One of his ideas is the festival of Rachmaninoff music White Lilac. Among the participants of the festival are famous soloists Denis Matsuev, Boris Berezovsky and Ramzi Yassa. Maestro tells us about the connection of the name of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Kazan and also about the music management form of the future.
- I have never seen so many pipes. Which one is made by Guarneri?
- (Laughing) It’s really so that good pipes are similar with music instruments. There couldn’t be two identical pipes of one master. This one is made by Italian Viprati. I calm down when I hold the pipe.
- At that time have you decided to set up the festival by Rachmaninoff?
I thought about it for a long time. Kazan really needed such kind of event. Denis Matsuev haв a free date in his tour and was able to come to Kazan. Then moved all the rest, including Alexander Borisovich Rachmaninoff, the grandson of the composer.
-But why in Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan?
-The ancestors of Rachmaninoff were Tatars. Even his music has the intonation of the east.
Kazan is the center of tolerance. We are going to pay our attention to the music Turcoman countries. The Egyptian Ramzi Yassa opened this festival and the next year the Turkish pianist Fazil Sai will come.
- You are the principal conductor about one year, what can you say about your relation with the musicians from the orchestra?
- Ten people left the orchestra at once. I had to start with the beginning. It helps when people see that you try to do your best for them and the orchestra. Also, the interest of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan much helped.
- Does the orchestra have the principle of autonomous control?
- Yes, it does. It’s a new form for Russia. Besides, we’ve got the right for finance initiative.
- How do you use this finance initiative?
- First of all, I increased the salaries in three times. Then we ordered new music instruments of the best world masters. We have an opportunity to organize festivals and charity concerts. Besides, we can invite world-famous soloists.
- Tretyakov, Repin, Bashmet… They have huge performance fee. Do you compete on equal with the world engagement?
- Yes. We don’t beg them to come because we are good but poor. We work like partners.
- What about new musical staff? Is the idea of transition from three- to two step music education system justified?
- It’s a suicide. The education which I got in USSR is priceless. Then we began to lose good musicians.
- But Soviet school made them successful and gave the chance to go abroad, doesn’t it?
- They are not just successful, they are the first. Such conductors asYansons, Gergiev, Temirkanov.
- To sum up, it’s better not to skimp to on education, isn’t it?
- I think, any parsimony leads to collapse. Instead of minimization it’s better to care about sensible investment.
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