Just a few months after the previous edition, Ruse once again hosts one of the most prestigious international conducting courses, led by Prof. Ivan Vasilevski and Prof. Christoph Brunner from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zurich. The choice of Ruse is not accidental - the orchestra of the State Opera - Ruse is among the few ensembles in our country that combine operatic tradition with high philharmonic standards and keep alive the spirit of the legendary Ruse Philharmonic. It is precisely this environment that gives young conductors the invaluable opportunity to work with musicians who have experience, discipline, and a strong sense of style.
The final concert of the course on April 24 at the Philharmonia Hall will present the results of this intensive creative work through two monumental scores – Brahms' Fourth Symphony and Dvořák's Ninth Symphony 'From the New World.' On this occasion, we speak with Prof. Ivan Vasilevski about the meaning of conducting education, the meeting between generations, and what makes Ruse an attractive center for young musicians from all over the world.
Ruse is once again hosting your conducting course just a few months after its previous edition. What makes you come back here – what distinguishes the Ruse orchestra as a partner in training young conductors?
We always return here with pleasure. The reason for this is the joy, desire, and motivation of the orchestra to work with these young conductors, to follow them, and sometimes even to show them what is correct and what is impossible to achieve. Where is the fine line between what a person wants and the fact that there is a partner in the form of the Ruse Opera Orchestra, who balances the real possibilities. I also want to share our delight in this wonderful attitude that the orchestral musicians have towards young conductors, and the understanding that these are people learning a very, very difficult profession, which cannot be mastered without having an orchestra in front of you. It is precisely because of this process that we always return to Ruse; we come with great pleasure and will continue to come again.
The program includes Brahms' Fourth Symphony and Dvořák's Ninth Symphony – works of enormous emotional and architectural scale. What do you look for in the young conductor when you put him in front of such a great responsibility?
Yes, these are two monumental, very famous symphonies – the last ones by both Dvořák and Brahms. But one learns when taking on challenges and striving for something great. Sometimes, of course, these works exceed the abilities of one student or another at the moment, but still, this is a path, a building process, a deepening, an understanding that with each subsequent performance new things are discovered. At some point, one has to start somewhere. One shouldn’t even wait too long, because the level of conductors rises when they work with such monumental, wonderful, famous, and significant works.
It is often said that technique can be learned, but the personal touch in conducting is difficult to develop. How do you encourage students to find their own voice within the framework of an intensive course, without compromising stylistic fidelity to the score?
Yes, that is actually the essence of my work. It is easily adjusted according to external parameters – tempo, dynamics, etc. It is not a particular problem to teach in this way. For everything else, in order to truly develop personalities, we can only support them. This part of my work is actually psychological. It is necessary for a person, in some way, to enter into the inner life of the student, to see where their strengths and weaker points are, and to encourage them. I try to guide students on the right path, but it is not possible for this to happen solely through imposing an opinion on interpretation. And yet, we are advocates for the composer. The symphony is written and there are certain rules that must be followed. If a person does not want to work in this way, they must become a composer themselves and write music that they can then conduct however they like. Actually, this is the most delicate, most interesting, and most special aspect of our profession.
Ruse preserves the traditions of the historic Ruse Philharmonic. Do young musicians feel this continuity, and can encountering an orchestra with such a history change the way they understand their profession?
The Ruse Orchestra has a long-standing tradition, and we come from a somewhat different culture. I think this teaches the musicians because they are familiar with traditional orchestras, but they do not have the opportunity to work with orchestras that have accumulated such a history. When they come here, I think they take something away from the different understanding of music and the profession. I especially want to emphasize that the Orchestra of the Ruse Opera is extremely disciplined in a very positive sense. With great love for the profession, with this loyalty and dedication for so many years – I think this also changes the conductors' attitude towards their partner, towards the musicians who play for decades and rediscover each symphony time and again. It seems to me that this is a mutual process. The orchestra members also enjoy that young people from a somewhat different culture come, who learn and have new ideas.
Now that you are working here once again, do you notice any changes in the new generation of conductors – in their way of thinking, in their attitude towards authority, the score, and the orchestra itself?
Change does not happen that quickly, but over the years some novelties can be noticed in the new generations. We live in a world of digitalization, with greater opportunities for travel and cultural tourism. It seems that conductors are becoming younger and younger. I recently conducted a selection for a master class in America – there were 240 candidates for 10 spots. I noticed that there are quite a few colleagues around 20 years old – men and women with very good skills. Some rejuvenation can be observed. Even though information is much more accessible and there are more courses for conductors, the interest is enormous. There is a large influx and competition. But the essence of our work does not change, and it requires an honest approach to the works, not an attempt at originality to stand out among so many candidates. Here, we are talking about hundreds of candidates waiting in line for a profession that is still exotic. It is about greater promotion of music in countries where, until 20 years ago, there was no such tradition. But if the interpretations remain honest and sincere, they should come from the heart and soul, and not be the result of external effects.
