On Wednesday, October 29, at 7 p.m. in the Philharmonic Hall, the Ruse audience will be treated to an exciting symphonic evening under the baton of one of the most promising young conductors of his generation - the young American with Indian roots Ukki Sachedina.
Soloist in the concert will be the exceptional Bulgarian violinist Zornitsa Illarionova – a musician with an impressive international career and a distinctive artistic style. She graduated from the National Music Academy “Lyubomir Pipkov” in the violin class of her mother Blagorodna Taneva. She continued her education with the famous violin teacher Prof. Zahar Bron at the prestigious Higher School of Music “Queen Sofia” – Madrid, also at the New Bulgarian University in the violin class of Prof. Mario Hosen, as well as at the Music Academy “Santa Cecilia” – Bergamo, with Prof. Pavel Vernikov. At the same time, she received valuable creative advice in master classes from other exceptional musicians and pedagogues such as Prof. Augustin Dumé, Prof. Michaela Martin, Prof. Dora Schwarzberg, Midori, Julian Rachlin, the legendary violinist Yvry Gitlis, etc.
Талантлива, красива, интелигентна и въздействаща, ето какво сподели Зорница Иларионова:
Zornitsa, You are a musician with an impressive international career and a distinctive artistic style. In fact, your mother was your first teacher. Was it Your destiny to play the violin or did you have other desires in your childhood?
The truth is that the violin came to me very naturally. I was only four when I started playing. Yes, my mother is my first teacher and the most important one – not only in music, but also in my attitude towards work, the stage, art. I never thought about any other instrument. The violin was my game, my world, my way of expressing everything that couldn't be put into words.
Besides being very talented, You are also a very beautiful woman. Does that help You more on stage or, on the contrary?
Thank You. I believe that the look is an essential part of an artist’s image – but it only makes sense when it emphasizes the natural radiance and is in harmony with the inner content. Beauty in art should not impose itself, nor should it become a mask. It should carry a message, be authentic, subtle and impactful in its own way. On stage, everything speaks – the clothes, the gestures, the light, the gaze. And when all these elements are in sync with the music, then a complete experience is born.
You have been taught by exceptional violinists and pedagogues. What is the key and unifying thing about what You learned from them?
I carry something in my heart from each of them. The common thing among great teachers is that they never set a boundary between technique and freedom of spirit. They look for the meaning behind the sound, the message behind an interpretation. I learned that the violin is not a goal, but a means to something higher. And yet, talent for me is being able to process everything you have learned, but to present it with your own handwriting and sense of meaning.
How many hours a day do You spend with the violin and do you ever talk to it like a friend?
The violin and I are almost inseparable – it is almost always with me. When I travel, when I teach my students, and sometimes I even take it with me and when I am out with friends, if there is no one at home to leave it with. The time I spend on exercises and rehearsals varies – there are intense periods when several programs are prepared at the same time, and then the hours with it naturally increase. But what I would never want to happen to me is for a routine to arise. Communication with the instrument should always bring life, meaning and inspiration.
Given the Divine nature of classical music, are you a believer Yourself?
Yes, I believe. Not in frames or dogmas, but in the light that guides us. I believe that when you play from the depths of your soul, even without realizing it, you become a conduit for something greater. Music is a form of prayer – silent, but intimate. I have noticed that whenever I have wanted something most strongly in my life, I have played for it. Music opens up an energy flow that is extremely powerful when a person does something with all their presence and heart. Then you do not just “perform”, but you connect with something higher, and it seems to respond.
Which world-renowned violinists inspire you on your path as a performing musician?
I have been inspired by both great violinists and great personalities from other arts and spheres. Among musicians, David Oistrakh, Jascha Heifetz, Gidon Kremer left a strong mark on me, and from more contemporary ones – Anne-Sophie Mutter, Jeanine Janssen, Julia Fischer. But I must admit that inspiration does not come only from the violin – often the strongest creative impulse comes from people who go beyond the boundaries of their own discipline. Great athletes, for example – football players, tennis players, gymnasts – inspire me immensely with their dedication, discipline and the way they build their characters. It is interesting from a psychological point of view to observe how a young athlete reacts and copes in the most complex and crucial moments. At home, we are all supporters of FC Barcelona – perhaps the best team in the world, with such outstanding young players at the moment – like Yamal, Pedri, Gavi. What a young athlete and a musician go through is very similar, even if they seem like two completely different spheres.
Interview by Diana Dimitrova
Снимка: www.zornitsailarionova.com
