Pianist Anna Fedorova answers The Classic Review’s 10 questions.
Where will she most likely find inspiration, how many hours does she practice a day, and what are the classical music albums she couldn’t live without.
What new repertoire are you currently working on?
At the moment I’m preparing the Ravel Piano Concerto in G major, which I’m performing at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw on September 1, with the Brussels Philharmonic and Ilan Volkov. I adore the originality of this piece with its unique combination of incredible colors, beauty and electrifying energy intertwining with meditation, and how the jazz influence is combined with French tradition and Spanish spice.
What’s a piece of music you don’t currently play but wish you could?
I have a long list! I would like to add Brahms to my repertoire – I still haven’t played either of the piano concertos and would love to play both. In general, I feel I haven’t played enough Brahms and would also love to extend my solo repertoire with more of his music.
Are there any classical composers whose music you don’t quite connect with?
I couldn’t name any particular composers. Usually, I tend to fall in love with the music I am working on and performing. I guess for me, the most important thing is to connect with the music emotionally, to be moved by it. In general, I connect less with overly objective music, where calculation or flashy virtuosity is valued over beauty, emotional & psychological impact.
What was the latest contemporary music piece that impressed you?
One of the most recent contemporary pieces I performed was a piece written by my father, Borys Fedorov, which was dedicated to the legendary French comedian actor (and one of my heroes) Pierre Richard. Pierre is an absolutely fascinating personality, he turns 90 in August and has been a great inspiration for my whole family throughout our lives. A few months ago I found out that Pierre Richard would attend my concert in Paris where I was performing with my great friend – the wonderful cellist Benedict Kloeckner. As a tribute for him my father decided to write a piece inspired by the character from one of his movies and wrote a very original piece called “Les Comperes, le coup de tet”, in the genre he calls ‘Musical Comics’.
Anna Fedorova (image: Sarah Wijzenbeek)
The music is born from the images of the comedy in cinematography. In its first half it is full of humor and action, quite theatrical and eccentric, whereas in the second, it is incredibly moving and beautiful. It typifies Pierre Richard’s character – hilarious, clumsy, always getting in trouble, chaotic from outside but at the same time poetic, sensitive, very moving and deeply kind, full of love and inner light.
It was incredibly special to perform it with both my father and Pierre Richard in the audience.
How much time do you dedicate to practicing each day? What are your best tips for developing effective practice habits?
It’s difficult to maintain a practice routine while being constantly on tour, as you are always dependent on the schedule, travel and practice possibilities. I’m always trying to manage at least 3 hours a day of private piano practice, but it’s not always possible. I also sometimes have “practice holidays” when I try to disconnect from the world and simply focus only on practicing, mostly when I am learning new repertoire, then I can be practicing 6-8 hours per day.
However, finding substantial chunks of time for these “practice holidays” is becoming more and more difficult; Two years ago, together with my husband Nicholas Schwartz, we founded the Davidsbundler Music Academy in The Hague, which is growing very fast and producing incredible results, but is also constantly asking for attention.
I find mental practice very helpful as well! As for the tips – the most important thing is to practice with passion and interest, to be 100% focused and creatively active. Then even in the short amount of time it is possible to achieve a lot!
“Additional inspiration comes from the energy exchange with the audience, which is why it’s impossible to replace a live performance”
How do you find inspiration when performing?
The music always gives inspiration! But also on stage, additional inspiration comes from the energy exchange with the audience, which is why it’s impossible to replace a live performance – a certain magic is born from that invisible electricity between the listeners and the performer. Additional inspiration can come from the venue as well. Whether it’s a special hall, full of history and wonderful acoustics, or an unusual but beautiful location, such as a cave, or an outdoor stage in the ancient amphitheater for instance.
Do you experience performance anxiety? If so, how do you manage it?
If there is any anxiety before the performance, it usually goes away as soon as I step on stage. Once you start playing, everything around you disappears and the music is the only thing which matters. I think the secret of fighting the stress is the complete devotion of oneself to the music. The most important thing is to stay connected with it and never let go while you are playing.
If music wasn’t your passion, what other career path might you have chosen?
I always liked cinematography and could very well imagine being a film director. Or possibly a sommelier…
What advice do you have for young musicians starting their careers?
Love music with passion, practice with passion, live with passion and perform with passion! Always stay true to yourself and enjoy! Being a musician is a greatest gift!
What classical music album(s) you couldn’t live without?
Schubert by Radu Lupu, Mozart by Mitsuko Uschida, live recordings of Horowitz, Schumann and Dvořák by Steven Isserlis, solo and chamber music recordings of Menahem Pressler, who was very dear to my heart, Bach and Beethoven by András Schiff and I could go on for a while…
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Anna Fedorova’s new album, “Intrigues of the Darkness” will be released on Channel Classics on September 6. It includes Scriabin’s Sonata No.9 (‘Black Mass’), Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit, De Falla’s Suite from El Amor Brujo and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
Visit Anna Fedorova’s website, Instagram and Facebook.
See offers for this album on Amazon.
