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Home , Alban Berg Quartett, Alfred Brendel, Amadeus Quartet

MARTIN FUNDA

PROF. MARTIN FUNDA (CHAMBER MUSIC FOR STRINGS) IN CONVERSATION WITH SABINE KRAUT

DEDICATION TO THE GREATER GOOD

Professor Martin Funda talks to Sabine Kraut about his career, his passion for chamber music, the highs and lows, and his desire to make new discoveries and to support and challenge HDMK students.

Martin, since Gerhard Schulz left the school, dying at the University of the Arts Berlin It was possibly the rst course we partici- part of the chamber music curriculum was at exactly the same time as me in 2005. pated in as a quartet.  e concert hall was split between different courses. Your appoint- We really wanted to have lessons with the completely packed with students and mem- ment will bring back the continuity in a field Artemis Quartett, so we formed a quartet. bers of the public, who were brought to tears that means a lot to all of your colleagues. How We quickly felt that we worked well as an as the [] quartet le the stage. and when did your interest in chamber music ensemble and subsequently invested a lot It was during a masterclass with Pichler begin? of time rehearsing, organising and plan- on Mendelssohn’s F minor quartet that I Making music together was part of my up- ning our activities from 2008. A er a few was rst introduced to his persistent and bringing in a musical family from an early smaller competitions and self-organised merciless style - I played the rst bar, actual- age. I formed my rst ensemble, a concerts we started to prepare repertoire ly just the upbeat to the slow movement, trio, with two school friends when we were for major competitions. A er winning probably around 40 times, and each time he nine years old to enter our rst regional the Concourse de Genève in 2011 and the had suggestions for improvements - nge- competitions and perform concerts in my ARD-Musikwettbewerb in 2012, it was rings, bow speed, intonation, timing, tension hometown, Gera. clear we had a future as a quartet ahead before the rst note, vibrato speed, facial of us. expression…! It was an extremely intensive, When did chamber music become the main formative and educational experience. We Martin Funda ist Kammer- und Orchestermusiker, Solist und Pädagoge. Er wurde 1985 in Gera geboren, studierte bei focus of your work? Have you, individually or as a quartet, worked still cross paths; most recently he was, by Prof. Anne-Katrin Lindig an der Hochschule für Musik „“ Weimar und anschließend bei Prof. Nora Chastain I have always loved playing with other with your predecessor Gerhard Schulz and/or chance, at our concert at the Schubertiade an der Universität der Künste Berlin. Weitere musikalische Impulse erhielt er bei Antje Weithaas, , Kolja musicians. Whilst at the Schloss Belvedere his quartet, the ? Schwarzenberg and, over lunch, we discus- Blacher, Donald Weilerstein, , Günter Pichler, Natalia Prischepenko und dem Artemis Quartett. music school in Weimar, I played in many Unfortunately we have never worked with sed the chamber music world. Internationale Bekanntheit erlangte er als Primarius und Gründungsmitglied des Armida Quartetts. Seit dem Gewinn di erent ensembles and chamber music Gerhard Schulz, but we have previously  e ABQ has had a great impact on cham- des Concours de Genève 2011 und beim Internationalen Musikwettbewerb der ARD 2012, bei dem das Ensemble mit dem was already an important part of my worked with Günter Pichler, the rst violi- ber music generally and is an inspiration to Ersten Preis, dem Publikumspreis und sechs weiteren Sonderpreisen ausgezeichnet wurde, hat sich das Armida Quartett education alongside solo playing. nist of the Alban Berg Quartett, having met many ensembles. als eines der meistgefragten jungen Quartette weltweit etabliert. Zum Wintersemester 2018/19 erfolgt die Berufung als  e Armida Quartett came into existence him at a course as part of the Schleswig- Professor für Kammermusik für Streicher an die HMDK Stuttgart. Zuvor hatte Martin Funda Lehraufträge an der Univer- because three of my friends started stu- Holstein Music Festival. sität der Künste Berlin und an der Hochschule für Musik „Franz Liszt“ Weimar.

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Which teacher was the most formative for you What musical aspects are particularly well What content do you think should be part of Are there courses that you think need to be You won the ARD-Wettbewerb in 2012 and in the long-run when all four members and your quartet, be it from their playing or suited to being taught in chamber music les- chamber music classes? offered, perhaps that you did not get during have been internationally in demand as a work as one and are as musically skilled as their teaching, and why? sons or can only be taught in chamber music Broadening one’s knowledge of repertoire your studies, or skills you wish to share that quartet since then. How would you describe possible on their individual instruments.  at’s a long list… My rst chamber music lessons? and interpretational con dence in music weren’t part of your studies? the everyday life of a quartet musician? Would Only then can you assert yourself in the lessons were with Norbert Brainin in Wei- Intense work in a chamber music ensem- of all eras, even contemporary and lesser I want to encourage students to work in a you recommend this career path to young small chamber music world. mar. I still remember the quirky anecdotes ble in which the musicians have di erent known works! goal-oriented way, to take responsibility musicians? from the ’s adventures, origins, ways of working and experience Improving the rehearsal process of ensem- individually and not to take a wait-and- My everyday life as a quartet musician What is particularly important to you when you and see certain parallels on our travels teaches you how to get along with each bles is also important so that you can work see approach. Besides teaching technique consists of practising and rehearsing, but play? now and again. other, reach musical compromises, to give independently on new pieces once you and di erent interpretational impulses, also communicating with the other mem- Working precisely and in a result-oriented We studied with the Artemis Quartett and take criticism respectfully and to be have nished your studies. lessons are about the mutual exchange of bers and with our agent. It’s useful that we way whilst not changing my personality, and, the musical aspects aside, they taught modest. I also want to develop concert programmes thoughts and ideas. can divide the various tasks such as travel and always being open to new things. Free us how to best organise and optimise It comes down to working for the greater together that inspire curiosity in the I consider a certain  exibility and a broad planning, programme planning, discussi- and open music-making and communica- our cooperation as a quartet. We were good and sharing responsibility. audience and that are presented by the range of musical activities to be particular- ons with the agent, nances and acquiring ting is very important to me. mentored by the then rst violinist Natalia ensembles themselves in group chamber ly important for musicians these days, as new contacts between the four of us. All Prishepenko and by Friedemann Weigle, It would be desirable for the institute and music evenings. We will discuss possible the life and role of musicians is constantly this requires a lot of time on the computer, Do you have any particular repertoire who even during di cult periods encoura- the school to draw in more quartets for the ways to enjoy a long-lasting professional changing and can be very diverse. which sometimes unfortunately takes away preferences? ged us to persevere. Master’s programme. Do you have ideas on concert career. Organisation plays a big Stage and mental training can help you to time from the essential musical work. Luckily not, so I always look forward to We went on to study with Rainer Schmidt how to make the Master’s course particularly role in this; well-thought-out rehearsal understand yourself better and how to deal Each of us has to put in a huge amount of all of the upcoming pieces! In the Armida () in Basel and historical attractive and how to incentivise it? planning in the run up to a concert or with problems such as stage fright. e ort to ensure a successful and continuing Quartett we o en have particular areas performance practice with Reinhard Goe- I have observed and worked with Ma- competition can make all the di erence. quartet career. A quartet only functions of focus for repertoire; for example we are bel in Salzburg. Masterclasses have always ster’s programmes in chamber music and currently working on a new urtext edition been incredible and uniquely inspiring for various quartet programmes in di erent of the Mozart string quartets with G. us, so it was an honour to have the chance organisations internationally and gathered Henle Verlag, which we will then perform. to work with and Walter many ideas in the last years that I don’t We will also publish our ngerings and Levin. I also highly value our frequent want to give away in detail just yet. bowings in the G. Henle app. collaborations with partners such as Jörg  e chamber music department colleagues In 2019/20, we will be playing a lot of Widmann, Tabea Zimmermann, Julian and I are looking to develop the Ma- modern and contemporary repertoire, Steckel, Eckhart Runge and . ster’s programme this semester, with the which is always a challenge, but we enjoy goal being to discover young, ambitious it immensely and like to play it regularly. It is now compulsory for all students at the quartets and ensembles to mentor within HDMK to take chamber music modules. What an individually tailored two year Master’s We are of course looking forward to your significance do you think chamber music programme. inaugural concert! Is the date set already, and should have in everyday student life? I’m looking forward to getting to know the the programme? In my opinion, chamber music for Bache- school and the chamber music department I’m hoping that we can nd a suitable date lor’s students alongside their solo studies and to starting to exchange ideas with soon - the exact date and repertoire has is an extremely important subject. It’s also teachers and students as soon as possible. not yet been decided. It’s an honour to be great to escape the four walls of the prac- Gerhard Schulz’s successor, and a great joy tice room and explore repertoire together to be a part of the long-standing tradition with fellow students, trying out di erent of chamber music at the HDMK Stuttgart. interpretations. When else will there be time and the opportunity to really delve into harmony and melody? For all stu- dents, the chance to think outside the box, learning from the many chamber music www.armidaquartett.com professors, is de nitely exciting, but a lot is www.facebook.com/armidaquartett also to be learnt from the other members of your ensemble. You develop a certain awareness which is very useful later in life, regardless of which occupational eld you eventually work in.

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