Interview for FLÖTE AKTUELL: PAULA ROBISON, August, 2014 y h p a r g o t o h P L e t a K : o t o h P Paula Robison Interview for FLÖTE AKTUELL: PAULA ROBISON, August, 2014 e n i D t t a M Playing : o t to Pan o F Interview with at the age of sixteen ̈ PAULA ROBISON for FLÖTE AKTUELL (Claudia Wälder-Jene) 1. FA (Floete Aktuell): Dear Ms. Robison, evolved human being emerges with the abili- Foto: Boswil the flute and you - a love at first sight?? ty to pass on the deepest meaning and the ̆ Moyse,- Debost,-Strum,- deepest beauty of music to others. When Paula PR (Paula Robison): Indeed it was love at Marcel Moyse called me his “best student” he As a young flutist first sight, and first sound. It was almost did not mean that I was the best flutist who playing Mozart ̈ magical. I had studied the piano, but its had studied with him but rather that I sheer size and mass intimidated me a bit, amidst all of them had truly heard and „The Complete especially since my formidable grandmother under stood him. I heard the beauty, yes, but Sequenzas“ at was my teacher. I just couldn’t sit still to was also acutely aware of his struggles as an Luciano Berio’s 70th practice. I would feel as though my nose artist, of his desire to bring to life the Birthday Celebration ̄ itched, and then my knee, then my ear, I enormous expressive power of the flute. He would fidget; my grandmother finally was so was not a “cool and collected” artist as was exasperated with me that she ripped up all fashionable at the time. He was on fire, and my music. It was clear that the piano was not he set me on fire, too. He knew that I would n a m r my instrument! I couldn’t make it sing, and carry on the flame long after he was gone. e h S I wanted to sing. Then one day a friend gave But I have not answered your question! Here . J me a flute, I tried it, and that was it! Voilà! I is my answer: applause is delicious. It feeds e v e t had found my voice. us! It is right to give thanks and to enjoy it. S : o But I believe that it’s a command too: a t o 2. FA: „Perhaps the greatest flute soloist of command to keep working, keep growing, F her generation“ (J.Baker), the New York and to remain worthy of the gifts we have Times calls you an „Absolute wonder!“, been given. We must keep fire in the heart, With Marcel Moyse said, you were his „best stu- eyes and mind open and active, and humor Luciano dent“ – no doubt that you have earned limit- shining bright. Berio ̈ less recognition and internationally renow- ned esteem from all sides. How do you deal 3. FA: You deliberately made a decision in with such enormous success without having favour of a solo-career, which – in retro- it develop into a huge pressure at any stage spect – probably was the right decision. of a career? Many of your colleagues and fellow students preferred a secure place in an orchestra. Foto: Steve J. Sherman PR: Thanks for this! I am terribly grateful for Have you ever doubted your decision, or the kind things people have said about me would you do everything the same way and about my music-making through the again? years. The support of my teachers, the encouragement of the public, and the good PR: I really miss the great repertoire of the reviews: all inspired me to leap ahead into orchestra. I trained to be an orchestral musi- sometimes uncharted territory. I am grateful cian. That was my dream. But somewhere also, I must say, for the unkind things said along the way I took a curve, a turn onto a and written! They forced me to look and “road less travelled”. It was not a conscious listen carefully, to learn, to find the kind of decision; I was sure I’d play “Daphnis et strength and conviction and just sheer stub- Chloe” many times in my life (so sorry now bornness I needed to follow my path and that I only had a few chances at it…maybe stay the course. I believe that a musical gift it’s not too late!). But... I was just... interested comes straight from God, and that “success” in another way. There were voices in side me. is the development of this gift to its greatest They said “try this” and so I did. I had no San Francisco Conservatory of Music, possible extension. If this happens, a fully role models: the custom of principal players DMA Honoris Causa and Commencement Address 2 Interview for FLÖTE AKTUELL: PAULA ROBISON, August, 2014 taking time off for solo and chamber music of classical musicians, their chances and playing, for instance, did not exist in the US possibilities. then as it does now, so I couldn’t ask any of them for advice. The great principal players PR: I agree with you that times have stayed in the orchestra. And no one would changed. I would almost say that time itself hear of the idea of a flute recital, of a flutist has changed. The speed at which we do and keyboardist being responsible for an things in ordinary life has increased so much evening’s worth of music. Presenters would that it bears little resemblance to the eras in ̆ With members of the Budapest Strings at Franz Lizst House smile indulgently at me when I described the which much of our music was written. JS Bach sonatas! Oh, it was frustrating! And It is almost as though we are re-living the ex- also there were no big competitions open to plosion of the Industrial Revolution of 1848. flutists in the US. Even my own school, Much was gained by all the advances of that Juilliard, did not allow flutists to compete for era, of course, but much was lost, too. Hand- a chance to play a concerto with the orchestra. work was replaced by machine-made pro- Around that time Jean-Pierre Rampal had ducts, all resembling each other. Travel was started to change the landscape with his faster. Cities became filled with noise. We incomparable playing, and he was a great started losing the sense of quiet which is inspiration, but he had all the independence essential to the preparation of works of art. and power which men alone commanded in And now, we are living in the Technological those days, and I was a young American Age. The speed of living has increased many woman. Luckily a visionary named Susan times more, and the quality of life has ̆ With husband and Co-Director Scott Nickrenz Wadsworth was starting the organization changed, too. I have a name for this: Paula’s at the Tric Trac, Spoleto Festival called Young Concert Artists, and she took Clock Theory. Do you remember when clok- me on. And the Chamber Music Society of ks and metronomes used to say “tick-tock”? With Eugenio Lincoln Center was founded. And I went to There was a movement forward and then a Monti Colla Geneva and won the First Prize. But still release as the pendulum went back each and a ballerina, there were so many hurdles. I wanted to take time. Now clocks say only “tick, tick, tick”; Spoleto Festival leaps that would clear all the hurdles! I they move only forward. There is no release! ̇ remember saying in an article early on that I I find this to be a metaphor for our life as hu- longed for the day when knowledgeable mans on this planet in this age. Everything is listeners would be able to admire many solo moving forward. There is little time to be flutists, just as they did singers or violinists: still and listen and learn. People go to “see” a not just one, but many, all different from concert, not to “hear” one. And young artists Paula and Scott at the Teatro Caio Melisso ̄ each other. I fought for that, in my perfor- in the US are faced with this as they prepare s ming and in my teaching. And look! Now it their lives as instrumentalists. No longer can o r b has happened! So many marvelous flutists! I they expect a large concert hall full of rapt m a L hope I played a part in this transformation. listeners who know their music, since the a i r So: “Non, je ne regrette rien”. study of music is gradually being taken out a M of the curriculum in US schools. They must : o t o 4. FA: Times in the music world have compete with the electronic devices every - F changed, certainly not only in Germany but one brings with them. They are forced often probably also in the US. A change always to become “entertainers” to keep the audien- brings positive and negative aspects with it. ces’ attention. But all is not lost. It is a new How would you outline the current situation world now, and the most interesting young artists are making their own civilizations A fragment of with in it: playing in unusual spaces, smaller Leon Kirchner's spaces, going into communities and igniting Music for Flute the love of music for all kinds of people, ap- and Orchestra preciating the “Classical Music” of the many ̇ cultures amongst us and combining styles of playing to make a new music.