse, 3 August
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of watching pianist Natalya Aynsley perform two hours of music from the famously lyrical soundtracks of Studio Ghibli films. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a hugely committed fan, I have seen and really enjoyed many of these visually stunning animated works. I have always been impressed with how the Ghibli films, with their environmentalist and anti-war themes, are accompanied by equally peaceful and nostalgic soundtracks. Furthermore, Natalya was going to be performing arrangements of the movie themes in the style of Chopin’s solo piano music. Since Chopin makes up a lot of my ‘relaxing-bath’ playlist on Spotify, I was pretty excited for an evening of calming music.
The intimate setting of The Concourse’s theatre encouraged a familiar atmosphere that was furthered by Natalya’s jovial introduction, where she warmly welcomed the individual latecomers. Although her spoken interludes were amusing and gave an insight into the performer that we don’t always get to experience in the concert hall, sometimes it felt as though they took away from the sublime music, which, in defiance of the casual style of Natalya’s speeches, transported the audience into the ethereal, highly stylised world of Studio Ghibli.
However, the music was undeniably stunning. Natalya played with confidence and ease, and was a pleasure to watch as well as hear. The yearning sentimentality of composer Joe Hisaishi’s music from the likes of My Neighbour Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away was heightened by their amalgamation with a range of Chopin nocturnes, waltzes, and etudes. A particular favourite of mine was the uplifting Town With an Ocean View from the film Kiki’s Delivery Service. It was combined elegantly with Chopin’s famously melancholic Waltz in C sharp minor (Natalya’s much-professed favourite key) and delivered with grace and precision by the performer.
The performance itself was almost like a scene from the famous animated films; from lighting in the colour palettes of the various films right down to Natalya’s vintage-chic outfit. Natalya’s passion for both the music and the films was clear and contagious. With such an eclectic mix of old and new, East and West, soundtrack music and classical music, the Chopin-style arrangements of Studio Ghibli music could have been unharmonious and disjointed. Instead, their delicate combination proves once again the ageless power of music to unite.
READ NEXT: Natalya chats with us all about this program
Images supplied.
