Page 24 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

The Mix

Igudesman

and Joo:

‘We Make Mistakes

on Purpose’

The comedy-music duo made their
India debut last month

ussian violinist
Aleksey Igudesman
Rand British-Korean
pianist Hyung-ki Joo may
have a love for classical music
in common, but they also
share a penchant for comedy,
pop culture and blunder.
The comedy-music duo
best known for their show
A Little Nightmare Music
(which they performed at
Mumbai’s Tata Theatre at the
NCPA on November 30th)
believe that their showcase
is “one big mistake.” For
many performers, faults
and aberrations are the
biggest nightmare during
a performance, but for Igudesman and Joo want to
Igudesman and Joo, they’re The classical musicians break the barrier between
performers and the public
elements with purpose. “Our met while studying at the
favorite part in every show Yehudi Menuhin School in
is if and when something England at the age of 12. If music accessible to a wider
goes wrong and we try to they could go back to that and younger audience.
improvise and act towards point in time, Igudesman With their theatrical
the audience as if nothing swears that he would tell offering A Little Nightmare
went wrong. A lot of those himself to not be nasty to Music having run for 15
‘mistakes’ actually end up Joo and Joo would just offer years, where they’ve shared of how music was performed less of a barrier between the
being included on purpose in Igudesman some fish and the stage with orchestras in the last three centuries, performers and the public.
our show,” say the composer- chips as a peace offering. such as the New York one may be astounded as And that’s what they want to
performer duo. They can They would have become Philharmonic and the one would see that the bring back with their show.
also be found poking fun friends and partners -- in Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance of classical That’s where the pop
at each other during the food, music and writing -- for one of their other music of the past has no culture play too comes in. The
performance, whispering quite swiftly then. offerings BIG Nightmare resemblance whatsoever duo has always been close to
little obscenities when the Together, the duo has Music and even actor John with today’s performance,” theater, cinema and acting,
audience can’t hear, adding opened in concert halls as Malkovich for The Music they say. Igudesman and listening and watching great
new lines or doing something well as stadiums in front Critic, the duo know a thing Joo know one thing with comedians. Their biggest in-
JULIA WESELY particularly silly. “That is a lot of crowds teeming in the or two about making classical absolute certainty: there spirations combine the worlds
music fun. “If one were to
of music and comedy with
was a lot more spontaneity
of fun too,” Igudesman and
thousands. Their collective
and fun in those times and
Joo intone.
musician-comedian Victor
pick up a historical account
dream? It’s to make classical
24 | Rolling Stone | December 2019