Page 37 - BBC Music (January 2020)
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Hindemith Viola Concerto with Leonard
Slatkin and the BBC Symphony Orchestra,
charted the complete York Bowen
works for viola and piano. He forged a
relationship with Hyperion that’s still
going strong. ‘The biggest gift of the NGA
scheme for me was to get to listen back to
myself so much,’ Power recalls. ‘Recording
is an immediate overview of where you’re
at, which is a bit depressing maybe, but
that’s what I love about it. For young artists
it can be quite scary. You hear yourself Birth of a star:
and it doesn’t sound how it’s supposed to. Lisa Batiashvili, one
of the very first NGAs
Nobody teaches you how to deal with that.’
Native speaker:
‘The viola is my Power loves the viola. He doesn’t
mother tongue’ hold back in saying so: ‘I adore it; it’s my 20 years of Radio 3 talent
mother tongue; I play it every day; I love
the instruments themselves.’ Let’s return, A New Generation celebration
stint at the Juilliard in New York followed then, to that matter of why he strays from
From 27 January to 1 February,
– and then, at 21, he was scooped up by the the viola, which he does with increasing BBC Radio 3 is marking the 20th
Nash Ensemble. It proved to be the most regularity. He squirms when I ask about anniversary of the BBC New
important education of all. ‘As a young the conducting. ‘Well, OK… I did it last Generation Artists scheme. Each
player, nothing is better than being around week, but I would be uncomfortable if day Essential Classics features an
older people who are generous. Who treat someone thought, “there’s another string NGA alumnus, including mezzo
you like you’re on the same level, which player trying to conduct”. I mean, it’s Alice Coote, soprano Fatma Said
of course you’re not. But to just be told: such a cliché!’ So why do it? ‘Because it’s and pianist Mariam Batsashvili.
Lunchtime Concert on Monday 27
we’re off to do this concert, and it has to necessary. It’s pragmatic in order to do
January is broadcast from Wigmore
be up to standard.’ Now he works with his repertoire I want to do – like Britten’s
Hall and showcases violinist Jennifer
own group of young players, Collegium, to Nocturne – and help an ensemble stay
Pike; from the Tuesday to the Friday,
replicate that spirit of apprenticeship. together. Because that’s what conducting concerts by NGA Artists will come
By his twenties, Power was in a position is, right? Don’t tell conductors I said that, from the Birmingham Conservatoire.
to turn down the world’s most prestigious but it’s really a very basic profession. Radio 3’s Afternoon Concerts
orchestra. He was headhunted as principal The whole maestro thing. Thankfully are featuring performances
viola of the Berlin Philharmonic, and he we’re coming out of that and most of the by violinist Lisa Batiashvili, pianist
said no. Was it arrogance? He laughs when conductors I like working with are really Paul Lewis, the Amatis Piano
I ask how a 23 year-old had enough self- collaborative. They’re basically there to Trio, the Calidore Quartet and the
knowledge to refuse such an offer. ‘Maybe facilitate a great performance.’ Belcea Quartet. And Radio 3’s in
Concert schedule includes French
I was privileged in that I was already doing And what about the violin? Because,
horn player Alec Frank-Gemmill
stuff through which I could really express whisper it, Power is rather good at that,
performing Haydn and Mozart, plus
myself. I was already playing chamber too. He says he’s not interested in playing
pianist Benjamin Grosvenor in a
music in big venues with people I adored. the Sibelius Concerto (‘I’d be rubbish; a programme of Schumann, Janácˇek,
Playing new pieces by Birtwistle, Turnage, thousand people would be better than me’) Prokofiev and Liszt. Finally, pianist
talking to them about their music. Then but in using the violin as a ‘creative tool’. Igor Levit joins forces with the
suddenly I was parachuted into a position He wants to ‘combine programmes, like Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
where I was listening to a maestro whose the Brahms sonata thing. Or directing a (conductor to be announced,
vision was supposedly paramount. Maybe group: I’ve got more voice from the violin. following the recent death of Mariss
that does sound arrogant, but I knew it That’s it. I’ve never thought the violin is Jansons) in a performance of
Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto.
wasn’t what I wanted. If you’re restless – that different from the viola. Every viola
On 1 February, to round off this
which is a good and bad thing – being in an is a different size and has a unique voice.’ special NGA week, presenters Kate
orchestra can be pretty difficult.’ So, a violin is just a dinky viola? Power
Molleson and Fiona Talkington
The decision paid off. A year later, grins. ‘Maybe.’ Does he have a violist introduce a day dedicated to a
Power was selected as one of the earliest accent when he plays the violin? ‘Probably. celebration of the scheme, with four
Radio 3 New Generation Artists (NGA), It’s like languages. You have a mother concerts showcasing members past
which he credits with kick-starting his tongue, so you speak other languages with and present, all coming live from
GETTY recording career. During his time on the an accent. Surely it’s what you say that Wigmore Hall. For full details, see
Radio Times or BBC Sounds.
matters most.’
scheme he made recital discs, recorded the
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 39
