BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
For Alondra de la Parra, conducting isn’t just about the music. It is about the people who invest themselves in the creation of sound.
It’s Alondra’s first year as musical director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and while she admits she enjoys her career in the city of Brisbane, she says it’s the personal relationships that reach her the most.
“I really love the orchestra – they are wonderful musicians, and wonderful human beings as well,” Alondra says.
“They’re a really kind group and they’re striving for excellence and giving their best in rehearsals. And that’s not very common [in an orchestra] – it doesn’t happen all the time. I really appreciate all the many beautiful qualities they have.”
Alondra joins the orchestra as it celebrates its 70th anniversary. After she has led an enormous number of orchestras in her own career – 70 across the world, in fact – Alondra arrives in her role with the QSO and tells us it’s “an honour to see all the history that has led to this”.
“I want the orchestra to continue holding onto the great assets it already has, and has been acquiring over the years. But also evolve to an orchestra of today,” she says.
“I think that’s something many orchestras need to do around the world. Times are changing so much: audiences behave differently with digital media, and the digital world needs to be reflected in the way we communicate.
“So I don’t think there’s much change about what we do – the concerts and music we do are beautiful. It’s more about how we approach our audiences, let them know we exist, and let them know this orchestra is there for them and accessible to everyone. That’s one of the goals I am setting.”
One of the major events in the QSO calendar is Fever Pitch – part of the acclaimed QSOCurrent initiative, which brings contemporary music and multidisciplinary projects into the realms of classically trained performance.
Last year, QSOCurrent saw collaborations with beatboxer Tom Thum and composer Gordon Hamilton, audio-visual artist Sampology, and more. This year as part of Fever Pitch, the QSO follows its path of new music and has commissioned a concerto by Australian composer Joe Chindamo. He wrote Fantaskatto for his daughter Olivia, a jazz and scat performer.
“I haven’t seen any other examples of concerto for scat and orchestra – this will be really special,” Alondra says.
Also on the Fever Pitch program will be double bassist Edicson Ruiz, who Alondra describes as “one of the great bassists in the world and one of the youngest bassists to enter the Berlin Philharmonic”. He will perform the Rolf Martinsson Double Bass Concerto, written for Ruiz.
“It’s a really beautiful piece with really contrasting sounds. It’s still somehow tonal, which is rare for new music.”
But the piece Alondra appears most passionate about is Inguesu by Mexican composer Enrico Chapela. The work, which will see its Australian premiere at Fever Pitch, is about a 1999 soccer match in which Mexico beat Brazil.
“He said: ‘I want to do a neonationalism where I really feel Mexican when I compose and hear the piece’. And he thought that when he feels the most Mexican is when he is at a soccer game, so he wrote this piece to celebrate that that we won.”
In the piece, the composer represents the Mexican team through the wind section, Brazilian team through brass, audience through strings, and Alondra herself gets to play the referee in her role as conductor.
Another work by Chapela will have its world premiere at the event – Piroklasta, which Alondra says was inspired by a volcano. “It really reflects my style of programming, which is thinking of eclecticism and contrast.
“I don’t like programs where you have a lot of the same, but rather are creating this dialogue between pieces. That’s what this festival is about – experimenting and giving the audience a taste of very different things.
“The Powerhouse is a perfect venue for this and we’re hoping to get a lot of young people to our concert hall.”
Born in 1980 and still relatively young herself, Alondra is an inspiring role model for all in the classical music industry. The conductor was born in New York City and raised in Mexico, starting piano at 7 and cello at 13.
After her academic studies she founded the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas with the aim of showcasing young American composers and performers – and in 2010 they presented a celebration of the Mexican Bicentenary that was seen live by hundreds of thousands, and broadcast to 2 million people.
It hasn’t necessarily been an easy ride, and Alondra confesses the profession is tough to break into because of the demanding study loads involved.
“You need to really want it and be ready to dedicate a lot of time and effort. If you’re really in love with music and the art, then it’s a beautiful thing but it really does take a lot of passion and drive.
“It does take many hours of study and also, conductors – as any leaders – are facing resistance and people who say, ‘no, you won’t be able to do this’. It’s a hard profession, but also really rewarding.”
Despite the wide discussions about conducting being a male-dominated profession, Alondra hasn’t thought much about the impact of her gender in the industry.
“I think I have had many opportunities because I am a woman, and I am sure I have had many doors closed because of the same reason. We never know what people are thinking, and what opportunities we are given or not because of being a woman.
“I wouldn’t say that it’s a level field – we still have a lot of work to do in that regard. But I always hope my work is better than yesterday, and working on my weaknesses is all I am focused on. Not on the outside of whether people accept me or not.”
For Alondra, self-improvement extends beyond her personal experience. The conductor is keen to work with the QSO in making a lasting change for those in the industry – as performers and listeners.
“The most important thing is that this music is for everyone,” she says.
“It started that way, where it was very popular – everyone would listen to classical music in the time of Mozart and Beethoven, and that was the pop music of that day. I would like to see that happen again. And especially in this time, when we are saturated with information and everything goes so fast and everything is so easy in many ways.
“I believe classical music will be a perfect outlet and contrast for introspection and thought and joy. It’s available to everyone, and the industry needs to give it to everyone. I’d like to see that happen, because people who have classical music in their lives are richer.”
So when you head along to see Alondra conducting Fever Pitch, there’s one thing it’s important to remember.
“This is your orchestra. This is Brisbane’s orchestra, Australia’s orchestra, and everyone is welcome.
“We look forward to seeing our audiences and knowing what they think, how they feel about what we do. People shouldn’t think about an orchestra as so distant and a stiff thing, but rather a human and beautiful resource for everybody.”
Book your tickets online to see Alondra conduct QSOCurrent Fever Pitch on April 29, 7.30pm.
Image supplied.
