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How has your week been, Elim Chan?

Elim Chan talks with Laura about the concerts´music and this week´s rehearsals.

How are you and how was the last rehearsal before the concert today?

Very good. It´s my first time to work in Finland and I’ve always heard that Finnish musicians are good, they have a good tradition and education. So, I’ve been looking forward to experience this by myself. The orchestra is so open and kind, also very serious to really make it good. It´s been very good few days. They remember what we worked on and sometimes I am also like surprised by their own musicality. Of course, I also leave certain things, because I also have to safe some energy and surprises for tonight

Could you tell a bit about the music pieces of this evening?

The opening piece by Rimski-Korsakov is just so magical and sets the atmosphere right from the beginning. You have this wild nature with the birds in the background and with the wintry feeling and the colors

The second piece, the concerto, is one of the most beautiful concertos. Especially the second movement.

And after the break is the Tchaikovsky 2nd symphony. Which is also interesting, because when an orchestra asks for a symphony by Tchaikovsky, you always go from no. 4 or no. 5 – sometimes no. 6. You never really do the early symphonies of Tchaikovsky; I am so glad we can do the no. 2. Tchaikovsky wrote it when he actually was happy, and this was quite rare. We can feel it in this symphony, it´s very lighthearted, very charming, some folk elements in the piece. So, in some ways it´s a sunny, positive and quite loving piece. Of course, we hear some darkness in it, but it´s all controlled.

Since the composers are all from the eastern countries of Europe: Is there like an “eastern identity” within the pieces?

Sure. They´re sort of talking to each other, they´re sort of the same universe. I wouldn`t say they are from the same planet, but you can definitely tell from the elements of the folk and the way it´s written, that they have the same background.

So, there was a soloist change this week: How was that for you?

Of course, many people are sad – I am also sad – that we have to miss Yulianna, who is unfortunately sick. However, I still think that we have a nice replacement with Lukáš. We worked together a couple times and it´s good, because when we were stressed out like “who is the soloist now?” – I was like “okay good, I have someone that I know”. We have never done the Chopin before, so it´s very nice to do something very intimate and sensitive. And he also has a very beautiful vision of the piece. So, I think people tonight are in for a treat to get to know Lukáš and he has a lot to offer.

Elim, thank you very much for your time and answers. Enjoy the concert!

Other interviews in the series with our intern Laura:
Christian Vásquez
Darren Acosta