BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Argentinian guitarist Laura Fraticelli’s emotionally charged performances have seen her take to stages – and television stations, and radio channels – across the world.
So how do you prepare to perform in front of audiences who are watching from their living rooms or listening in the car, while also crafting memorable experiences for those who watch live in the concert hall?
Laura will join with Swedish husband Johannes Möller, with whom she’s released a duet album in 2014, to play live for Australian audiences in a concert presented by the groundbreaking Melbourne Guitar Foundation.
The guitarist, who emigrated to Europe to study at London’s Royal College of Music and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, settles in for a chat about how she brings music to life across different mediums.
Hi Laura, thanks for chatting with us! Tell us about your background and how you started working with Johannes.
I myself was born in Buenos Aires of Italian decent. I met Johannes when I left South America to go and study at the Royal College of Music in London where he was already a student. I fell in love, and later we moved to the Netherlands together. Our professional collaborations were not so much intended, but a natural result of both working intensively in the same field. Together we were stronger.
You came together to release a duo album in 2014 – tell us how you drew people in to listen, support, and purchase your release.
Yes, we released an album on the Naxos label featuring the music of J. K. Mertz, a contemporary of Schumann, Chopin and Schubert. Johannes had wanted to do this project long before I met him. I was also drawn in to the beauty and sentiment of the guitar duets, which are distinctively different in nature from his solo guitar music. Last year, Johannes released an album called India that he recorded in Kolkata, India featuring local Hindustani musicians. Johannes is releasing another album this year that features his compositions and arrangements based on Chinese traditional music. We are further planning a release of duo album with music from my hometown Buenos Aires.
You have performed across television and radio as well as in concert. How important is it for a musician to ensure they have coverage across different mediums?
A concert is naturally a very direct and complete medium. But for reaching new audiences, media is essential, and more so an experience can also be transmitted through recorded means. Now, social media has also become an very important part of promotion. Today you must be on YouTube!
How do you cope with performance nerves when being recorded on radio or television?
I think for many, a recorded event tends to add another stress since it can be heard over and over again. A concert experience can feel more forgiving. For live recordings, we seem to choose the pieces we know the best.
How do you tailor your performance to suit each medium?
Timings are important in particular for TV, radio live broadcast. But a concert to should have a good build up and be kept at comfortable length.
What are your biggest challenges when performing on TV? And how do you overcome them?
In general, the people working around TV and radio are very professional and they make the experience smooth. Johannes had to struggle with some very early mornings after having travelled the day before. This includes his latest performance at the Dutch National television where, after just sleeping a few hours, he got the first slot due to cancellation. He did well, but looked a bit tired.
What advice would you give to other young musicians about successful performance in these moments?
I try to do my best and not worry to much.
See Laura and Johannes perform, presented by the Melbourne Guitar Foundation, at St Mary’s Church on March 4. Tickets available online, CutCommon subscribers receive discounted tickets to this event.
Image supplied.
