Conversation with Tina Ivanova, director of the NI Philharmonic: The end result gave magic

The official part of the concert season 2021/2022 of the NI Philharmonic was completed on May 19 with the grandiose concert "Freedom", and that was the occasion with the director Tina Ivanova to make a summary of the entire season.

The Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Benjamin Schwartz (Israel / USA) together with the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra conducted by Angel Spiroski, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, prepared by Slavil Dimitroj, and Niko by Behar Veseli, performed the work "Requiem for War" by British composer Benjamin Britton.

Soloists Vesna Gjinovska-Ilkova (soprano), Stevan Karanac (tenor, Serbia) and Goran Nacevski (baritone) also performed at the concert. The complex musical work that carries strong messages for humanity and freedom was performed in the Cathedral "St. Kliment Ohridski ”in Skopje.

Britton's work sounded sublime and magical, and the audience had the opportunity to see once again the top performing performance of our Philharmonic.

With the concert "Freedom", the National Philharmonic performed for the first time in the Cathedral "St. Clement of Ohrid"

You closed the official part of the Philharmonic season with a grand concert entitled "Freedom", which featured the work "Requiem for War" by Benjamin Britton. What was the challenge of setting up this monumental piece of music and what was the message of the work?

- Perhaps the installation of this work was one of the biggest challenges in the last period that our institution faced. From a technical, organizational, performance aspect. But the desire was too great, and even deeper is the message that "Requiem for War" carries - in this work is woven the belief in humanity, it is an expression of deep compassion for the victims of war, a work that speaks of peace in turbulent times ( after all, what time is it peaceful?), but an act that expresses the cry for liberation.

The concert was titled "Freedom" and not only because of the essence of "Requiem for War", not only because of the idea of ​​Britten and the poetry of Wilfred Owen, whose lyrics are woven into the music, but also because of the freedom in all its meanings and questions. : Can man be free even when he is not behind bars, and when there is no war, and when there is no prejudice, and when there are no diseases and pandemics…

There is a lot to talk about freedom, but I know that man is free in the moments when he perceives music, because it has no barriers, and human thought and imagination in those moments are like a bird. I am really happy that everything went well, and I am grateful to all the participants on stage and behind the scenes, who gave their creative contribution and who worked with great enthusiasm.

Man is free in the moments when he perceives music, because it has no barriers, and human thought and imagination in those moments are like a bird.

Following the motto of the season "Philharmonic on the move" and with this concert you were on the move, ie you left your building to offer a new experience for the audience. What kind of new quality do concerts of this type give?

- We are performing for the first time as an institution in this church (Cathedral "St. Clement of Ohrid") and the experience is really interesting. The architecture itself gives a different approach, the ambience has its own acoustics which is completely different from the acoustics in the hall and it is an experience plus for the musicians, but also for the audience. This area was not chosen by chance, because "Requiem for the War" was written on the occasion of the opening of the new cathedral church "St. Michael "in the West Midlands, built on the foundations of the old one, destroyed in a Nazi military attack. And that is why it is constantly performed in churches and cathedrals. The idea of ​​the composer Benjamin Britton, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, is the timeless attitude towards peace and humanity.

When there is quality, space is important of course, but not always crucial, in some cases it contributes to its improvement. "Architecture is frozen music", play only her first tone, she will start dancing. It is certainly interesting when there are changes in the environment, and we are used to realizing concerts outside the country, in different concert venues, but also in the open air.

There was movement in terms of program and this season you offered concerts from baroque to contemporary music with a number of important composers and fantastic soloists. Although most of the concerts during the season were held according to health protocols, how satisfied are you with the way the audience accepted the performed program?

- We are satisfied, really. And more than that, because it pays off when you see a happy audience. Unfortunately, there is no music criticism that can lead us in any direction of thinking, if there is any dilemma. We realized everything we imagined, no matter how hard it was, but the end result was magic. I am not talking only about our institution, but in this way, introducing novelties in the program, we also act educationally and strive to bring the symphonic sound closer to the new generations of listeners, who now had the opportunity to hear something they did not have the opportunity to experience elsewhere. place.

Characteristic of the season were several "unusual" concerts, such as "100 Metronomi", the performance of the "Balancescu Quartet", the chamber concert with the theme of Iva Damjanovski, but also "Breathe Love" as a separate project. How much did you want to expand your music horizon with these concerts and give "added value to the movement"?

- Those concerts, no matter how "unusual" they may seem, are in fact very real and standard. But not with us, unfortunately. Still works by Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Britten, Lutoslavski, etc. are considered the so-called modern classics, and now it is a classic, if we already want to define things. Times have changed, we have to be in line with that movement, not because we will sound conservative, but because the "new kids" need to be offered it. A perfect balance between old practice and school and today's way of thinking.

What are the plans after the end of the official season and do you plan to continue the same concept?

- The new season is ready, ready. We will start in October with a new slogan that will define the whole program, and in some way will project it in a certain direction. Yes, we continue with the same concept, ie we will enrich it with some different art forms.

Photos: Maja Argakijeva

(The conversation was published in "Cultural Press" No. 129, in the print edition of the newspaper "Free Press" on May 21-22, 2022)

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